Austin's 5 Themes of Geography
Bailey McLendon
Location
Austin is the capital of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas and the American Southwest, it is the 11th-largest city in the United States of America and the fourth-largest city in the state of Texas.
Absolute--30.25N 97.75W
Relative--South of Cedar Park, East of Lakeway, nearest major city is San Antonio
Place
Physical:
--Hot and dry in the summer months, hot and humid in the fall, and somewhat cold from December to February. (Annual Average Temperature: 68.8F)
--Great Plains area
--Colorado River
--Edwards Aquifer
Human:
Austin is a melting pot of all cultural groups. According to Travel & Leisure magazine, Austin ranks No. 1 on the list of cities with the best people, referring to the personalities and attributes of the citizens. "Keep Austin Weird" has been the local motto for years. This motto has not only been used in promoting Austin's eccentricity and diversity, but is also meant to bolster support of local independent businesses.
Population (2012)
• City 842,592 (11th)
• Density 2,828.44/sq mi (1,092.07/km2)
• Metro 1,834,303
• Demonym Austinite
Human-Environment Interaction
--Until recently the rice farmers down river were allotted large amounts of water via contracts with the LCRA from Lake Travis, plus the growing population, along with the severe drought has resulted in historically low lake levels.
Effect of Earth on Humans:
--Restaurants along the lake are losing business due to the drought.
--The long, devastating drought leads to water restrictions for city which means citizens must learn to use water wisely. Watering lawns less, sometimes even removing lawns with xeriscape designs, and water capture techniques such as rain water harvesting help in conservation.
--SmartCar+Car2Go cars save gasoline in the city and reduce the traffic by reducing the number of larger cars, which help to reduce emissions. Austin has also initiated mass transit solutions and promoted walkable neighborhoods and bicycle transit lanes.
--Trash recycling and waste prevention is part of Austin's zero waste goal. Austin Resource Recovery's goal is to reach zero waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills by 90%.
Movement
--Austin is known as the Live Music Capital
--Home of the University of Texas
--Uses city-shared SmartCar Car2Go, Capital Metro public transportation
--South by Southwest (SXSW) Film, Technology and Music Event
--People spend there weekends on Barton Springs and area lakes and parks
--Austin City Limits Music Festival ( ACL )
--Austin Tech Conference
--Museums
Regions
Austin is a mega-melting pot for a variety of vibrant entertainment, culture and cuisine along with stunning outdoor settings.
Economic:
--Austin is one of America's fastest growing cities. Median income is $56,613.
A place where small business thrives (No. 1 for Small Business – Forbes.com), Austin is leading the region’s growth (Best City for the Decade – Kiplinger Finance Magazine) in emerging industries while maintaining a global competitive advantage.
Recognizing Austin as a global mecca for creative and entrepreneurial people, Google Fiber will be coming to Austin in 2014!
Political:--Austin, Texas is the Capital of Texas
--The Governor is Rick Perry
--Austin is known an an enclave of liberal politics in a generally conservative state.