Globalization Exercise

To begin thinking geographically we will start with an exercise that illustrates that geography is everything. Through this exercise you will increase your awareness of global interconnectedness while practicing some fundamental geography skills. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

Part 1: Trading with the world. 20 points possible

  1. 10 points. Select 10 brand name consumer goods that you use on a regular basis. These items can range from the materials you use in class, to your clothes, to your cell phone or family car. The items you choose must not be made in the United States. Once you have selected your items, follow the instructions below.
  1. Identify the country where the product was manufactured. Do this by looking directly on the product, the product label, or performing an internet search to find the company’s website. Once on the website click on their “about us” button.
  2. Identify the country where the manufacturers’ headquarters is located this may or may not be the same as the country where it is manufactured.
  1. 10 points. Label and shade in the countries your products came from on a world map. On the same map draw the shipping lanes you believe each product took to get to California. Label the lines with the name of each product.

Part 2: Country Profiles. 45 points possible

  1. Go to and collect the following information for each of your countries

Demographics:

  1. Birth rate
  2. Death rate
  3. Infant Mortality Rate
  4. Life Expectancy
  5. Population mid 2012

Education

  1. Literacy Rate for Persons 15 – 24
  2. Secondary School Enrollment, net, by gender

  1. Go to and collect the following information for each of your countries by first selecting your country from the drop down menu then selecting “people and society”
  1. Physician Density
  2. Health Expenditure

Part 3: The world is flat.

  1. 75 points. Once you have found all of your products, made your map, and collected all of your data, answer thequestions below on a separate sheet of paper. All answers must be in complete sentences and may take a narrative form if that works better for you.
  1. Where do the majority of the goods seem to be manufactured a particular country? A region?
  2. Do most of the places where the manufacturers headquarters are located match where the products are actually manufactured?
  3. How do the demographic data between the countries compare? Are there any spatial patterns that emerge?
  4. How does the economic data compare with the health data and education data?
  5. Are there any other spatial patterns noticeable within any of the maps used for this assignment?
  6. What has doing this assignment taught you about our connections with the rest of the world?

Part 4: Project Log

  1. You are to keep a log of each day you work on your project. The log needs to include the following (10pts. ea.):
  2. The date(s) you worked on the project.
  3. The amount of time you worked on the project per day.
  4. A brief statement of what you worked on for the project per day.
  5. Your parents signature or initials for each date recorded.

PLEASE COMPLTETE THE FOLLOWING BEFORE HANDING IN AND STAPLE THIS TO YOUR FINAL PRODUCT 10 PTS:

Assignment point break down:

Part 1:
  1. Done  20 pts.
  2. Done  20 pts.
/ Part 2:
  1. Done  35 pts.
  2. Done  10pts..
/ Part 3:
5. Done  75pts / Part 4
6. Done  40 pts.
Total200

E:\Local_supermarket_03.doc