Caitlin Dempsey

Caitlin Dempsey is the editor of Geography Realm and holds a master's degree in Geography from UCLA as well as a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from SJSU.
Map showing the six New England states in red and the red of the states in grey for the continental United States.

Which States are Part of New England?

Caitlin Dempsey

New England is a geographic region in the northeastern tip of the United States that contains six states.

The Map Myth of Here Be Dragons: The Facts and Fictions of Mapmakers

Caitlin Dempsey

What lies at the edge of the known world? Cartographers over the ages have used different ways of showing the unknown.

Planisphere Celeste Meridionale, 1705

Notable Cartographers and Their Maps

Caitlin Dempsey

Notable cartographers have shaped our understanding of the world with their maps, offering remarkable contributions throughout history.

Satellite image of Northern Europe at night.

Earth at Night

Caitlin Dempsey

Nighttime lighting is when the effect of humans on the environment is especially pronounced.

Map showing the Isthmus of Panama with the land areas in yellow and the ocean in blue.

Visual Geography: the Shape of Land Near the Oceans

Caitlin Dempsey

A visual dictionary of geography words that describe the shapes of land near ocean water.

Side by side comparison of screenshots of a data layer with a simple red outline and black labels as seen in ArcGIS Online and QGIS.

How to Add Data from ArcGIS Online to QGIS

Caitlin Dempsey

Adding data from an ArGIS Online Map Service or Feature Service into a QGIS map project is fairly easy and quick in most instances.

Natural color Landsat scene showing a brown landscape covered by small clouds that dot the landscape.

Landsat: Longest Running Earth Imagery Program

Caitlin Dempsey

With satellites in orbit since 1972, the Landsat program is the longest running Earth observation program.

Gray clouds hang in the sky over vegetation dotting the surface of the dune field. Bits of pink clouds appear below the gray and a hint of a rainbow appears in the sky.

Biogeography Definitions

Caitlin Dempsey

Here are some common terms in biogeography, a field of geography that studies the distribution of species.

A Roundup of Geospatial Podcasts

Caitlin Dempsey

Here's a list of GIS / geospatial podcasts you can listen to.

Shaded relief map showing the location of the Lena Delta above the Arctic Circle.

The Largest Delta in the Arctic

Caitlin Dempsey

The Lena Delta is a significant wildlife refuge and the largest delta in the Arctic.

To understand where north, south, east, and west are, first point your left arm towards the sun in the morning.

Understanding Direction Based on the Sun

Caitlin Dempsey

This lesson plan introduces the concept of direction to young children by using the location of the Sun in order to understand where east, west, north, and south are located.

Simple map with grey areas for countries and light blue for oceans showing the location with large dark blue triangles that are labeled with the names of tidefalls.

Waterfalls That Flow Into the Open Ocean

Caitlin Dempsey

Waterfalls that flow directly into the ocean are known as tidefalls, a rare natural phenomenon where freshwater meets the sea.

Shaded relief map over the Pacific Ocean showing changes to ocean temperature due to La Niรฑa.

Triple Dip La Niรฑa Event

Caitlin Dempsey

Current predictions have given La Niรฑa a strong probability of persisting into 2023, making it a triple dip event.

A wild turkey stands in the dried grass in front of a green bush.

Where are Wild Turkeys in California From?

Caitlin Dempsey

The wild turkeys that roam California were originally introduced from Texas.

A replica of the Matterhorn mountain behind an alpine inspired building in Disneyland.

Geography Trivia About Disneyland

Caitlin Dempsey

Disneyland has some fascinating geography trivia.

A map with text showing the four quadrants of the globe that are north or south of the Equator and East or West of the Prime Meridian.

Geographic Coordinate Systems

Caitlin Dempsey

Geographic coordinates are defined as being north or south of the Equator and east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Screenshot showing a CSV file with information about mean centers of population in the US. A shaded relief map is being the text file.

How to Add Latitude and Longitude as a CSV File in QGIS

Caitlin Dempsey

This quick QGIS tutorial takes you through the steps of how to add a CSV file with latitude and longitude coordinates.

Shaded relief map with yellows and greens to show the change with every US Census for the mean center of population which is shown as red dots.

Population Center of the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau maps out the mean and median population centers in the United States.

A blackbird feeding nestlings in a nest built on top of a rusty rake. A red wooden wall is in the background and a white downspout helps to support the nest.

Synanthropes at a Horse Stable in Northern California

Caitlin Dempsey

Synanthropes are wildlife that benefit from living near humans.

A map with natural shaded relief of the United States with neighboring countries shown with a muted white overlay.

Continental vs. Contiguous United States: Key Differences Explained

Caitlin Dempsey

Continental and contiguous are two geographical words used to describe parts of the United States.

A group of Canada geese swimming in the water. The sun is shining and some vegetation can be seen.

Canada Geese Migrate Less from Urban Areas

Caitlin Dempsey

With the expansion of urbanization, more Canada geese are becoming year round residents instead of migratory.

QGIS on a laptop. Image: Caitlin Dempsey

GIS Reference Books and Materials

Caitlin Dempsey

Here are some books and GIS reference resources that are valuable for both the novice and seasoned GIS user.

Satellite image showing ship track clouds over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal.

How Ships Create Clouds Over the Oceans

Caitlin Dempsey

Ships can create a trail of clouds as they travel over the world's oceans.

World map showing where hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones originate from (in orange).

Tropical Cyclones: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones

Caitlin Dempsey

Depending on where the storm system develops, it will be called a hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone.

Fact sheet with Landsat image for the state of Rhode Island.

Geography Facts: Rhode Island

Caitlin Dempsey

Learn geography trivia about the smallest state in the United States.

A rainbow cloud with blue sky beneath and wispy clouds above.

Circumhorizontal Arc: Rainbow in the Clouds

Caitlin Dempsey

When conditions are just right, clouds can act like prisms, turning the rays of the sun into a brilliant color show.

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