Where a place is. While absolute location tells exactly where a place is, there is another aspect of location that is often very important, and this is relative location or how one place is related to other places. Relative location deals with the interaction that occurs between and among places. It refers to the many ways that places are connected to, or isolated from, other places. Every place is unique in this respect.
Characteristics derive from the natural environment and from the people who live there.
Human characteristics of a place include architectural styles, patterns of livelihood, land use patterns, and communication and transportation networks that all leave their imprint on the landscape. Some these interactions are local in extent, some regional, others may be global. People, resources, products, other life forms, information and ideas move from location to location. A basic unit of geographic study is the region. These unifying characteristics may be physical, human, or cultural.