There are three key components of place: location, locale, and a sense of place. Location is the position of a particular point on the surface of Earth. Locale is the physical setting for relationships between people, such as the South of France or the Smoky Mountains.

Place describes the human and physical characteristics of a location. Physical characteristics: Include a description of such things as mountains, rivers, beaches, topography, climate, and animal and plant life. If a place is described as hot, sandy, fertile, or forested, these terms all paint a picture of the location's physical characteristics.