Geography and Culture Concepts

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in Geography and Cultural Studies.

Arithmetic Density

The total population divided by the total amount of land.

Physiological Density

The total population divided by the amount of arable land suitable for farming.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers divided by the amount of farmland.

Physical factors affecting population density

Climate, landforms, water, and natural resources.

Human factors influencing population density

Availability of jobs, safety, and access to schools and hospitals.

Regional scale population factors

Weather, natural resources, and transportation.

National scale population density influences

Economy strength, government policies, and historical events.

Global population density factors

Climate, technology, and international connections.

Carrying capacity

The maximum number of people the environment can support with available resources.

Guest Worker

Individuals who migrate temporarily for employment.

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of people with livestock between summer and winter pastures.

Interregional Migration

Movement from one region of a country to another.

Intraregional Migration

Movement within one region of a country.

Chain Migration

Migration due to family or community ties in the destination area.

Map Projection

A way to represent our 3D Earth onto a 2D plane.

Human Geography

The study of characteristics of humans and their activities.

Physical Geography

The study of the environment and the weather.

GIS (Geographical Information System)

Computer system/software that stores, analyzes, and displays information from multiple maps or data sets.

Remote Sensing

The process of detecting and monitoring characteristics of an area.

Time-Space Convergence

The phenomenon where distances are made shorter due to technological advancements.

Toponym

The name of a location referring to its physical characteristics.

Friction of Distance

The concept that increased distance reduces the likelihood of connection.

Human-Environment Interaction

Examination of how societies use land and its environmental impacts.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment shapes human behavior.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment sets limits but human creativity can overcome those limits.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how culture interacts with nature.

Political Ecology

Examination of the relationship between economic structures and environmental change.

Regionalization

The process of dividing areas into smaller parts or regions.

Formal Regions

Areas where people share similar economic, social, political, or environmental traits.

Functional Regions

Regions defined by a specific purpose, such as a market area.

Vernacular Regions

Informal regions based on personal perceptions.

Cultural Enclave

A geographic area where a particular ethnic group is concentrated.

Acculturation

The process through which individuals or groups adapt to another culture.

Cultural Assimilation

When a cultural group adopts the traits of a dominant culture.

Affirmative Action Policy

A policy aimed to provide fair opportunities to underrepresented groups.

Xenophobia

Fear or dislike of people from other cultures.

Scapegoating

Blaming a non-dominant group for societal problems.

Stateless Nation

A group that identifies as a nation but lacks its own sovereign state.

Cultural Hearth

A geographic area where cultural traits originate.

Globalization

Increased interconnectedness among people, businesses, and governments driven by trade and communication.

Popular Culture Creation

Development of new cultural trends that appeal to a broad audience.

Artifacts

Physical objects made by a culture.

Mentifacts

Ideas, beliefs, practices, and values defining a culture.

Sociofacts

Social structures and organization within a culture.

Material vs. Nonmaterial Culture

Material culture includes physical objects; nonmaterial culture includes beliefs and values.

Urban Ethnic Neighborhood

An area within a city where a specific ethnic group is concentrated.

Sequent Occupance

The concept that different cultural groups occupy the same geographic area over time.

Centripetal Force

A force that pulls objects toward the center of a circle.

Cultural Interaction

When people interact, resulting in the spread of cultural practices.

Relocation Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits through migration of people.

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid spread of cultural traits through direct contact.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits from influential individuals to others.