AP Human Geo Unit 1.1.2, 1.1.3 Vocab

scale

the area of the world being studied

region

the area of Earth’s surface with certain characteristics that make it cohesive yet distinct from other areas

formal region

an area that has one or more shared traits; also called a uniform region

functional region

an area organized by its function around a focal point, or the center of an interest or activity

node

the focal point of a functional region

suburbs

less densely populated residential and commercial areas surrounding a city

perceptual region

a type of region that reflects people’s feelings and attitude about a place; also called a vernacular region

vernacular region

a type of region that reflects people’s feelings and attitude about a place; also called a perceptual region

globalization

the expansion of economic, cultural, and political processes on a worldwide scale

theory

a system of ideas intended to explain certain phenomena

world system theory

theory describing the spatial and functional relationships between countries in the world economy; categorizes countries as part of a hierarchy consisting of the core, periphery, and semi-periphery

core

classification of a country or region that has wealth, higher education levels, more advanced technologies, many resources, strong militaries, and powerful allies

periphery

classification of a country or region that has less wealth, lower education levels, and less sophisticated technologies and also tends to have an unstable government and poor healthcare systems

semi-periphery

classification of a country or region that has qualities of both core and peripheral areas and is often in the process of industrializing

sustainable development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

friction of distance

a concept that states that the longer a journey is, the more time, effort, and cost it will involve