Ap Human Geography

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the physical landscape.

Population Density

The number of people living per unit of area, usually per square kilometer or square mile.

Urbanization

The process by which an increasing percentage of a population lives in cities and suburbs.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

The total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a specific time period.

State

A politically organized territory that is administered by a government and recognized by a significant portion of the international community.

Nation

A group of people who share common cultural traits, such as language, religion, or heritage.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

Territoriality

The connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land.

Boundary

An invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory.

Gerrymandering

The process of redrawing legislative boundaries to benefit a particular political party.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that divide a country, such as ethnic conflict or political dissent.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unite a country, such as common language or national identity.

Regionalism

The political and social interests of a particular region, often leading to demands for greater autonomy.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gain independence from colonial powers.

Globalization

The process of increased interconnectedness among countries, primarily in terms of economics, culture, and politics.

Geopolitics

The study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations.

Urbanization

The increase in the population of cities relative to rural areas, often accompanied by the growth of urban areas.

Suburbanization

The process of population movement from within cities to outlying suburbs.

Megacity

A city with a population of over 10 million people.

Primate City

A city that is more than twice as large as the second-largest city in a country and dominates its economy and culture.

Central Place Theory

A geographic theory that explains the size and distribution of cities based on their role as service centers.

World Systems Theory

A theory that views the global economy as a complex system divided into core, semi-periphery, and periphery countries.

Agricultural Revolution

The transition from hunting and gathering societies to more sedentary agricultural communities.

Green Revolution

A significant increase in agricultural production resulting from the use of new technologies, including hybrids and chemical fertilizers.

Industrialization

The process by which economies transform from primarily agricultural to primarily industrial.

Economic Development

The improvement of economic well-being and quality of life, often measured by GDP and other economic indicators.

Urban Ecology

The study of the relationship between living organisms and their urban environment.

Economic Sectors

Divisions of the economy into primary (raw materials), secondary (manufacturing), and tertiary (services) sectors.

Site and Situation

Site refers to the physical characteristics of a place, while situation describes the location relative to surrounding areas.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape, shaped by cultural beliefs and practices.

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another, often resulting in demographic changes.

Refugee

A person who flees their country due to persecution, war, or violence.

Push and Pull Factors

Elements that either drive people away from their location (push) or attract them to a new one (pull).

Ethnic Nationalism

Nationalism associated with a particular ethnic group, emphasizing cultural heritage and identity.

Civic Nationalism

Nationalism based on shared political ideals and values rather than ethnicity.

Supranational Organization

An organization consisting of multiple countries that work together on shared goals, often overseeing integration.

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement, aimed at eliminating trade barriers between the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of European countries that are committed to regional integration.

Urban Heat Island Effect

The phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than their rural surroundings due to human activities.

Urban Renewal

Efforts to revitalize urban areas by renovating or demolishing structures and infrastructures.

Slum

A heavily populated urban area characterized by substandard housing and poor living conditions.

Smart Growth

An urban planning approach that focuses on sustainable community and economic development.

Post-Industrial Society

A stage of society's development when the economy transitions from manufacturing to services.

Environmental Justice

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental policies and regulations.

C cultural controls

Mechanisms or policies that are implemented to maintain cultural integrity, often in the face of globalization.

Rural to Urban Migration

The movement of people from countryside areas to cities, often driven by economic opportunities.

Rostow's Stages of Economic Growth

A model that describes the five stages of a country's economic development from traditional society to high mass consumption.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits through the movement of people.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits outward from a central point while remaining strong in that area.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits from one key person or node of authority to other persons or places.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population.

Stimulus Diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle, even though a characteristic itself apparently fails to diffuse.

Place Attachment

The emotional bond between people and specific places.

Spatial Interaction

The movement of people, goods, and ideas within and between areas.

Realism vs. Idealism

Realism prioritizes practical outcomes in social sciences, while idealism focuses on values and ethics.

Blockbusting

The practice of persuading owners to sell their properties at low prices by inducing fear of change in the neighborhood.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land.

Industrial Location Theory

A theory that seeks to explain the spatial arrangements of industries based on costs and competition.

Market Orientation

A location strategy where a business locates close to its market to reduce transportation costs.

Raw Material Orientation

A location strategy where a business locates close to raw materials to minimize transportation costs.

Zone of Transition

The area surrounding a city characterized by mixed-use development and changing land uses.

Edge City

A suburban area that has developed its own economic base and characteristics beyond being a bedroom community.

Primate City Rule

The idea that the largest city in a country is more than twice the size of the next largest city.

Settlement Patterns

The physical patterns of where people live, which can be clustered or dispersed.

Access to Resources

The availability of economic resources needed for livelihood, a key factor in settlement patterns.

Indigenous Land Use

The traditional use of land by indigenous people based on their cultural practices and knowledge.

Food Deserts

Geographic areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Sustainable Development

Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.

Transnationalism

The process of maintaining connections across national borders, impacting culture and economy.

Cultural Homogenization

The process by which local cultures become similar to one another due to globalization.

Secularization

The process by which religion loses its social significance.

Cultural Pluralism

A situation where multiple cultural groups coexist, each retaining its unique cultural identity.

Global City

A city that has significant influence on global economic and political affairs.

Throwaway Culture

A culture characterized by the disposal of items after short-term use.

Consumer Culture

A culture driven by the consumption of goods and services.

Cultural Imperialism

The dominance of one culture over others, often through media and consumerism.

Transhumance

The seasonal movement of people with their livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures.

Counterurbanization

The trend of moving from urban areas to rural areas.

Greenbelt

An area designated for conservation around a city or urban area to limit urban sprawl.

Rural-Urban Fringe

The transitional area between urban and rural land use that can exhibit characteristics of both.

Spatial Distribution

The arrangement of a phenomenon across the Earth's surface.

Spatial Inequality

The unequal distribution of resources and opportunities across space.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that physical environment influences cultures and societal development.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment may limit but does not completely determine human actions.

Urban Form

The physical characteristics of built up areas, including the arrangement of buildings and infrastructure.

Environmental Sustainability

The responsible management of resources to meet current needs without compromising future generations.

Cultural Diversity

The variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

Non-Renewable Resources

Resources that cannot be replaced once they are used, such as fossil fuels.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can be replenished naturally over time, such as solar energy.

Cultural Transmission

The process by which cultural elements are passed from one generation to another.

Interdependence

The mutual reliance between groups, entities, or nations.

Local Food Movement

A movement aimed at promoting the consumption of locally produced foods to support

Central Place Theory

A geographic theory that explains the size and distribution of cities based on their role as service centers.

World Systems Theory

A theory that views the global economy as a complex system divided into core, semi-periphery, and periphery countries.

Rostow's Stages of Economic Growth

A model that describes the five stages of a country's economic development from traditional society to high mass consumption.

The Hoyt Model (Sector Model)

A model of urban land use that describes how different social groups are spatially arranged in sectors radiating out from the central business district.

The Burgess Model (Concentric Zone Model)

A model that describes urban land use in a series of concentric rings based on socio-economic status.

The Multiple Nuclei Model

A model of urban land use that suggests cities develop with multiple centers (nuclei) that influence surrounding land use.

The Peripheral Model

A model depicting cities that consist of an inner city surrounded by suburban areas connected by a transportation network.