Ap Human Geo

Spatial Relationships

The way in which different locations or places are interconnected and how they affect one another.

Map Projections

Methods of depicting the Earth's curved surface on a flat map, each with its own levels of size and shape distortion.

Mercator Projection

A cylindrical map projection used primarily for navigation that distorts size and shape the farther from the equator.

Robinson Projection

A map projection that minimizes distortions of size and shape for a more visually appealing representation of the world.

Sequent Occupancy

The concept that successive groups of people and cultural influences leave their mark on a place over time.

Activity Space

The area in which an individual routinely moves and interacts daily.

Toponym

A place-name assigned to a location, reflecting human significance.

Formal Regions

Areas defined by a uniform characteristic or criterion, such as language or climate.

Functional Regions

Regions defined by a central node and the surrounding areas influenced by it, like market areas.

Vernacular Regions

Areas defined by people's perceptions and collective mental maps, rather than formal borders.

Absolute Location

The exact coordinates of a place defined by latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

The position of a place in relation to other locations or geographic features.

Distance Decay

The principle that interaction decreases as the distance between locations increases.

Tobler's Law

States that all places are interconnected, but closer places are more closely related than those farther apart.

Friction of Distance

The concept that distance can inhibit interactions between places.

Space-Time Compression

The reduction of time it takes for interaction to occur as a result of technological advancements.

Central Place Theory

A theory developed by Walter Christaller that explains the distribution of cities and the services they provide.

Core and Periphery

The conceptualization of regions characterized by economic and cultural disparities.

Circle Clusters

A spatial distribution pattern where objects or phenomena are grouped closely together.

Density

The frequency of occurrence of a phenomenon within a given unit of area.

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people per unit area of land.

Physiologic Density

The number of people per unit of arable land.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers per unit of arable land.

Hearth

The point of origin or center for a particular cultural phenomenon or innovation.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend from one central point outward.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority to other persons or places.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid and widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population.

Stimulus Diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle, though not all specific characteristics of the idea are adopted.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of a feature through the physical relocation of people.

Thematic Maps

Maps that focus on a particular theme or subject area, rather than showing physical geography.

Choropleth Map

A thematic map that uses color to show the density or distribution of a specific variable.

Isoline Map

A map that uses lines to connect points of equal value, often to represent elevation.

Dot Density Map

A map that uses dots to represent the presence of a phenomenon.

Flow-Line Map

A map that uses arrows or lines to show movement or flow between locations.

Mental Map

An individual’s own internal representation of geographic space.

Map Scale

The ratio of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground.

Projection

A method by which the curved surface of the Earth is represented on a flat surface.

Equal-Area Projection

A map projection that aims to maintain area proportion but distorts shape.

Conformal Projection

A map projection that maintains shape but distorts area.

Gravity Model

A mathematical model that represents the interaction between two locations based on size and distance.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Technological systems that capture, manage, analyze, and present spatial or geographic data.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A system that uses satellite signals to pinpoint locations on Earth.

Demographic Equation

A formula that includes birth rates, death rates, and migration to calculate population changes.

Natural Increase Rate (NIR)

The difference between the number of births and the number of deaths in a population.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime.

Dependency Ratio

A measure of the number of dependents (young and elderly) compared to the working-age population.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that describes the stages of population growth and decline over time.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model that describes changes in population mortality and disease patterns over time.

Malthusian Theory

The theory that population growth will outpace food production leading to scarcity and famine.

Population Pyramid

A graphical representation that shows the distribution of a population by age and gender.

Push Factors

Conditions that drive people to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere.

Pull Factors

Conditions that attract people to a new area or country.

Cultural Synthesis

The blending of two or more cultural influences to create a new cultural expression.

Cultural Hearth

The originating area of a cultural trait or practice.

Ethnic Religion

Religions that are closely tied to a specific culture or ethnic group.

Universalizing Religion

Religions that seek to convert people from all backgrounds and cultures.

Fundamentalism

A strict adherence to specific theological doctrines typically in opposition to modernism.

Cultural Relativism

The practice of understanding a culture by its own standards rather than judging it by the standards of another culture.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that promote unity and stability within a state.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that divide or destabilize a state.

Balkanization

The process of fragmentation of a region into smaller, often hostile units.

Irredentism

A political and popular movement that seeks to reclaim and reoccupy a lost homeland.

Neocolonialism

The practice of using economic, political, or cultural pressures to control or influence other countries.

Supranationalism

The concept of transcending national boundaries and interests to achieve common objectives.

Exclave

A portion of a state's territory that is separated from the main part and surrounded by foreign territory.

Enclave

A territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another state.

Microstate

A very small sovereign state, often with a limited population and area.

Stateless Nation

A group of people who share a common culture but do not have an independent state of their own.

Territorial Morphology

The study of the shapes and sizes of countries and their effects on social and political relationships.

Annexation

The process of legally adding land area to a political entity.

Planned Capital Cities

Cities that are purposely built or designated to serve as the capital.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party.

Debt Peonage

A system in which a debtor's labor is exploited as a form of repayment for a loan.

Social Interaction

The way in which people relate to one another within a culture.

Caste System

A hierarchical social structure often found in Hindu societies dividing people into classes.

Political Economy

The study of how economic theories such as capitalism and socialism influence the political systems.

Jingoism

An extreme form of nationalism characterized by aggressive foreign policy.

Terrorism

The use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political aims.

State Sovereignty

The concept that states have rights and powers to govern themselves without interference.

Political Borders

Defined boundaries separating different political entities, often represented on maps.

Environment Determinism

The idea that human behavior is shaped and constrained by the physical environment.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but people have the ability to adapt.

Cultural Diffusion

The process by which cultural beliefs and social activities spread from one group to another.

Acculturation

The process of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.

Assimilation

The process through which a person or group becomes part of another, often losing their original cultural identity.

Cultural Survival

Efforts to protect and promote indigenous cultures and practices.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.

Urbanization

The process by which an increasing percentage of a population comes to live in urban areas.

Suburbanization

The movement of people from cities to residential areas surrounding urban centers.

Transportation Networks

Systems of interconnected routes for transportation, critical for economic and social interactions.

Cultural Landscape

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

Place Attachment

The emotional bond between people and specific places.

Sense of Place

The subjective feelings and meanings attached to a specific location by individuals or groups.

Spatial Analysis

The process of examining the locations, attributes, and relationships of features in spatial data.

Land Use

The management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements or semi-natural areas.

Zoning

The process of dividing land into zones to regulate the uses of the land.

Gentrification

The process of revitalizing and redeveloping urban areas, often resulting in the displacement of lower-income residents.

Rural-Urban Migration

The movement of people from the countryside to cities, often in search of better opportunities.

Civic Engagement

The active participation of individuals in the political and community life of their society.

Environmental Justice

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making.