HGAP Fall semester flashcards (KBAT terms)

Absolute location

exact location of a place, usually given by coordinates

Relative location

location of a place in relation to other places

Accessibility

the relative ease with which a destination can be reached from another place, showing the ability for people, goods, and ideas to move

Built environment

man-made objects and structures that humans create to modify the environment

Cartogram

a map that distorts geographic shape or size to show the size of a variable

Cartographer

a person who makes maps

Census

an official count or survey of a population, conducted every 10 years in the U.S.

Connectivity

the degree to which places are connected economically, socially, culturally, or politically

Cultural ecology

the study of interactions between societies and their local environment

Cultural landscape

the visible built forms created by cultural groups and the meanings and values associated with them

Dot density map

a map that uses dots to represent objects or quantities, with each dot representing one or more items

Diffusion

the process by which people, ideas, technologies, or practices spread over space and time

Distance

the amount of space between two points on Earth's surface

Distance-decay

the idea that interaction between two places decreases as distance between them increases

Distortion

inaccurate representation of Earth on a flat map affecting shape, size, distance, or direction

Distribution

the arrangement or spread of geographic features across space

Elevation

height above sea level

Environmental determinism

the belief that the physical environment determines cultural development

Field observation

collecting first-hand qualitative and spatial data by directly observing a place and its people

Formal region

a region defined by common characteristics such as language, religion, or political boundaries

Region

a geographic area defined by shared characteristics, functions, or activities

Friction of distance

the resistance distance creates to human interaction; reduced by technology and transportation

Functional (nodal) region

a region organized around a central node or focal point, such as a city or airport

Geographic scale

the level of detail and spatial extent at which geographic data is analyzed

GIS (Geographic Information System)

software used to capture, store, analyze, and display geographic data. layers

GPS (Global Positioning System)

a satellite-based system that provides location and navigation information

Human geography

the study of how human activities affect or are influenced by Earth's surface

Human-environment interaction

the relationship between humans and the natural environment, including dependence, adaptation, and modification

Interaction

the connections and influences between people, places, and environments

Isoline

a line on a map connecting points of equal value, such as elevation or temperature

International Date Line

an imaginary line of longitude that separates one calendar day from the next

Latitude (parallels)

horizontal lines measuring distance north or south of the equator

Location

the position of a place on Earth's surface

Longitude (meridians)

vertical lines measuring distance east or west of the Prime Meridian

Patterns

repeating characteristics or trends visible in geographic data

Perceptual (vernacular) region

a region defined by people's perceptions and cultural identity

Physical geography

the study of Earth's natural features and processes

Possibilism

the belief that humans can adapt to and overcome environmental limits

Prime Meridian

0° longitude, running through Greenwich, England

Projection

a method used to represent Earth's curved surface on a flat map

Proximity

nearness in space, time, or relationship

Qualitative data

descriptive data that describes qualities or characteristics

Quantitative data

numerical data that can be measured or counted

Aggregation

collecting or grouping data together

Remote sensing

the collection of information about Earth using satellites or aircraft

Scale

the territorial extent of a phenomenon or idea

Scale of analysis

the level at which data is displayed, such as global, national, or local

Spatial patterns

the arrangement of objects in space, showing clustering, dispersion, or randomness

Spatial perspective

a geographic viewpoint that analyzes how space is used and organized

Sustainability

practices that meet present needs without harming future generations

Thematic map

a map that focuses on a specific theme or pattern

Time-space compression

the reduction in time and cost needed to travel between places

Topographic map

a map that shows elevation and the shape of Earth's surface

Toponym

the name given to a place

Age distribution

the proportion of a population in different age groups, often shown with a population pyramid

Agricultural density

the number of farmers per unit of arable land

Arithmetic density

the total number of people per unit of land area

Carrying capacity

the maximum population an environment can support without damage

Census

a complete, systematic count of a population collecting demographic, social, and economic data

Contraception

methods used to prevent pregnancy

Crude birth rate (CBR)

the number of live births per 1,000 people per year

Crude death rate (CDR)

the number of deaths per 1,000 people per year

Demographic equation

population change calculated as births minus deaths plus net migration

Demographic momentum

population growth that continues after fertility rates decline due to a large young population

Demography

the statistical study of population characteristics and change

Dependency ratio

the number of dependents supported by every 100 working-age people

Doubling time

the number of years it takes a population to double, calculated using the rule of 70

Ecumene

the inhabited portion of Earth's surface

Endemic

a disease that is consistently present at a baseline level in a region

Epidemiological transition

the shift in disease patterns as societies develop and improve health care

Infant mortality rate (IMR)

the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births

Life expectancy

the average number of years a person is expected to live

Thomas Malthus

claimed population grows exponentially while food supply grows arithmetically, leading to famine

Natural increase rate (NIR)

the percentage difference between births and deaths in a population

Neo-Malthusians

modern thinkers who support Malthus's ideas and warn of resource limits

Pandemic

a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents

Physiological density

the number of people per unit of arable land

Population pyramid

a graph showing population distribution by age and sex

Replacement fertility

the average number of children needed to replace parents, usually 2.1

Sex ratio

the number of males per 100 females in a population

Total fertility rate (TFR)

the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime

Zero population growth (ZPG)

when births equal deaths, resulting in no population growth

Wilbur Zelinsky

linked stages of the demographic transition model to patterns of migration

E. G. Ravenstein

developed the laws of migration

Remittances

money sent home by migrants to family members

Counterurbanization

migration from urban to rural areas

Quota laws

laws that limit the number of immigrants allowed into a country

Brain drain

the loss of educated and skilled workers from a country through migration

Brain gain

the gain of skilled and educated workers through migration

Net migration

the difference between immigration and emigration

Esther Boserup

argued population growth leads to innovation and increased food production

Gravity model

predicts migration between places based on population size and distance

Circulation

short-term, repetitive movement of people

Activity space

the area where a person's daily activities occur

Anti-natalist policies

policies designed to reduce fertility rates and population growth

Pro-natalist policies

policies designed to increase fertility rates and population growth

Epidemic

a sudden outbreak of disease exceeding expected levels in a region

Language

a system of communication using sounds or symbols

Dialect

a regional variation of a language

Isogloss

a geographic boundary separating linguistic features