APHUG TEST TERMS

Environmental Determinism

A geographic theory stating that the physical environment, particularly climate and terrain, actively shapes human culture and societal development.

Possibilism

A geographic perspective that recognizes the environment places limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust and choose alternatives.

Epidemiologic Transition Model

A model explaining changes in population disease patterns corresponding to different stages of demographic transition, shifting from infectious to chronic diseases.

Malthusian Theory

A theory by Thomas Malthus proposing that population growth would outpace food production, leading to widespread famine and societal collapse.

Neo-Malthusian Critique

Modern support of Malthus's ideas, arguing that population growth still threatens resources despite technological advances.

Cartogram

A thematic map that distorts geographic shape to represent data values such as population or economic output.

Step Migration

A migration pattern in which migrants move to a destination in a series of stages, often from rural to urban areas.

Forced Migration

Human migration flows in which the movers have no choice but to relocate, often due to conflict, persecution, or natural disaster.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to benefit a specific political party or group.

Packing (Gerrymandering)

A form of gerrymandering where opposition voters are concentrated into a few districts to dilute their overall influence.

Supranationalism

The association of three or more states for mutual benefit, often in economic, political, or military spheres.

Shatterbelt Region

A politically unstable region caught between stronger external cultural or political forces.

Nation-State

A state whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity.

Federal State

A political system where power is divided between central and regional governments.

Unitary State

A state governed as a single entity with centralized authority.

Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

A set of international laws defining nations' rights concerning the use of oceans, including territorial seas and exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

Primate City

A city that is more than twice as large as the second-largest city in a country and dominates economic, cultural, and political life.

Rank-Size Rule

A rule stating that the nth-largest city in a country will be 1/n the size of the largest city, commonly found in more developed countries.

Central Place Theory

A spatial theory that explains the distribution of services based on settlements serving as ‘central places’ to provide goods and services to surrounding areas.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial and business center of a city characterized by high land values, tall buildings, and concentration of services.

Postindustrial City

A city characterized by a shift from manufacturing-based industries to service and information-based economies.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into peripheral rural regions, often resulting in car dependency and low-density development.

Von Thünen Model

A model that explains agricultural land use in concentric rings around a central market, based on transportation cost and perishability.

Green Revolution

The 20th-century introduction of high-yield crops, synthetic fertilizers, and irrigation techniques to developing countries to boost food production.

Extensive Farming

Agricultural practices involving low labor input over large areas of land, typically in semi-arid regions.

Free-Range Farming

A method of animal agriculture where animals are allowed to roam freely rather than being confined.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming that provides food for the farmer and family with little surplus for trade.

Gender Inequality Index (GII)

A composite measure reflecting inequality in reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation between men and women.

Economic Sectors

Divisions of the economy based on stages of production: primary (raw materials), secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (services), quaternary (knowledge), and quinary (decision-making).

Debt-for-Nature Swap

A financial agreement where a portion of a developing nation's debt is forgiven in exchange for commitments to environmental conservation.

Core-Periphery Model

A model describing how core countries dominate global trade and exploit peripheral countries for resources and labor.

Gini Index

A statistical measure of income inequality within a country; 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents total inequality.