AP human geo vocab Unit 1

Absolute Location

The exact spot on Earth using coordinates (like 40°N, 74°W).

Relative Location

Where a place is compared to other places (e.g., 'next to the park').

Longitude

Lines used to measure absolute location that run north-south.

Latitude

Lines used to measure absolute location that run east-west.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place (e.g., soil, water, climate).

Situation

A place’s location in relation to other places (e.g., near a major highway or port).

Topography

The shape of the land (hills, valleys, elevation, etc.).

Map Distortion

When a map changes shape, size, distance, or direction because Earth is round and maps are flat.

Mercator Projection

A map projection good for direction, but distorts size (Greenland looks huge).

Robinson Projection

A map projection that balances distortion with a more realistic view.

Equal Area Projection

A map projection that keeps area correct, but distorts shapes.

Conformal Projection

A map projection that keeps shape but distorts size.

Reference Maps

Maps that show places and features like cities and roads.

Thematic Maps

Maps that show data on a specific topic (like population or climate).

Dot Distribution Map

A thematic map that uses dots to show frequency (each dot = number of people).

Choropleth Map

A thematic map that uses colors or shades to show value differences.

Graduated Symbol Map

A thematic map that uses different-sized shapes to show amounts.

Isoline Map

A thematic map that uses lines to connect places with similar data (like elevation or temperature).

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Software that layers maps and data to analyze patterns.

Remote Sensing

Collecting data from far away, usually from satellites taking pictures.

Sense of Place

How people feel about and connect with a location.

Natural Landscape

What the land looks like without human alteration (trees, rivers, etc.).

Cultural Landscape

What humans have built or changed (buildings, roads, farms).

Toponyms

Names of places (like 'New York' or 'Rio de Janeiro').

Sequent Occupancy

Layers of history in a place as different groups live there over time.

Vernacular Architecture

Traditional buildings that reflect local culture and materials.

Scale

The level of detail or area being studied.

Spatial Patterns

Patterns found in the distribution and arrangement of objects in space.

Distance Decay

The principle that the farther things are, the less they interact.

Time-Space Compression

The idea that technology makes faraway places feel closer (like video calls or fast travel).

Formal Regions

Areas with one shared trait (like a language or crop).

Administrative Regions

Political boundaries (like states or countries).

Functional Regions

Areas organized around a central point (like a metro area around a city).

Perceptual Regions

Regions based on people’s ideas or feelings (like 'the South' in the U.S.).

Environmental Determinism

The idea that nature controls human behavior.

Environmental Possibilism

The idea that humans can adapt and choose how to live in different environments.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how people interact with the environment.

Nature-Culture Dualism

The idea of nature and humans being separate.

Globalization

The process of the world becoming more connected through trade, communication, and culture.

Americanization

The spread of U.S. culture around the world.