AP Human Geography Vocabulary Review

Flashcards covering essential vocabulary from the AP Human Geography course transcript, including location principles, migration, culture, political geography, agriculture, economic development, and urbanization.

Absolute location

The exact coordinates (latitude and longitude) of a place on Earth.

Relative location

The location of a place in relation to other places, often described by landmarks or distance.

Site

The physical characteristics of a location, such as its climate, terrain, and natural resources.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places, focusing on its importance and connectivity.

Sense of place

The feelings or emotions associated with a specific location, often shaped by personal or cultural experiences.

Region (formal)

A region defined by uniform physical or cultural characteristics (e.g., language, climate).

Region (functional)

A region defined by a particular function or activity, like a metropolitan area or a trade network.

Region (perceptual)

A region defined by people's perceptions or cultural identities (e.g., "The South" or "The Middle East").

Scale of analysis

The level at which geographic phenomena are studied, ranging from local to global scales.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

A tool used to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.

Remote sensing

The acquisition of data about the Earth's surface via satellites or aerial imagery.

Spatial distribution

The arrangement or pattern of phenomena across a given area (e.g., population density).

Diffusion

The spread of ideas, innovations, or cultural traits from one place to another.

Hearth

The place where a cultural trait, innovation, or idea originates.

Contagious diffusion

The spread of a phenomenon rapidly and continuously, like the spread of a viral video or disease.

Hierarchical diffusion

The spread of an idea or phenomenon from a higher to a lower level, such as from a city to rural areas.

Stimulus diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle, though the specific form may change (e.g., McDonald's adapting menus in different countries).

Relocation diffusion

The spread of cultural traits through the physical movement of people (e.g., migration).

Spatial interaction

The movement and flow of people, goods, and information between places.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of countries and people around the world.

Forced migration

The movement of people against their will, typically due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters.

Voluntary migration

The movement of people by choice, often driven by economic opportunities or personal reasons.

Internal migration

The movement of people within a country (e.g., rural-to-urban migration).

International migration

The movement of people across international borders.

Chain migration

A process by which immigrants move to a location because others from their community have already settled there.

Step migration

A process where migrants move in stages (e.g., from rural areas to small towns, then to cities).

Trans-nationalism

The process by which immigrants maintain strong ties to their home country while living in another country.

Refugee

A person who is forced to flee their country due to fear of persecution, war, or violence.

Asylum seeker

A person who seeks refuge in another country due to fear of persecution in their home country.

Intervening opportunity

A nearby location that presents a more attractive option than the migrant's intended destination.

Net migration rate

The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants in a given area, expressed as a percentage of the population.

Culture

The shared customs, beliefs, practices, and values of a group or society.

Cultural landscape

The modification of the physical landscape by human activity, including buildings, infrastructure, and land use.

Folk culture

A traditional, rural culture that often remains relatively unchanged over time and resists mainstream influence.

Popular culture

A dynamic, modern culture that spreads quickly through mass media and other technologies.

Universalizing religion

A religion that seeks to appeal to all people worldwide (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism).

Ethnic religion

A religion that is primarily practiced by a specific ethnic or cultural group (e.g., Judaism, Hinduism).

Secularism

The belief in separating religion from government or societal institutions.

Ethnic enclave

A geographic area with a high concentration of a particular ethnic group.

Sequent occupancy

The concept that successive societies or cultures can leave their imprints on a landscape over time.

Centripetal force

A force that unites a nation or region, such as shared culture, language, or political values.

Centrifugal force

A force that divides a nation or region, often leading to political instability or conflict.

Lingua franca

A language used for communication between speakers of different native languages, often for trade or diplomacy.

Toponym

A place name, which often reflects a location's culture, history, or geography.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary that separates different linguistic features or dialects.

Cultural imperialism

The imposition of one culture's beliefs and practices on another, often through media or colonialism.

Acculturation

The process of cultural change resulting from the interaction of two or more cultures.

Assimilation

The process by which minority groups adopt the customs, behaviors, and values of the dominant culture.

Syncretism

The blending of different cultural or religious traditions into a new, hybrid form.

Pidgin

A simplified form of language that develops when two or more groups with different native languages need to communicate.

Creole

A fully developed, stable language that evolves from a pidgin, often becoming the native language of a community.

State (country)

A political unit with defined borders, a permanent population, a government, and sovereignty.

Nation

A group of people with a common cultural identity, typically tied to a specific territory or homeland.

Nation-state

A political entity where the boundaries of a state coincide with the cultural boundaries of a nation.

Multinational state

A state that contains multiple cultural or ethnic groups, each with distinct identities.

Stateless nation

A group of people with a common cultural identity but no independent political territory (e.g., the Kurds).

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself and control its territory without outside interference.

Unitary state

A system of government in which power is concentrated in a central authority, with limited power given to local governments.

Federal state

A system of government in which power is shared between a central authority and regional or local governments.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

Exclave/enclave

A part of a country geographically separated from the main part. Or A country or territory entirely surrounded by another country.

Buffer state

A country that lies between two larger, often competing or conflicting countries.

Heartland theory

A geopolitical theory that suggests the nation that controls the heart of Eurasia (the "Heartland") commands global power.

Rimland theory

A theory that suggests the key to global dominance lies in controlling the coastal areas around Eurasia (the "Rimland").

Subsistence farming

Farming primarily for consumption by the farmer's family, often involving small-scale agriculture.

Shifting cultivation

A form of agriculture where land is cleared and used for a few years before being abandoned and the process is repeated in a new location.

Pastoral nomadism

A form of subsistence farming where people migrate with their herds of livestock in search of grazing land.

Plantation agriculture

Large-scale commercial farming where crops are grown for sale, often involving monoculture and intensive labor.

Mediterranean agriculture

Farming that involves growing crops such as olives, grapes, and citrus in Mediterranean climates.

Mixed commercial farming

Farming that involves both the growing of crops for profit and raising livestock for profit.

Grain farming (commercial)

Farming that specializes in producing grain crops such as wheat, corn, or rice for profit.

Livestock ranching

Raising animals such as cattle or sheep for commercial profit.

Intensive subsistence (wet rice)

A type of subsistence farming focused on the intensive cultivation of rice in areas with high population density and favorable climate conditions.

Green revolution

A set of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives aimed at increasing global food production, often through the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), fertilizers, and irrigation.

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)

An organism whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination, often to improve yield or resistance to pests.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture that involves the production, processing, and distribution of food and agricultural products, often controlled by large corporations.

Commodity chain

The series of stages a commodity goes through from production to distribution to consumption (e.g., coffee production: farm, processing plant, distributor, consumer).

Bid-rent theory

A theory that suggests land values are highest near the center of a city and decrease as you move away from it, with businesses willing to pay higher rents for central locations.

Organic farming

A method of farming that avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), focusing on natural processes and sustainability.

Soil salinization

The process by which soil becomes increasingly salty, often due to irrigation in arid regions, leading to reduced soil fertility and agricultural productivity.

GDP per capita

The total value of all goods and services produced within a country, divided by the population, used as an indicator of economic performance and wealth.

GNI per capita

The Gross National Income of a country divided by its population, reflecting the average income of a country's citizens.

HDI (Human Development Index)

A composite index that measures a country’s development based on factors such as life expectancy, education level, and per capita income.

Literacy rate

The percentage of people in a given area or population who can read and write at a specified age.

Infant mortality

The number of deaths of infants under $1$ year old per $1,000$ live births in a given area or population.

Life expectancy

The average number of years a person can expect to live based on current mortality rates in a given population.

GNI (Gross National Income)

The total income of a country's residents, including earnings from abroad, minus income sent by foreigners working in the country.

Caloric intake

The average number of calories consumed per person per day in a given population.

Rostow's stages of growth

A theory of economic development that suggests countries progress through $5$ stages: traditional society, preconditions for takeoff, takeoff, drive to maturity, and age of high mass consumption.

Dependency theory

A theory that suggests that poorer countries are dependent on richer countries for economic growth and development, leading to inequality.

SEZ (Special Economic Zone)

A region in a country where business and trade laws are more liberal than the rest of the country, often used to attract foreign investment and promote industrial growth.

Outsourcing/offshoring

Outsourcing: The practice of contracting services to external companies. Offshoring: The practice of relocating business processes or services to another country, typically to reduce costs.

Deindustrialization

The process by which an economy shifts away from heavy industry and manufacturing to a focus on services, technology, and other sectors.

Neoliberalism

A policy model that promotes free-market capitalism, deregulation of industries, and reduction in government spending.

Microfinance

The provision of small loans and financial services to individuals or businesses in developing countries to help them escape poverty.

Economic sector

The division of an economy into different sectors, such as the primary (extraction), secondary (manufacturing), and tertiary (services) sectors.

EPZ (Export Processing Zone)

A designated area in a country where foreign companies are allowed to operate with fewer regulations and lower taxes, primarily for the export market.

Multiplier effect

The concept that an initial increase in spending will lead to a larger increase in economic activity as it circulates through the economy.