AP Human Unit 1 Vocab

Thinking geographically

map

map

a representation with an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities and roads.

cartography

the science of mapmaking

map scale

the relationship between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground

parallel

a circle drawn around the globe parallel to the equator and at right angles to the meridians

meridian

a circle of constant longitude passing through a given place on earth's surface and terrestrial poles.

prime meridian

designed as 0 degrees longitude, that passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England.

region

geographically, an extensive area of the world defined by its physical and human similarities.

distortion

an error in presentation that gives a false representation.

EX: DISTORTION THAT OCCURS FROM TAKING A CIRCULAR GLOBE AND PUTTING IT ON A FLAT MAP

remote sensing

studying an object or location without making physical contact

EX: CAMERAS ON SATELLITES

GIS

geographic information system, computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface.

GPS

global positioning system, satellite navigation based on a global network that transmits radio signals from earth.

mercator projection ~ an attempt to create a two-dimensional map that maintained accurate and reliable compass points, but sizes are very distorted and inaccurate

robinson projection ~ compromise in that it attempts to minimize errors in distance, relative size, and compass direction but does not accurately depict any one of these factors

gall-peters projection ~ reflects the land size of all continents equally, but in doing so it distorts distance and direction.

goode-homolosine projection ~ main disadvantage: most of the angles and directions are distorted, advantage: shape and size of continents being accurate and in proportion.

polar projection ~ polar projection is primarily used to show the north or south polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica. A polar projection is a type of azimuthal projection.

isoline map (aka isopleth) ~ maps that show lines that join points of equal value. (For example, a topographic map is an isoline map on which lines join points of equal elevation.)

dot distribution map ~ a type of map that uses the density of dot symbols that are the same size to show the presence of a feature

choropleth map ~ uses different shades to show the variation of the values.

graduated symbol map ~ used to show quantitative difference between mapped features by varying the size of symbols

cartogram ~ a map in which the geometry of regions is distorted in order to convey the info of an alternate variable

location

the position of something on the earth’s surface

toponym

another word for name, but is specific to locations

EX: USA

site

exact location, the site is the land that the city was built upon.

situation

the situation of a city relates to its surrounding features, both human-made and natural. the situation of the city includes characteristics that are external to the settlement.

cultural landscape

cultural attributes of an area often used to describe a place

formal region

an area defined by one predominant or universal characteristic throughout its entire area. formal Regions have well-defined boundaries

functional region

an area centered on a node, focal point, or central hub surrounded by interconnecting linkages

EX: CITY AND ITS SURROUNDING SUBURBS

perceptual region

or vernacular region is defined by feelings and prejudices that may or may not be true

EX: THE MIDWEST

culture

total way of life held in common by a group of people, including learned features such as language, ideology, behavior, technology, and government

globalization

the increasing connection of economic, cultural, and political characteristics across the world.

EX:  RAW PRODUCT HARVESTED IN AFRICA, THEN IS USED TO MANUFACTURE GOODS IN CHINA, AND SHIPPED AROUND THE WORLD FOR SALE.

space

a general, objective location or area

transnational corporations

company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located.

distribution

arrangement of features in a space

density

the no. of people who live in a defined land area

concentration

the spread of a feature(dispersed/scattered or clustered/agglomerated)

pattern

arrangement of objects on earth's surface in relationship to one another

EX: LINEAR PATTERN OF HOUSES IN A LINE

distance decay

theory that states that as the distance between two places increases, the interaction between those two places decreases.

space-time compression

the reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place, as a result of improved communications and transportation system

EX: INTERNET

LDC

less-developed countries, countries that have low economic growth and little to no industrialization.

EX: COUNTRIES IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA, AFGHANISTAN

MDC

more developed countries, countries that have advanced socially and economically.

EX: USA, CANADA, JAPAN

NIC

newly industrialized country, country whose level of economic development ranks it somewhere between developing and highly developed classifications

EX: CHINA, INDIA, MALAYSIA

environmental determinism

philosophy of geography that stated that human behaviors are a direct result of the surrounding environment

possibilism

theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment.