AP Human Geography 2025 - Unit 1 Study Guide

Absolute distance

coordinates, specific location

Relative distance

In relation to something else

Absolute direction

North, East, South, West

Relative direction

left, right, up, down

Large scale/ number

more zoomed in/ detailed

Small scale/ number

Zoomed out, less detail

Cartographic scale

ratio of map to actual

geographic scale/ relative scale

amount of territory

Scale of the data

geography measurement

Thematic map

Shows data

Choropleth Maps

Uses colors/ shades

Dot distribution map

Specific location

Graduated symbol map

Symbols size to show amount

Isoline map

Use lines to show variation

Cartogram

Map that changes the size of the

countries based off a factor

quantitative

numbers

qualitative

interpretations

census

official population count

Demographic info

Info about the people who live in a specific place

Remote sensing

Satellites and aircraft based sensors

GPS

Global Positioning System

Site

absolute location and physical characteristics

Situation

Relative location

Toponyms

Name given to a place that describes it (can be accurate or inaccurate)

Environment Determinism

Human Behavior is controlled by the physical environment

Possibilism

People can live in harsh climates by shaping it

Distance decay

The farther away something is the less you interact with it

True or False, the smaller the number, the smaller the scale?

True

What’s GIS do

Geographic Information Systems, break geographic data into layers

Formal Region

Area that has 1 or more shared traits

Functional Region

Also called Nodal Region, Area organized by its function around a focal point (node)

Perceptual Region

Also called Vernacular Region, regional that reflects people’s thoughts

Clustered

Also called Nucleated

Peripheral

Circle

Grid

Squares

Linear

Line

Radial

Star

Scattered

Random

Mercador

Purpose: navigation

Strength: direction

Weaknesses: Distorts landmasses near the poles

Robinson

Purpose: Education

Strength: Minimizes size distortion

Weaknesses: No true direction