Human Geography Midterm 1

What is Geography

The study of Earth's physical features and human societies and how they interact.

What is Physical Geography

Focuses on natural features and processes like climate, landforms, and ecosystems

What is Human Geography

Examines human activities, cultures, economies, and their relationship with the environment.

what is Location

The specific position of something on Earth.

Absolute Location

Exact coordinates using latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Position described in relation to other places; includes site and situation.

Distance

The amount of space between two places.

“First Law” of Geography

"Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things."

Absolute Distance

Physical measurement (e.g., kilometers or miles).

Relative Distance

Distance measured in terms of time, cost, or effort.

Cognitive Distance

Perceived distance based on personal experience or feelings.

Space

The area or extent of a place.

Absolute Space

Measurable, fixed space like coordinates or boundaries.

Relative Space

Space defined by social, economic, or cultural relationships.

Cognitive Space

Mental perception of space; how people visualize it.

Topological Space

Focus on connectivity or relationships between places rather than physical distance.

Region

An area defined by certain unifying characteristics, which could be physical, cultural, or functional.

Landscape

The visible features of an area shaped by natural and human factors.

Ordinary Landscape

Everyday, common landscapes shaped by people’s daily lives.

Symbolic Landscape

Landscapes that represent particular values or meanings.

Palimpsest

A landscape that shows layers of history and change over time.

Place

A specific point on Earth with meaning or significance.

Place-Making

The process of creating meaningful public spaces.

Sense of Place

Emotional attachment or meaning associated with a place.

Geographical Imagination

The ability to understand the spatial organization of people, places, and environments and to imagine different spatial possibilities

Map Projection

Methods of representing the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map.

Mercator Projection

Distorts size near poles; preserves shape; good for navigation.

Peters Projection

Preserves area but distorts shape.

Robinson Projection

Balances size and shape distortion; visually appealing.

Fuller (Dymaxion) Projection

Shows the Earth on a flat surface without separating continents; emphasizes global connections.

Spatial Diffusion

The process by which ideas, innovations, or phenomena spread across space and among people.

What is world-systems theory?

A theory that divides the world into core, periphery, and semi-periphery regions to explain global inequality and economic relationships.

Define core, periphery, and semi-periphery.

• Core: Wealthy, industrialized countries with global influence.

• Periphery: Poorer countries, often exploited for labor/resources.

• Semi-periphery: Middle-income countries, act as a buffer.

What is imperialism?

The practice of extending power through territorial control or influence over other nations.

What is colonialism?

Direct control and settlement of one country by another for economic and political gain.

How did European expansion shape globalization?

Spread capitalism, reshaped trade routes, and integrated regions into global systems through colonization.

What is ethnocentrism?

Judging other cultures by the standards of your own, often with a sense of superiority.

What is Social Darwinism?

A belief that stronger societies naturally dominate weaker ones, used to justify imperialism.

What is environmental determinism?

The idea that environment (especially climate) determines human behavior and culture.

What does "White Man’s Burden" refer to?

A colonial belief that Europeans had a moral duty to "civilize" non-European peoples.

What was the Scramble for Africa?

The rapid colonization of Africa by European powers in the late 1800s for resources and territory.

Economic impact of colonialism on the periphery?

Created dependence on exports, underdeveloped local industries, and fueled inequality.

Political impact of colonialism on the periphery?

Left behind unstable borders, weak governance, and authoritarian legacies.

Cultural impact of colonialism on the periphery?

wearing out of local cultures, imposition of Western values, and language loss.

What is neo-colonialism?

Continued control of former colonies through economic, political, and cultural pressures.

What is globalization today?

Increased global interconnectedness in trade, communication, technology, and culture.

Why do some say globalization is good?

Encourages growth, access to goods/tech, cultural exchange, and poverty reduction.

Why do some say globalization is bad

Increases inequality, damages environments, weakens local cultures, and exploits workers.

What are core-periphery inequalities?

Unequal wealth, development, and access to technology between regions.

What is the fast world vs. slow world?

Fast world is highly connected and globalized; slow world is isolated and left behind.

What is the digital divide?

Gap between people with and without access to internet and digital tech.

What is the North-South divide?

A global split between wealthy, industrialized countries (Global North) and poorer, developing countries (Global South), shaped by colonial history and economic inequality.

What is decolonization?

The process where colonies gained independence, mainly after WWII, ending formal imperial rule but often leaving lasting economic and political challenges.

What is demography?

The statistical study of human populations, including size, distribution, and trends.

What is crude (arithmetic) density

Total population divided by total land area; shows average number of people per unit of land.

What is nutritional (physiologic) density?

Population divided by arable (farmable) land; shows pressure on land to produce food

What is natural increase (or decrease)?

The difference between birth rate and death rate; increase if births > deaths, decrease if deaths > births.

What is crude birth rate (CBR)?

Number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.

What is total fertility rate (TFR)?

Average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime.

What is the replacement rate?

The TFR needed to maintain population size, typically about 2.1 in developed countries.

What is infant mortality rate (IMR)?

Number of infant deaths (under age 1) per 1,000 live births.

What is crude death rate (CDR)?

Number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year

What is average life expectancy?

The average number of years a person is expected to live, based on current mortality rates.

What is an age-sex pyramid (population pyramid)?

A graph showing the age and sex structure of a population, used to analyze growth trends and development.

What is the dependency ratio?

Ratio of dependents (ages 0–14 and 65+) to the working-age population (15–64); high ratio = economic strain.

What is demographic transition theory?

A model showing how birth and death rates change over time with development, moving through 4–5 stages.

Key phases of demographic transition?

• Stage 1: High birth/death rates

• Stage 2: Death rate drops

• Stage 3: Birth rate drops

• Stage 4: Low birth/death rates

• (Stage 5): Population decline (in some countries)

Critiques of demographic transition theory?

Too Eurocentric, assumes all countries follow same path, ignores cultural/political factors.

What is overpopulation?

When a population exceeds the capacity of its environment/resources to support it sustainably.

What is the Malthusian perspective?

A: Belief that population grows faster than food supply, leading to famine and crisis unless checked.

What is the neo-Malthusian perspective?

A: Modern update of Malthus; focuses on overuse of resources, environmental damage, and limits to growth.

Critiques of Malthus and neo-Malthusians?

A: Underestimate tech, ignore inequality and distribution issues, often used to blame the Global South.

What is population policy?

Government strategies to manage population growth, such as family planning, incentives, or education.

What is economic development?

The process of improving a country's economy and living standards through growth, innovation, and infrastructure.

What are common expectations of development?

Higher incomes, better health/education, more jobs, improved infrastructure, and reduced poverty.

What is GDP, GNP, and GNI?

• GDP: Total value of goods/services produced within a country.

• GNP: GDP + income from abroad.

• GNI: GNP adjusted for income paid to/from other countries

What is the informal sector?

Economic activity not regulated or taxed by the government (e.g. street vendors, unregistered jobs).

What are externalities?

Side effects of economic activity.

• Positive: Benefits others (e.g. education).

• Negative: Harms others (e.g. pollution).

What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?

A measure of development using life expectancy, education, and income (0 to 1 scale).

What is the Gender Inequality Index (GII)?

A measure of inequality in reproductive health, empowerment, and labor participation between genders.

What are the four economic sectors?

• Primary: Extract resources (farming, mining).

• Secondary: Manufacturing.

• Tertiary: Services.

• Quaternary: Knowledge and information.

What is foreign direct investment (FDI)?

Investment by a company or government into a business in another country.

What is a transnational corporation (TNC)?

A company that operates in multiple countries (e.g. Apple, Nestlé).

What is a trade bloc?

A group of countries that trade with each other with reduced barriers (e.g. EU, NAFTA/USMCA).

How has globalization impacted economic development?

Increased trade, finance flows, tech spread, and interconnected markets—but also inequality.

What is the internationalization of finance?

Movement of money and investment across borders via global banks and stock markets.

What is the new technology system?

A wave of innovations (ICT, AI, biotech) changing how economies grow and compete.

What is time-space convergence?

The idea that technology reduces the time it takes to move goods, people, and ideas across space.

What are global consumer markets?

Markets where people worldwide buy similar goods (e.g. smartphones, fast fashion).

What is the new international division of labor?

The global shift of manufacturing to low-wage countries while design and marketing stay in high-income ones.

What is the global assembly line?

A production process spread across countries where different parts are made in different places.

What is a commodity chain?

The series of steps from resource extraction to final product used and sold globally.

What is the "race to the bottom"?

When countries lower labor/environment standards to attract foreign companies.

What is fast fashion?

Cheap, rapidly produced clothing based on current trends; relies on low wages and poor conditions.

What was the Rana Plaza disaster?

A garment factory collapse in Bangladesh (2013) that killed over 1,100 workers, exposing labor abuses.

What is consumptionism?

The cultural focus on buying and owning goods as a key to happiness and status

What is "pepe"?

Secondhand clothing (often from the Global North) sold in developing countries, harming local industries.

What are ecological narcotics?

Harmful environmental effects of consumer habits hidden by marketing or distance (e.g. pollution from factories abroad).

Q: What is fair trade?

A movement promoting better wages, conditions, and environmental standards for producers in developing countries.