AP Human Geography Review

units 1-7

Thematic Maps

Maps that show geographical information / specific theme

Reference Maps

Maps that show geographic location/features and are used for navigation.

Map Projections

Representations of the Earth's surface on a flat plane, each with its own distortions.

Distortion

Inaccuracies in shape, area, distance, or direction that occur when projecting the Earth onto a flat map.

Mercator Map

A map projection that preserves direction and shape but distorts size. Farther from the equator = more distortion in size. Eurocentric map

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Computer hard/software thats stores, manage, analyze, edits, and visualizes geographic data by layering data on maps to analyze spatial relationships.

Quantitative Research

Research that uses numerical data, often from the census, to analyze patterns and trends.

Qualitative Research

Research that explores people's attitudes, beliefs, and feelings to understand social phenomena.

Distance Decay

The concept of that the farther one person is from a place the less likely they are to interact with it. Illustrates how spatial relationships decrease in significance with distance.

Sense of Place

The unique attributes and characteristics of a specific location that contribute to its identity.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the environment.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the environment sets restrictions on society and culture.

Environmental Possibilism

The belief that society can shape and modify the environment to suit its needs.

Scale of Analysis

The level at which data is organized and analyzed, such as national or local.

Map Scale

The ratio between the size of an area on a map and its actual size on Earth.

Small Scale Map

A map that shows a large area with little detail.

Large Scale Map

A map that shows a small area with a great amount of detail.

Functional/Nodal Regions

region/s organized around a central node, often based on economic activities or communication.

Perceptual/Vernacular Regions

Geographic regions that exist based on people's beliefs, feelings, or attitudes. Ex. "The South" in the United States is a common example.

Formal/Uniform Regions

Geographic areas with common attributes defined by economic, social, political, or environmental characteristics.

Population Distribution

The pattern of where people live in the world.

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people divided by the total land area.

Physiological Density

The total population divided by the amount of arable land.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers divided by the amount of arable land.

CBR (Crude Birth Rate)

The total number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.

CDR (Crude Death Rate)

The total number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year.

NIR (Natural Increase Rate)

The percentage by which a population grows in a year, excluding migration.

Doubling Time

The number of years needed for a population to double, assuming a constant rate of natural increase.

Dependency Ratio

The number of people who are too young or too old to work, compared to the number of people in their productive years.

Population Pyramid

A bar graph that represents the distribution of population by age and sex.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that describes population change over time as a country develops.

Stage 1 of DTM

Low growth, with high CBR and CDR.

Stage Two of Demographic Transition Model

High growth, with high CBR and declining CDR.

Stage Three of Demographic Transition Model

Moderate growth, with declining CBR and CDR.

Stage Four of Demographic Transition Model

Low growth, with low CBR and CDR.

Stage Five of Demographic Transition Model

Negative growth, with CDR higher than CBR.

Epidemiologic Transition Model

A model that describes the causes of death in each stage of the demographic transition model.

Pronatalism

Policies that encourage citizens to have more children.

Antinatalism

Policies that restrict population growth and encourage people to have fewer children.

Malthusian Catastrophe

The point where population exceeds carrying capacity, leading to famine and disaster.

Malthusians

People who believe that population growth will exceed the Earth's carrying capacity of resources.

Push Factors

Reasons that make people want to leave an area.

Pull Factors

Reasons that make people want to come to an area.

Forced Migration

Migration that occurs due to events that jeopardize the migrant's life or safety.

Voluntary Migration

Migration that occurs when the migrant chooses to move without fear of persecution or death.

Counter Migration

The flow of migrants back to their place of origin.

Diffusion

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

Acculturation

The process of adopting some of the cultural traits of another culture.

Assimilation

The process of completely adopting the cultural traits of another culture.

Cultural Resistance

Efforts to protect a culture from outside influences.

Cultural Relativism

Viewing a culture through its own perspective without applying one's own cultural standards.

Ethnocentrism

Judging another culture based on one's own cultural standards.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the environment.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unite a society.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that pull a society apart.

Relocation Diffusion

Diffusion where the hearth starts to shrink as people move from one place to another.

Expansion Diffusion

Diffusion where the amount of people participating in a cultural trait is growing.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Diffusion that happens through a system of structures, moving from the top down.

Contagious Diffusion

Diffusion that spreads in all directions, allowing everyone to have access to the cultural trait without any barriers.

Stimulus Diffusion

Diffusion where a cultural trait diffuses and adapts to the cultural traits of the area it is diffusing to.

Colonialism

The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Lingua Franca

A language mutually understood and commonly used in trade by people who have different native languages.

Universalizing Religion

A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, regardless of location or culture.

Space-Time Compression

The reduction in the time it takes to communicate with people all over the world, reducing the impact of distance decay.

Syncretism

The blending of elements from two or more cultures.

Multiculturalism

The coexistence of several cultures in one society, with the ideal of all cultures being valued and respected.

Ethnic Religions

Religions that are identified with a particular ethnic or cultural group and do not seek converts.

Language Family

A group of languages with a shared but distant origin.

Nation

A group of people with a shared history, cultural identity, and a history of self-determination.

State

An entity with a permanent population, a sovereign government, and recognition by other states.

Nation-State

A state made up of one nation; a homogenous state.

Multinational State

A state made up of multiple nations that have agreed to coexist under one state.

Multistate Nation

A nation that exists in multiple states.

Stateless Nation

A nation that does not have a state.

Autonomous Regions

Areas within a state that have a degree of self-government.

Semi-Autonomous Regions

Regions that have a moderate degree of self-government.

Self-Determination

The right of a nation to govern itself without external influence.

Shatterbelt Regions

Regions caught between external fighting powers.

Neocolonialism

A new form of controlling a country through economic or political influence without direct occupation.

Relic Boundaries

Boundaries that no longer exist but still impact the cultural landscape.

Antecedent Boundaries

Boundaries that existed before human settlement.

Subsequent Boundaries

Boundaries based on ethnic groups and cultures.

Consequent Boundaries

Boundaries used to divide cultural groups and accommodate their differences.

Superimposed Boundaries

Boundaries created by a foreign state.

Geometric Boundaries

Cultural boundaries that are straight lines coinciding with parallels of latitude.

Law of the Sea

A collection of maritime laws defining rights and responsibilities related to the use of the world's oceans.

Territorial Waters

Waters extending 12 nautical miles off the coastline of a country.

Contiguous Zone

A zone extending 24 nautical miles off the coast where a state can enforce laws on customs, immigration, and sanitation.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

A zone extending 200 nautical miles off the coastline where a state has exclusive rights to resources.

Gerrymandering

The redistricting of a voting district to create a district that is more favorable to a particular party.

Unitary State

A state that concentrates power at the federal or national government level.

Federal State

A state that shares power between the national government and regional governments.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a national government down to a regional government.

State Sovereignty

A state's right to govern itself.

Supernational Organizations

International organizations where member states give up some sovereign control to achieve common goals.

Intensive Agricultural Practices

Agricultural practices located near population centers that focus on maximizing production.

Plantation Farming

A type of intensive agriculture found in less developed countries.

Mixed Crop and Livestock

A type of intensive agriculture found in developed countries where farmers produce both crops and livestock.

Market Gardening

A type of intensive agriculture located in regions with longer growing seasons, producing fruits and vegetables.