AP Human Geography Units 6 and 7 Vocab

Agglomeration

The spatial grouping of businesses in the same industry in a specific area for mutual benefit, such as shared services, labor pools, and infrastructure.

Asian Tigers

The four highly developed economies in East and Southeast Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan) known for rapid industrialization and high growth rates between the 1960s-1990s.

Back Offices

Offices located outside of expensive central business districts, often in countries like India, Ireland, or Kenya, where routine clerical work (e.g., customer service, data entry) is done due to lower labor costs.

Basic Industry

A business that sells its products or services primarily to consumers outside the settlement (exports).

Non-basic Industry

A business that sells its products primarily to consumers in the same settlement (local).

Blockbusting

The process by which real estate agents convince white property owners to sell their houses at low prices due to the fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood.

Borchert's 4 Epochs

The evolution of the American metropolis based on the impact of transportation & communication, including Sail-Wagon, Iron Horse, Steel-Rail, and Auto-Air-Amenity epochs.

Breaking Point

Line where customers will choose to go to another business due to distance.

Break-of-bulk point

A location where transfer is possible from one mode of transportation to another.

Bulk Gaining Industry

An industry in which the final product weighs more or comprises a greater volume than the inputs.

Bulk Reducing Industry

An industry in which the final product weighs less or comprises a lower volume than the inputs.

CBD

the area of a city where retail and office activities are clustered.

Census tract

An area delineated by the US Bureau of Census for which statistics are published; typically corresponds to neighborhoods in urban areas.

Central Place Theory

A theory that explains the distribution of services based on settlements serving as centers of market areas.

Concentric Zone Model

A model of the internal structure of cities in which social groups are spatially arranged in a series of rings.

Conglomerate Corporations

Large companies that own multiple smaller companies across various unrelated industries.

Cottage Industry

Manufacturing based in homes rather than in factories, most common prior to the industrial revolution.

Daily Urban System

The functional area around a city where people commute daily, including suburbs that interact economically and socially with the core city.

DeBiji Model

A model of African cities showing three CBDs and a lack of suburban development.

Deglomeration

The process by which businesses move away from agglomerated clusters due to rising costs or competition.

Deindustrialization

The decline of industrial activity in a region, leading to job loss and urban decay.

Density Gradient

The change in density in an urban area from the center to the periphery.

Dispersed Settlements

A rural settlement pattern where houses and farms are spread out over a large area.

Economic Base

A community's collection of basic businesses.

Ecotourism

Tourism directed toward natural environments, intended to support conservation and observe wildlife responsibly.

Edge Cities

A large node of office and retail activities on the edge of an urban area.

Favelas/Barrio

Informal settlements found in Latin American cities, characterized by poverty and lack of services.

Footloose Industries

Industries that can be located anywhere without being affected by factors like transportation or resources.

Fordism/Post-Fordism

Fordism refers to mass production with specific tasks; Post-Fordism uses flexible production systems.

Forward Capitals

Moving the capital's location to achieve a certain goal.

Functional Specialization

When cities focus on particular economic roles or industries.

Gentrification

The process of converting an urban neighborhood from low-income to middle-class.

Ghettoization

The process of confining minority groups to specific urban areas due to discrimination.

Global Assembly Line

A manufacturing system using parts produced and assembled in various countries.

Gravity Model

A model stating potential use of a service at a location is related to population number and inversely related to distance.

Greenbelt

Area around a city restricted from housing to prevent overdevelopment.

Griffin-Ford Model

A model of Latin American cities showing a blend of traditional and colonial urban patterns.

Growth Pole

An area where economic growth is centered, spreading development to surrounding areas.

Hinterland

The area surrounding a central place from which people are attracted to use the place's goods and services.

Hotelling Theory of Spatial Competition

Theory stating businesses will locate near one another in a market area to maximize access.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model of urban structure where cities develop in sectors from the CBD.

Industrial Revolution

A series of improvements in industrial technology that transformed manufacturing.

Investor Flight

Rapid withdrawal of investment capital from an economy or region due to instability.

Just in Time Delivery

Shipments of parts and materials arriving at factories just before needed.

Location Theory

Explains the geographic location of economic activities based on transportation costs and accessibility.

Maquiladora

A factory built by a US company in Mexico to take advantage of lower labor costs.

McGee Model

A model describing Southeast Asian cities with a focus on port zones and hybrid land uses.

Medical Tourism

Traveling to another country for medical procedures, often for cheaper or higher-quality care.

Mega City

Cities with 10 million or more residents.

Megalopolis

A continuous urban complex in the northeastern United States.

Metropolitan Area Digital Divide

The gap between those with and without access to high-speed internet.

MSA (Metropolitan statistical area)

an urbanized area of at least 50,000 population.

Minimills

Smaller steel production facilities using scrap metal and requiring less capital and labor.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model of urban structure with multiple centers of activity rather than a single CBD.

Multiplier Effect

One basic job produces two non-basic jobs; new businesses create indirect jobs in the area.

New International Division of Labor

Transfer of jobs requiring low paid labor from developed to developing countries.

Offshore Financial Centers

Countries or territories with low taxes, attracting corporations to store money.

Peripheral Model

A model of urban areas with an inner city surrounded by suburban and business areas.

Primate City Rule

A pattern where the largest settlement has more than twice the population of the second largest.

Racial Steering

A practice where real estate agents guide buyers based on race.

Range

The maximum distance people are willing to travel to use a service.

Rank-Size Rule

A pattern where the nth largest settlement is 1/n the population of the largest.

Redlining

A practice where financial institutions refuse loans for certain areas marked on a map.

Right to Work Laws

Laws preventing a union from requiring employees to join as a condition of employment.

Rostow Model

A development model outlining five stages of economic growth.

Rust Belt

Former industrial region of the US that has experienced deindustrialization.

SEZ (Special Economic Zone)

Zones with special economic regulations to attract foreign investment.

Single Market Manufacturers

Manufacturers producing goods for one type of market or customer.

Site Factors/Situation Factors

Site factors, location factors related to the cost of factors of production inside a plant, such as land, labor, and capital. Situation factors, location factors related to transportation of materials into and from a factory.

Social Area Analysis

Statistical analysis identifying where similar living standards and lifestyles reside.

Squatter Settlement

Informal housing areas lacking legal claim and basic services.

Subsidized Housing

Housing supported by the government to provide affordability.

Tariffs

Taxes on imports to protect domestic industries and generate revenue.

Tax Abatement

Temporary reduction of taxes to encourage development in certain areas.

Tax Havens

Countries or territories with low taxes attracting foreign companies.

Telecommuting

Working remotely from home to reduce transportation costs.

Threshold

The minimum number of people needed to support a service.

Unplanned City

Cities developing without formal planning, leading to inefficiencies.

Urban Banana

A crescent-shaped zone of early urbanization across Eurasia.

Urban Hierarchy

A ranking of cities based on size and services, from world cities to hamlets.

Urban Realms Model

A model where suburban regions develop independent downtowns interacting with a central city.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural land.

Vertical Geography

The use of vertical space in urban areas to maximize land efficiency.

Weber Least Cost Theory

A theory stating industries will locate where costs are minimized.

World City

Cities that have significant influence within their region and globally.

Wallerstein's World Systems Theory

A theory dividing the world economy into core, semi-periphery, and periphery regions.

Zoning Laws

Laws limiting land use and maximum density in a community.