AP Human Geo - Unit 1 Vocabulary

Reference Map

A map that provides basic geographic information about an area, such as its boundaries, landmarks, and physical features.

Thematic Map

A map that focuses on specific themes or topics, such as population distribution, climate, or economic activity.

Topographic Map

A detailed map that shows the elevation and contour of the land's surface, including hills, valleys, and other physical features.

Isoline Map

A map that uses lines, such as contour lines or isotherms, to represent continuous data, like elevation or temperature.

Dot Density Map

A map that uses dots to represent the density or concentration of a particular feature or phenomenon in an area.

Choropleth Map

A map that uses colors or shading to represent data or statistics for different geographic areas, such as countries or regions.

Flow Line Map

A map that shows the movement or flow of people, goods, or information between locations using lines or arrows.

Cartogram Map

A map in which the size or shape of geographic regions is distorted to represent a variable, such as population or economic activity.

Robinson Projection

A map projection that attempts to minimize distortion in size, shape, and direction, making it suitable for displaying the entire world.

Mercator Projection

A map projection that preserves angles and shapes but distorts size, often resulting in exaggerated sizes of land areas at high latitudes.

Remote Sensing

The collection of data and information about the Earth's surface from a distance, often using satellites or aerial photography.

GIS

A system that captures, stores, analyzes, and displays geospatial data to help make informed decisions about geographic features and relationships.

GPS

A satellite-based navigation system that allows users to determine their precise location and track movement.

Geospatial Data

Data that is associated with specific geographic locations, often represented using coordinates.

Geographical Data

Information related to the Earth's surface, including physical, cultural, and environmental attributes.

Absolute Distance

The physical distance between two points on Earth's surface, typically measured in units like kilometers or miles.

Relative Distance

The measurement of distance between places based on travel time, cost, or other factors, which can vary depending on transportation and technology.

Distance Decay

The concept that the likelihood of interaction or communication between two places decreases as the distance between them increases.

Time-Space Compression

The idea that advancements in technology and transportation have made the world feel smaller by reducing the time it takes to travel or communicate across distances.

Sustainability

The concept of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, often related to environmental and resource management.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that human behavior and culture are largely shaped by environmental factors and conditions.

Possibilism

The theory that human behavior and culture are influenced by the environment but not determined by it, as humans have the ability to adapt and make choices.

Global Scale

Analyzing data that transcends the boundaries of countries.

National Scale

Analyzing data of an entire nation.

Regional Scale

Analzying data in an area larger than a single neighborhood but smaller than the entire nation.

Local Scale

Analyzing data in a single community.

Formal Region

A region characterized by specific, uniform attributes or criteria.

Functional Region

A region defined by its functional connections or interactions, often centered around a focal point or node.

Perceptual/Vernacular Region

A region that is defined by people's perceptions, beliefs, and mental images, rather than by objective criteria.