APHUG FINAL REVIEW

Unit 1: Geographic Concepts and Theories

Scale and Scale of Analysis

Understanding the concept of scale is crucial for interpreting maps and spatial data. Scale refers to the relationship between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground.

Types of Scale:

Regional/Local: Focuses on specific areas, such as cities or neighborhoods.

National: Encompasses entire countries, useful for national policies and statistics.

Global: Looks at worldwide patterns and trends, essential for global studies.

Types of Maps

Choropleth Map: Uses color or shading to represent data values across regions, useful for visualizing population density or election results.

Dot Density Map: Displays data using dots, where each dot represents a specific quantity, helping to visualize distribution patterns.

Graduated Circle Map: Uses circles of varying sizes to represent data values, effective for showing quantities like city populations.

Mercator Projection: A cylindrical map projection that distorts size but preserves shape, commonly used for navigation.

Robinson Projection: A compromise projection that attempts to minimize distortion across size, shape, distance, and direction.

Goode-Homolosine Projection: An equal-area projection that minimizes distortion of land masses, useful for thematic maps.

Types of Regions

Uniform (Formal) Region: Defined by a common characteristic, such as language or climate, e.g., the Sahara Desert.

Functional (Nodal) Region: Organized around a central point or node, such as a metropolitan area.

Perceptual (Vernacular) Region: Based on people's perceptions, e.g., 'the South' in the United States.

World System Theory

Definition: A framework for understanding the global economic system, emphasizing the interconnectedness of countries.

Core Countries: Characterized by high levels of industrialization, wealth, and political power, e.g., the USA and Germany.

Periphery Countries: Less developed, often reliant on agriculture and raw materials, e.g., many African nations.

Semi-Periphery Countries: Intermediate countries that exhibit characteristics of both core and periphery, e.g., Brazil and India.

Unit 2: Population Dynamics and Policies

Population Density Measurements

Arithmetic Density: Total population divided by total land area, useful for understanding population distribution.

Physiological Density: Population divided by arable land area, indicating pressure on agricultural resources.

Agricultural Density: Ratio of farmers to arable land, reflecting agricultural efficiency and economic development.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

Stages of DTM:

Stage 1: High birth and death rates, stable population.

Stage 2: High birth rates, declining death rates, rapid population growth.

Stage 3: Declining birth rates, low death rates, slowing growth.

Stage 4: Low birth and death rates, stable population.

Stage 5: Potential decline in population, very low birth rates.

Population Pyramids: Visual representations of age and sex distribution, used to identify the stage of a country.

Pro-natalist and Anti-natalist Policies

Pro-natalist Policies: Encourage higher birth rates through incentives like parental leave and childcare support, e.g., France's family policies.

Anti-natalist Policies: Aim to reduce birth rates through measures like family planning and education, e.g., China's former one-child policy.

Consequences: Pro-natalist policies can lead to population growth and economic strain, while anti-natalist policies can result in an aging population and labor shortages.

Push and Pull Factors

Political Factors: Push factors include war and persecution; pull factors include political stability and freedom.

Economic Factors: Push factors include unemployment; pull factors include job opportunities and higher wages.

Environmental Factors: Push factors include natural disasters; pull factors include favorable climates and resources.

Unit 3: Culture and Religion

Culture Vocabulary

Centrifugal Force: Forces that divide a state, such as ethnic conflict or economic disparity.

Centripetal Force: Forces that unify a state, such as national identity or shared culture.

Cultural Relativism: The practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of another culture.

Ethnocentrism: The belief in the superiority of one's own culture, often leading to misinterpretation of other cultures.

Major World Religions

Ethnic Religions: Religions closely tied to a specific ethnic group, e.g., Hinduism.

Universalizing Religions: Religions that seek to convert others, e.g., Christianity and Islam.

Locations: Understanding where major religions are practiced globally, e.g., Buddhism in East Asia, Islam in the Middle East.

Rank Order: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and others ranked by number of adherents.

Religious Structures and Dress

Religious Architecture: Identifying structures such as Buddhist pagodas, Catholic cathedrals, and Muslim mosques, which reflect cultural values.

Religious Dress: Recognizing traditional attire such as the Muslim hijab, Sikh turban, and Catholic nun habit, which signify cultural and religious identity.

Language Concepts

Creole Language: A stable, fully developed language that arises from the mixing of two or more languages.

Dialect: A regional variation of a language that includes distinct vocabulary and grammar.

Lingua Franca: A common language used for communication between speakers of different native languages, often used in trade.