Human Geography Exam Review

acculturation

acculturation

The change that occurs within a culture when it adopts a practice from another culture

agribusiness

Commercial agriculture in which large corporations own and operate various steps in the production process with an emphasis on profit

agricultural density

The number of people living in rural areas per unit of agricultural land

assimilation

The process in which immigrants become totally integrated into the host culture

carrying capacity

The number of people an area can support on a sustained basis

centrifugal force

A strong, divisive force, such as religious differences or a weak communication systems, at work in a country

centripetal force

A strong, unifying force, such as a charismatic leader or nationalism, at work in a country

chain migration

The part of a migrant flow (usually relatives and friends) that follows former migrants to an area

colonialism

A system in which a country declares control over a territory or people outside its own boundaries, usually for economic purposes

creole

A simplified mixture of two or more languages that is adopted in areas of cultural diversity

crude birth rate (CBR)

The number of babies born per 1000 people per year

crude death rate (CDR)

The number of deaths per 1000 people per year

crude density

The number of people per unit of land (also called arithmetic density)

cultural diffusion

The process in which culture is spread from one region to another

cultural landscape

The unique landscape made up of all parts of a culture-both material and nonmaterial

culture

The cluster of traits that make a group of people special and unique

culture hearth

A place where innovations and new ideas originate and spread outward (diffuse) to other regions

culture trait

A single feature of a culture, such as religion or language

demographic transition model

A model that shows the link between population growth and economic development using four or five stages of economic development

demography

The study of the characteristics of a human population

density

The number of an item within a unit of area

dependency ratio

The ratio of people under age 15 and those 65 and older to those age 15 to 65

dependency theory

A theory of economic development proposed by Andre Gunder Frank based on the periphery's dependence on the core

desertification

The transformation of agricultural lands into deserts because of overgrazing and soil erosion

MDCs

Countries such as the United States, Germany, and Australia who have the highest levels of economic development

distance decay

The principle that says migrants try to minimize the friction of distance by moving to locations closer to them rather than father away

distribution

The array of items on the Earth's surface. All spatial distributions have density, dispersion, and some type of pattern

doubling time

The length of time it takes for a country's population to double in size if the growth rate stays the same

ecumene

The part of the Earth that is fit for humans to live

enclave

A piece of territory completely surrounded by another territory of which it is not a part

environmental determinism

The theory that human behavior is controlled by the physical environment

ethnic enclave

A residential community where the residents either voluntarily live, or are forced to live, in a segregated (separated) fashion due to race, religion, or ethnicity

ethnic religion

A religion that is part of a particular ethnic or political group (Judaism, for example)

ethnocentrism

The belief that one's own ethnic group is superior to all others

First Agricultural Revolution

The domestication of plants and animals and the resulting start of a sedentary society (also called the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution)

formal region

A region with a high level of consistency in a certain culture of physical attribute

globalization

The increasing interconnection of all regions in the world through politics, communication, transportation, marketing, manufacturing, and social and cultural processes

GMO (genetically modified organisms)

An organism that is created when scientists take one or more specific genes from one organism and introduce them into another organism thus creating a new version

Green Revolution

The development and transfer from the developed world to the developing world, of higher-yield and fast-growing crops through new and improved technology, pesticides, and fertilizers, for the purpose of alleviating world hunger

hierarchial diffusion

The adoption of an official language by the ruler or administration, a language diffused downward into the society

Industrial Revolution

The movement from homebased cottage industries to factory industries with several workers under one roof that the use of machines facilitates in England in the late 1700s

intensive subsistence agriculture

A form of agriculture heavily depends on heavy inputs of fertilized and human labor on a small piece of land for substantial crop yield

migration

The movement of humans from one place to another

commercial agriculture

Large-scale agricultural production for profit using specialized methods, technologies, and genetically engineered seeds

monoculture

The production of a single crop for commercial markets (corn, wheat, rice, etc.)

nationalism

A strong love of, and loyalty to, one's country

organic farming

The process of producing good naturally without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs

pastoralism

A form of subsistence agriculture in which animals are herded in a seasonal migratory pattern

place

Another word for location

plantation agriculture

Monocropping, or planting a single crop for profit, is a specialized form of agriculture and is usually located near the former colonial markets

population density

The number of persons per unit of land area

population pyramid

A model that shows the composition of a population by age and sex. Also called an age-sex pyramid.

pop culture

The ever-changing cultural norms associated with a large, diverse group of people who are very influenced by mass media, mass production, and mass merchandising

projection

A type of map based on representing a round Earth on a flat piece of paper with the resulting inaccuracies determining the best use of the particular type

pull factor

Factors such as better job opportunities or a more pleasant climate that "pull" or attract a migrant to a new area

push factor

Factors such as war, high crime, or overcrowding that "push" a migrant to a new region

race

A group of people with a common biological ancestor

region

An area that displays a common trait such as culture, government, language, landform, etc.

relative location

The location of a place in relation to the location of other places

rural to urban migration

The movement of people from the countryside to the city usually in search of economic opportunities (jobs) and a better life (both "pull" factors of migration)

sense of place

The special perception we have of a certain place based on our feelings, emotions, and associations with that place

Second Agricultural Revolution

An agricultural revolution starting in the 17th century that increased efficiency of crop production and distribution through use of new machinery

shifting agriculture

The form of subsistence agriculture in which crops are grown in different fields on a rotating basis

site

The physical location of a place

situation

The location of a place based on its relation to other places

space

The extent of area that is occupied by something

spatial diffusion

The spread of something over time or space

truck farming

Commercial gardening and fruit farming in the United States

Possibilism

The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives.

isoline map

Map displaying lines that connect points of equal value; for example, a map showing elevation levels

Arithmetic Density

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

quota laws of 1921 and 1924

Laws passed to limit immigration. (p. 485)

Folk Culture

Culture traditionally practiced by a small, homogeneous, rural group living in relative isolation from other groups.

Genocide

Deliberate extermination of a racial or cultural group

biotechnology

The application of scientific techniques to modify and improve plants, animals, and microorganisms to enhance their value

scale

The degree of generalization on a map. Scale can also mean the size of a unit on a map as a ratio of its size on the map to the same units on the Earth's surface.

gentrification

The process of renovating an older, run-down neighborhood near the center city by middle-class and high-income families

internally displaced person

A person who is forced out of the home region due to war, political or social unrest, environmental problems, etc., but who does not cross any international boundary

physiologic density

The number of persons per unit of agricultural land

natural increase rate

the crude birth rate minus the crude death

step migration

The series of small moves of a migrant to reach a destination

subsistence agriculture

A form of agriculture in which everything that is produced is consumed by that population. Forms of subsistence agriculture including shifting, swidden/slash-and-burn, and intensive subsistence

sustainability

The principle that we must meet our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

taboo

A potent form of cultural barrier that prevents certain habits or new ideas from establishing themselves in a society due to already-established prohibitions, customs, and rules

vernacular region

A popular region that is named for the way people perceive it

Von Thünen's Agricultural Land-Use Model

A model of agricultural land use that illustrates the relationship between the cost of land and transportation costs involved in getting a product to market

zero population growth

A condition is which births plus immigration equals deaths plus emigration for individual countries

Globalization

Actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope.

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

transnational corporations

large corporations that are headquartered in one country but sell and produce goods and services in many countries

Concentration

The spread of something over a given area.

relocation

The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another.

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

Stimulus Diffusion

a form of diffusion in which a cultural adaptation is created as a result of the introduction of a cultural trait from another place

space-time compression

describes the reduction in the time it takes for something to reach another place

Hierarchical Diffusion

the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places

network

A chain of communication that connects places

Hearth

The region from which innovative ideas originate

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

Contagion Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population. (e.g. new music that spreads in a viral manner because people have access to the same internet resources simultaneously)