AP Human Geography Ultimate Guide (copy)

Space

The geometric surface of the Earth.

Activity Space

The area where daily activities occur.

Place

A bounded area of human importance.

Toponym

A place-name assigned to a location.

Scale

Relationship of an object or place to the Earth.

Sequent Occupancy

Succession of cultural influences in a place.

Formal Regions

Areas with homogeneous characteristics.

Functional Regions

Areas with a central point serving a purpose.

Vernacular Regions

Regions based on residents' perception.

Absolute Location

Defines a point using coordinates.

Relative Location

Location compared to a known place.

Distance Decay

Interaction decreases with distance.

Friction of Distance

Inhibits interaction between points.

Space-Time Compression

Decreased time and distance between places.

Central Place Theory

Analysis of city locations and economic exchange.

Core and Periphery

Relationships in regional phenomena.

Diffusion Patterns

Ways in which phenomena spread.

Hearth

Point of origin or innovation.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Incorporates data for spatial analysis.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

Theory of population changes over time.

Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs)

Countries that have experienced rapid industrialization and economic growth, transitioning from primarily agricultural to manufacturing-based economies.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model that explains the changing population patterns in societies as they develop, particularly focusing on the shifts in birth and death rates due to medical advancements.

Phase of Development

Refers to the stage in a country's demographic transition where population growth stabilizes as birth rates decline, leading to a more balanced population structure.

Population Projection

Estimations of how a population will change over time, predicting growth or decline based on factors like birth rates, death rates, and migration.

S-Curve of Population

Describes the pattern of rapid population growth followed by stabilization or decline as a population reaches its carrying capacity.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that illustrates the stages of population growth and decline in societies as they progress through economic and social development.

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

Occurs when birth rates equal death rates, resulting in no net increase in the population size.

Malthusian Theory

A theory proposing that population growth will outpace food production, leading to resource scarcity and potential societal collapse.

Sustainability

The ability to meet the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Population Pyramids

Graphical representations of a population's age and gender distribution, providing insights into the demographic structure of a country or region.

Dravidian

A language group with 230 million speakers from and around the Indian subcontinent.

Anatolian theory

A theory suggesting that migrants from the Indian subcontinent moved to present-day Turkey before spreading into Europe.

Folk music

Original music specific to a culture, often incorporating unique instruments and cultural stories.

Bluegrass

A popular folk music type originating in Kentucky, heavily influencing contemporary country and rock music.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core principles guiding moral behavior for Muslims, including daily prayers and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Caste System

A social hierarchy in India with five main castes, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

Theocracy

A form of government where religious leaders hold senior positions of governance.

Land Use

How property is utilized, shared, or divided, reflecting cultural practices and influences on the landscape.

Ethnicity

A mix of genetic heritage and political allegiance, often forming a common social bond within ethnic groups.

Race

Physical characteristics of common genetic heritage, categorized based on variables like skin color and bone structure.

Lebensraum

the living space for each distinct nation based on the optimal physical geography of the culture group

Neo-Nazism

violent racism against non-whites and immigrants or violet expression of xenophobia

Ethnocentrism

belief in the superiority of one’s nation or ethnic group and the inferiority of others

Cultural relativism

understanding individual beliefs and activities in the context of their culture

Internal identity

expressing cultural heritage to those sharing the same background

External identity

expressing cultural heritage to those from different backgrounds

Culture regions

bounded spaces with homogeneous cultural characteristics

Fuzzy borders

difficulty in determining where one cultural region ends and another begins

Cultural Hearths

localized areas where cultures originated or have main population centers

Acculturation

adapting to a new culture while retaining aspects of the original culture

Assimilation

complete change in identity as a minority culture becomes part of the majority

Cultural survival

efforts to protect and promote indigenous cultures

Genocide

large-scale systematic killing of people of one ethnic group

Nation-state

a single culture under a single government

Sovereignty

state's full independence, holding territory and international recognition

Supranationalism

sovereign states aligned for a common purpose

Territoriality

political control expression over space

Citizenship

legal identity based on birth state or naturalization

Enclave

minority culture group within a country dominated by a different culture

Exclave

fragmented sovereign territory separated from the main state's territory

Boundary Process

Involves claiming, negotiating, or capturing borders

Delimitation process

Placing borders on the map

Demarcation process

Placing markers on the ground to show border locations

Physical border

Natural boundaries like rivers, mountains, or deserts

Cultural border

Estimated boundaries between nations, ethnic groups, or tribes

Geometric border

Boundaries surveyed along lines of latitude and longitude

Definitional dispute

Interpretation differences in border treaties by states

Locational dispute

Border shifts due to natural changes like rivers altering course

Operational dispute

Agreed borders with passage issues

Allocational dispute

Disputes over resources spanning borders

Frontier

Undefined territory like Antarctica

Tyranny of the Map

Imposed boundaries not matching cultural boundaries

State morphology

Impact of a country's shape on society and external relations

Compact state

Shape without irregularity like Nigeria

Fragmented state

Broken into pieces like the Philippines

Elongated state

Stretched-out shape like Chile

Prorupt state

With a panhandle or peninsula like Italy

Perforated state

Having holes like South Africa

Landlocked state

Lacking sea or ocean borders like Switzerland

Annexation

Adding territory through purchase or extension of claims

Capitals

Seat of government in a state

Suffrage

Voting rights based on age, race, and gender

Gerrymandering

Creating irregularly shaped voting districts

Feudalism

System with aristocracy controlling land and wealth

Absolute monarchy

Supreme aristocrat as head of state and government

Constitutional monarchy

Supreme aristocrat as head of state, elected leader as head of government

Commonwealth of Nations

Former British Empire parts with shared monarch

Free-market democracies

Elected-representative parliamentary systems

Separation of powers

Dividing executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Marxist-Socialism

Political-economic theories aiming for class-free society

Heartland-Rimland model

A geopolitical model identifying potential conflict areas

Primary commodity of conflict

The main resource countries are willing to fight over

Shatterbelt theory

Proposed by Saul Cohen in 1950 to predict Cold War conflicts

Buffer states

Countries protecting hostile nations by creating a buffer of friendly states

Containment

Strategic policy proposed by George Kennan in 1947 to prevent communism spread

Terrorism

Planned violent attacks to cause fear and influence government policies

State terrorism

Governments using violence to control their population

Intensive agriculture

Farming requiring significant labor or focused on small plots

Extensive agriculture

Farming spread over large areas with limited labor input

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of groups to follow animal herds and plants