APHG all Definitions

What is AP Human Geography?

AP Human Geography is a college-level course that focuses on understanding the relationship between humans and their environment, spatial organization of societies, and various cultural, economic, political, and social processes.

What is a place in geography?

A specific geographic location that has its own unique attributes and characteristics.

What is a region?

An area defined by certain unifying characteristics, which can be physical, cultural, or functional.

What is scale in geography?

The relationship between the distance on a map and the actual distance on the ground.

What is a map projection?

A method of representing the curved surface of the Earth on a flat surface.

What is qualitative data?

Non-numerical information that describes characteristics or qualities of a phenomenon.

What is quantitative data?

Numerical information that can be measured and compared.

What is cultural landscape?

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape.

What is globalization?

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.

What is urbanization?

The process of making an area more urban or the increase in the population of people living in urban areas.

What is migration?

The movement of people from one place to another, often with the intention of settling in the new location.

What is a hearth?

A place of origin for a cultural trait or innovation.

What is a barrier to diffusion?

Any factor that inhibits the spread of a cultural phenomenon.

What is place making?

The process of creating a community's public spaces with a focus on the community's needs, culture, and identity.

What is spatial interaction?

The movement of people, goods, and ideas within and across geographic space.

What is scale of analysis?

The level of detail used in geographic analysis, which can vary from global to local.

What is cultural diffusion?

The spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.

What is ecological footprint?

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, representing the area of land and water required to sustain a population's use of resources.

What is the core-periphery model?

A model that describes the spatial relationship between the core (developed) regions and peripheral (developing) regions, highlighting the socio-economic disparities.

What is territoriality?

The persistent attachment of individuals or peoples to a specific location or territory.

What is the gravity model in geography?

A model that predicts interaction between two places based on their population sizes and distance between them.

What is a cultural realm?

A larger region that encompasses multiple cultures sharing similar traits, such as language, religion, or customs.

What is new urbanism?

An urban design movement promoting environmentally friendly habits by creating walkable neighborhoods containing a wide range of housing and jobs.

What is urban renewal?

The process of redeveloping parts of a city to improve its physical, social, and economic conditions.

What is population distribution?

The pattern of where people live across the world, which can be affected by various factors such as geography, economy, and culture.

What is population density?

The number of people living per unit of area, typically expressed in people per square kilometer or mile.

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustainably support.

What is demographic transition?

A model that describes the transition of a country from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as it develops economically.

What are the stages of the demographic transition model?

1. High Fluctuating: High birth and death rates. 2. Early Expanding: High birth rates with declining death rates. 3. Late Expanding: Declining birth rates and low death rates. 4. Low Fluctuating: Low birth and death rates.

What is a crude birth rate (CBR)?

The number of live births in a year for every 1,000 people in a population.

What is a crude death rate (CDR)?

The number of deaths in a year for every 1,000 people in a population.

What is infant mortality rate?

The number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given year.

What is migration?

The movement of people from one place to another, often with the intention of settling in the new location.

What are push factors?

Conditions that drive people to leave their home country or region, such as warfare, economic hardship, or environmental disaster.

What are pull factors?

Conditions that attract people to a new country or region, such as job opportunities, safety, and quality of life.

What is urbanization?

The process of making an area more urban or the increase in the population of people living in urban areas.

What is a refugee?

A person who flees their home country due to persecution, war, or violence.

What is a migrant?

A person who moves from one place to another, either within their country or across borders.

What is population pyramid?

A graphical representation of the age and sex distribution of a population.

What is total fertility rate (TFR)?

The average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime based on current birth rates.

What is life expectancy?

The average number of years a person can expect to live

What is natural increase rate?

The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths in a given year, expressed as a percentage of the population.

What is dependency ratio?

The ratio of the combined population of dependents (ages 0-14 and over 65) to the working-age population (ages 15-64).

What is age distribution?

The distribution of a population across different age groups.

What are life tables?

Tables that provide statistical data on the life expectancy of individuals in a population at various ages.

What is zero population growth?

A situation where the number of people in a specified population neither increases nor decreases.

What is the difference between immigration and emigration?

Immigration is the arrival of people into a country to live, while emigration is the departure of people from a country to live elsewhere.

What is a sustainability index?

An index that measures the sustainability of a population based on factors like ecological footprint, resource consumption, and environmental protection.

What is the boomerang generation?

Young adults who move back in with their parents after leaving home for college or employment.

What is a population composition?

The structure of a population, including the distribution by age, sex, and other characteristics.

What is fertility rate?

The average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime.

What is culture?

The shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize a group of people.

What is cultural trait?

A single attribute of a culture, such as a language, a belief, or a custom.

What is cultural complex?

A combination of cultural traits that are interrelated and form a distinct culture.

What is cultural hearth?

The area where a particular culture originated and from which it spreads.

What is cultural diffusion?

The process by which cultural traits, ideas, or practices spread from one culture to another.

What is acculturation?

The process of adopting certain cultural traits from another culture while retaining some of one's own.

What is assimilation?

The process by which a minority group gradually adapts to the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture.

What is globalization of culture?

The worldwide integration and interaction of cultural traits, leading to greater similarities between cultures.

What is a cultural landscape?

The modification of the natural landscape by human activity, reflecting cultural beliefs and values.

What is language family?

A group of languages that share a common ancestry and are related to each other.

What is dialect?

A regional or social variation of a language that differs in vocabulary, pronunciation, and syntax.

What is topophilia?

The love or strong emotional connection to a particular place, often influenced by cultural or personal experiences.

What is a symbol in culture?

An object, gesture, or image that represents deeper meanings within a culture.

What is a folk culture?

Traditional practices and beliefs of small, rural communities that are often passed down through generations.

What is popular culture?

Contemporary cultural practices and trends that are widespread and often influenced by mass media.

What is a taboo?

A social or cultural prohibition against certain actions or practices.

What is religious diffusion?

The spread of religious beliefs and practices from one culture to another.

What is a cultural realm?

A large region defined by the presence of distinct cultural traits or traditions.

What is the difference between material and non-material culture?

Material culture consists of physical objects and artifacts, while non-material culture includes beliefs, practices, and values.

What is language branch?

A subdivision of a language family that consists of related languages with a more recent common ancestor.

What is a lingua franca?

A language that is used as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages.

What is an isolating language?

A language that has little or no inflection and forms words mainly through the combination of unchanging morphemes

What is sovereignty?

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state, including the right to control its territory and make its own laws.

What is a nation?

A group of people who share common cultural characteristics, such as language, ethnicity, and history, and who may strive for political autonomy.

What is a state?

A politically organized territory with a permanent population, defined territory, government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.

What is a nation-state?

A political unit characterized by a distinct territorial boundary and a population that shares a common identity, often based on culture or ethnicity.

What is a multi-national state?

A state that contains two or more national groups within its borders, each with its own distinct culture.

What is a stateless nation?

A national group that does not have its own sovereign state and is often marginalized within one or more states.

What is a boundary?

An invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory and separates one political unit from another.

What is a geopolitical boundary?

A political and geographical division between countries, often reflecting historical disputes, cultural divisions, or strategic interests.

What is a physical boundary?

A natural feature such as a river, mountain range, or ocean that serves as a boundary between political entities.

What is a cultural boundary?

A boundary that separates different cultures, often based on language, religion, ethnicity, or other cultural traits.

What is the Domino Theory?

A geopolitical theory suggesting that if one country in a region falls to communism, neighboring countries will also fall like dominoes.

What is the Heartland Theory?

A geopolitical theory by Halford Mackinder asserting that the nation that controls Eastern Europe controls the heartland, and therefore the world.

What is the Rimland Theory?

A geopolitical theory posited by Nicholas Spykman that emphasizes the importance of the coastal fringes or 'rimlands' in maintaining world power.

What is decolonization?

The process by which colonies become independent from colonial powers, often leading to the formation of new nation-states.

What is self-determination?

The principle that nations have the right to determine their own political status and pursue their own economic, social, and cultural development.

What is irredentism?

The policy of a state seeking to reclaim territory it considers 'lost' based on historical or ethnic ties.

What is gerrymandering?

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to benefit a particular political party or group.

What is a centripetal force?

A factor that promotes unity and stability within a state, such as national identity or shared economic interests.

What is a centrifugal force?

A factor that tends to divide or disintegrate a state, such as ethnic conflict or regional disparities.

What is an enclave?

A territory that is completely surrounded by the territory of another state or region.

What is an exclave?

A portion of a state or territory that is geographically separated from the main part and surrounded by other states.

What is a primate city?

The largest city in a country, which is disproportionately larger than any other city and often serves as the political, economic, and cultural center.

What is urban sprawl?

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land, often leading to increased traffic, pollution, and dependence on automobiles.

What are post-colonial states?

States that have gained independence from colonial powers and are often dealing with the legacies of colonial rule in terms of governance, economics, and social structures.

What is a supranational organization?

An entity formed by three or more states to promote shared objectives and enhance cooperation in areas such as economics, culture, or politics.

What is NATO?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance established for mutual defense against aggression.

What is the European Union (EU)?

A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe, with policies that promote free trade and movement among the countries.