Unit 1: Thinking Geographically

Reference maps

Maps used to show landforms and/or places

Physical map

Reference map that shows identifiable, natural landmarks, such as mountains, rivers, ocean, elevation

Political map

Reference map that shows political boundaries, e.g. countries, cities, capitals, etc.

Thematic maps

Maps used to display specific types of information(theme) pertaining to an area

Cartogram

Thematic map that shows statistical data by transforming space e.g. population

Choropleth map

Thematic map that uses shading or coloring to show statistical data e.g. population

Dot density map

Thematic map that uses dots to indicate a feature or occurrence e.g. population

graduated symbols map(proportional symbols map)

Thematic map that indicates relative magnitude of some value for geographic region in which the symbol varies in proportion to data e.g. population

Absolute direction

Measurement, using a standard unit of length e.g mile, kilometer

Relative distance

Measurement of a social, cultural, and/or economic connectivity between places(how connected or disconnected) e.g. USA and Iran versus USA in China

Absolute direction

Finding a location, using compass direction, e.g. north, south, east, west

Relative direction

Finding a location, not using compass direction, e.g left, right, forward, backwards, up, down

Spatial pattern

The way things are laid out and organized on the surface of the earth

Clustering

Objects that form a group e.g. coastal population

Dispersal

Objects that are scattered e.g. rural population

Elevation

Height above sea level

map distortion

All maps are distorted as a result of projecting a three dimensional surface onto a two dimensional service in an area, distance, shape, and/or direction

Map projection

A way to transfer the three dimensional earth into a two dimensional map to reduce distortion area, distance, shape, and/or direction

Geographic data

Identifies the geographic location of feature features and boundaries on earth(natural, and constructed)

Geospatial technologies

Technology that provides geographic data(navigation), business(marketing), and governmental(environmental planning) purposes

GIS(geographic information system

-map created by a computer that can combine layers of spatial data

-data is displayed and analyzed to gain insights into geographical pattern/relationships, e.g. vulnerability of the Florida aquifer , school boundaries, crime rate

Satellite navigation systems

System of satellites that provide Geo-spatial positioning, e.g. GPS

Remote sensing

Collecting data with instruments that are distant from the area of study

Online mapping in visualization

Complication and publication of web sites that provide graphical and text information in the form of maps/visuals e.g. homicides statistics

Spatial information can also come from written accounts(not just technology):

Field observations, media reports, travel, narrative, policy documents, personal interviews, landscape, analysis, and photographic evidence

Cenus data

Systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population

Satellite imagery

Images of earth collected by satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world

Absolute location

Describes the precise location of a place using Earths Graticule (latitude&longitude) e.g coordinate points

Relative location

Describes the location of a place relative to other human and physical features e.g. Using south of Jupiter.

Space(geography)

Relation concept that acquires meaning and sense when related to other concepts, e.g. geographers study phenomena crawlspace

Place

Describes an area on the surface of the earth with distinguishing human and physical characteristics(place is space with meaning) e.g. Agra, India

Pattern

An arrangement of objects on earth, including the space in between those objects

Human-environmental interaction

Describes the way, humans, modify or depth to the natural world, e.g. bridges, dams, houses, roads

Distance decay

The idea that the likelihood of interaction diminishes with increasing distance

Time-space compression

Term refers to the increasing sense of connectivity, that seems to be bringing people closer together, even though their distances are the same

Time space convergence

Term that refers to the greatly accelerated movement of goods, information, and the ideas during the 20th century made possible by technological innovations e.g TV, Internet, satellite communication

Movement(geography)

Describes the way in which people, goods, and ideas move from place to place

Flows(geography)

Movement in a steady stream e.g migration

Globalization

The process of increased interconnectedness among countries, most notably in the areas of economics, politics, and culture

Network

A system of interconnected people or things e.g. transportation, communication, financial, governmental

Sustainability

Media increased demand for resources(energy, food, fuel) in a way that protects the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Natural resources

Something found in nature and is necessary, are useful to humans, e.g forest, mineral deposit, water

Land use

The function of land, e.g. agricultural, commercial, residential, transportation, recreation

Environmental determinism

Theory that a society is formed and determined by the physical environment, especially the climate; the physical environment predisposes societies towards particular development; human society development is controlled by the environment

Possibilism

Theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but people use their creativity to decide how to respond to the conditions of a particular natural environment

Spatial scale

Analyzing data at a variety of scales-global, regional, national, local e.g. location of French speakers

Global: in the world

Regional: in North America

National: in Canada

Local: in Quebec

Region

Describes an area on earth marketed by Similarity in someway(a way to organize space)

Regionalism

Reverse to a group’s perceived identification with a particular region, e.g. the south

Formal region

Region marked by a shared trait(cultural, physical, etc., e.g. the keys, the Caribbean

Functional region

Region marked by a particular set of activities that occur e.g. Southwest Airlines, newspaper

Perceptual, vernacular region

Region that exists as an idea, e.g. the south, Kurdistan

Regional boundaries

Transitional and often contested and overlapping, e.g. Kurdistan in Turkey and northern Iraq

Regional analysis

Analyzing regions at a variety of scales-global, national, local, e.g. Muslim population

Global: in the world

National: in Turkey

local: in Kurdistan