AP Human Geography Ultimate Guide

ap human geography if you're suffering like me :D

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.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Computer-based spatial analysis.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Network of satellites for location.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

Theory of population changes.

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, focusing on the shifts in birth and death rates due to medical advancements.

Stage-By-Stage Development

The sequential progression of societies through different stages characterized by specific demographic and economic features.

S-Curve of Population

A graphical representation showing rapid population growth followed by stabilization or decline due to reaching the carrying capacity of the environment.

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

A state where 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 catastrophic consequences.

Population Pyramids

Visual representations of a population's age and gender distribution, providing insights into demographic trends and characteristics.

Cultural Synthesis (Syncretism)

The blending of different cultural influences to create new cultural expressions or practices.

Postmodern Architecture

Architectural design characterized by unconventional shapes and materials, departing from traditional rectilinear forms.

Major Language Families

Broad groupings of languages sharing common origins, such as Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Niger-Congo, Afro-Asiatic, and Austronesian.

Dravidian

A language family spoken by 230 million people in and around the Indian subcontinent.

Anatolian theory

A theory suggesting that European languages originated from migrants in present-day Turkey who later spread 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.

Continental cuisine

Formal food traditions from mainland Europe, often served with specific sauces and side dishes.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core moral principles guiding followers, including daily prayers, alms to the poor, observance of Ramadan, creed, and the Hajj pilgrimage.

Caste System

Social hierarchy in India with five main castes - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

Theocracy

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

Folklore

Stories and writings specific to a culture, defining societal histories and ethical foundations.

Race

Physical characteristics of common genetic heritage, categorized into Mongoloid, Caucasoid, and Negroid groups.

Lebensraum

Refers to the living space allocated to distinct nations based on optimal physical geography.

Neo-Nazism

Involves violent racism against non-whites and immigrants or an intense expression of xenophobia.

Ethnocentrism

Belief in the superiority of one's nation or ethnic group and the inferiority of others.

Cultural relativism

Idea that an individual's beliefs can only be understood within their cultural context.

Internal vs External Identity

Internal identity shared with those of the same heritage, while external identity is expressed to those from different backgrounds.

Culture regions

Bounded areas with homogeneous cultural characteristics.

Fuzzy borders

Cultural regions with unclear boundaries.

Cultural Hearths

Localized areas where cultures originate or have their main population centers.

Acculturation

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

Assimilation

Complete change in identity as a minority culture merges with the majority culture.

Cultural survival

Efforts to protect and promote indigenous cultures.

Genocide

Large-scale systematic killing of people from one ethnic group.

Nation-state

A single culture under a single government.

Sovereignty

State's independence from external control with international recognition.

Supranationalism

Alignment of sovereign states for common purposes.

Territoriality

Expression of political control over space.

Citizenship

Legal identity based on birthplace or naturalization.

Enclave and Exclave

Concentrated minority culture group within a dominant culture group's territory and a separated piece of sovereign territory, respectively.

UNCLOS

Standard oceanic boundaries for UN member states ratified in 1994.

Admiralty law

International law governing legal procedures on the high seas.

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

Locational Dispute

Border shifts due to natural changes like rivers moving

Operational Dispute

Agreed borders with crossing issues

Allocational Dispute

Disputes over resources across 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 relations with other countries

Compact State

Shape without irregularity like Nigeria

Fragmented State

Broken into pieces like the Philippines

Elongated State

Stretched-out shape like Chile

Prorupt State

Has a panhandle or peninsula like Italy

Perforated State

Contains holes like South Africa

Landlocked State

Lacks sea or ocean borders like Switzerland

Territorial Change

State territory changes through annexation or decolonization

Annexation

Addition of territory through purchase or claim extension

Capitals

Seat of government in states

Suffrage

Voting rights based on age, race, and gender

Gerrymandering

Irregularly shaped voting districts

Feudalism

Political economy 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 the British monarch as head of state

Free-Market Democracies

Elected-representative parliamentary systems

Marxist-Socialism

Political-economic theories aiming to address feudalism and capitalism inequalities

Geopolitics

Global relationships between sovereign states

Centripetal Forces

Factors holding together the state

Centrifugal Forces

Factors tearing apart the state

Balkanization

Transition from a larger state to smaller states

Irredentism

Desire of a minority ethnic group to form its own nation-state

Heartland-Rimland model

Defines global geopolitical landscape and potential conflict areas

Primary commodity

Agricultural land identified by Mackinder as a key state interest

Eastern European steppe

Productive grain cultivation area, part of Mackinder's Heartland

Buffer states

Surrounding sympathetic lands to protect against invasion

Shatterbelt theory

Proposed by Saul Cohen in 1950