Census
a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting demographic data about a population at a specific time.
Environmental determinism
Belief that natural factors controls the development of human qualities (theory that nature controls the way people do stuff)
Geographic information system
a powerful tool that captures, stores, analyzes, and visualizes geographic data.
Guest workers
individuals who temporarily migrate to a foreign country for employment purposes, often filling labor shortages in specific sectors.
International Date Line
an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, roughly following the 180th meridian of longitude.
Isogloss
A line around places where speakers use a linguistic feature in the same way (soda/pop)
Language Family
a group of languages that are related through descent from a common ancestral language, known as a proto-language.
More developed country
a nation that has achieved a high level of economic growth and advanced technological infrastructure, resulting in a high standard of living for its citizens.
Outsourcing
the practice of delegating specific tasks or services to external companies or individuals, often in different countries, to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Pastoral nomadism
a form of subsistence agriculture where people rely primarily on the herding of livestock for their livelihood, moving their animals seasonally to find fresh pastures and water.
Pidgin language
A simplified form of a lingua franca used for communication between two groups of people that speak different language languages
Population pyramid
graphical representations that show the distribution of various age groups in a population, typically divided by gender.
Technopole
specialized areas or regions that focus on the development and promotion of high-tech industries and advanced technology. These hubs bring together universities, research institutions, and businesses to foster innovation and technological advancement, creating a collaborative environment that enhances industrial growth and competitiveness.
Textile
the production of fabrics and garments, playing a critical role in the development of modern economies.
Transnational corporation
large companies that operate in multiple countries, often managing production or delivering services across borders while having a headquarters in one country.
Break of bulk point
location where goods are transferred from one mode of transportation to another, facilitating the movement of cargo in trade
Chlorofluorocarbon
man-made compounds that consist of chlorine, fluorine, carbon, and hydrogen.
Creole language
A pidgin that has survived long enough to become a mother tongue
Ecotourism
A form of sustainable tourism that focuses on experiencing natural environments, promoting conservation and benefiting local communities.
Edge city
urban centers that emerge on the outskirts of traditional cities, characterized by a concentration of retail, office space, and entertainment facilities.
Extinct language
Languages that no longer have any speakers or native users.
Intensive agriculture
A farming practice that aims to maximize yields from a given area of land through the use of high levels of inputs, such as labor, fertilizers, and technology.
Isolated language
A language that is not related to any other known language family, meaning it stands alone and has no clear linguistic ancestors, often due to geographic isolation of the people who speak it
Devolution
The transfer of power from a central government to a lower level of government, such as a regional or local government.
Lingua Franca
A language that is used as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages.
Literary tradition
The body of written works, genres, styles, themes, and techniques that have been passed down through generations.
Pilgrimage
A journey to a sacred place or shrine, often undertaken for spiritual or religious reasons.
Plantation
an agricultural practice where large farms, specialize in the production of cash crops, which are typically grown for sale rather than subsistence. This type of farming is often characterized by monoculture, where a single crop is cultivated extensively, and it usually relies on labor-intensive methods, often utilizing both seasonal and permanent workers.
Shifting cultivation
An agricultural practice where farmers clear a plot of land, grow crops for a few years, and then move to a new area, allowing the previously used land to regenerate.
Zoning Ordinance
A legal framework that governs how land in a certain area can be used, including the types of buildings allowed and their density.
Blockbusting
A real estate practice where agents induce panic selling in a neighborhood by suggesting that racial or ethnic minorities are moving in, thus manipulating homeowners to sell their properties at lower prices.
Concentric zone model
Describes urban land use patterns in a city. It posits that cities grow outward from a central point in a series of concentric rings, each with distinct characteristics and functions, highlighting how social structures and economic activities spatially relate within urban environments.
Dialect
Regional or social variations of a language that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
Filtering
The process where houses gradually decline in quality over time and are occupied by lower-income households as higher-income residents move to newer, better quality housing
Gentrification
A complex urban process where deteriorating neighborhoods undergo transformation through an influx of more affluent residents, leading to increased property values and the displacement of long-term, lower-income residents.
Gravity Model
Suggests that larger places attract more people, goods, and information, while distance acts as a barrier to these interactions, making it a critical tool in understanding spatial relationships in geography.
Stable crop
A basic food that is eaten regularly and in large quantities, forming the foundation of a diet.
Rank size rule
A principle that describes the relationship between the size of a city and its rank in a hierarchy of cities within a particular area.
Redlining
Discriminatory practice in which banks, insurers, and other financial institutions refuse or limit loans, mortgages, insurance, or other services to individuals based on the racial or ethnic composition of the area in which they live.
Sect
A smaller group that has broken away from a larger religious organization, typically with differing beliefs or practices.
Sector model
an urban land use theory developed by economist Homer Hoyt in 1939, which suggests that a city develops in sectors or wedges radiating out from the central business district (CBD) rather than in concentric circles.
Swidden
a patch of land cleared for farming through the "slash-and-burn" method, where trees and vegetation are cut down, left to dry, then burned to create a temporary, fertile area for planting crops
Ubiquitous
The state of being everywhere at any given time
Universalizing religion
Belief system that seek to be applicable to all people, regardless of culture or location, and actively promote the idea of spreading their faith.
Compact state
A type of political entity where the distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly, resulting in a roughly circular shape.
EEZ ( Exclusive Economic Zone)
A maritime zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, where the state has exclusive rights to explore and exploit marine resources.
Elongated state
Countries that are significantly longer in one dimension than they are wide, often presenting unique challenges and advantages in governance and administration.
Fragmented state
A type of political entity characterized by its geographic separation, consisting of multiple disconnected territories. This separation can arise from various factors such as physical barriers like water or mountains, or historical events that led to the division of territory.
Franglais
The hybrid English-French language resulting from a combination of the two.
Global positioning systems
A satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on Earth.
Greenbelt
Designated areas of open land around urban centers that limit urban sprawl and promote sustainability by preserving natural landscapes.
Industrial Revolution
A shift from manual labor and craft production to machine-based manufacturing, and a corresponding increase in the productivity and output of goods.
Landlocked state
Countries that do not have any coastline or access to oceanic waters, which can significantly impact their political power and territoriality.
Microstate
A small sovereign state that has a very limited land area and population, often characterized by its unique governance and economic structures.
Nation state
A political entity characterized by a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states, while also embodying a shared cultural identity among its people.
Perforated state
Countries that completely surround another state, creating a situation where the enclosed state is dependent on the surrounding state for access to the outside world.
Place
A specific location characterized by its physical and human attributes, shaping the identity and meaning of that area.
Taboo
Cultural or social prohibitions that dictate what behaviors, practices, or discussions are considered unacceptable or forbidden within a society. These restrictions often arise from deeply rooted beliefs, values, or traditions and serve to maintain social order by discouraging actions that might disrupt harmony or offend certain groups.
Buffer State
A country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers, often serving as a zone of separation.
Bulk gaining industry
Make products that weigh more after assembly than before assembly
Bulk reducing industry
Makes products that weigh less after assembly than before assembly.
Centripetal force
Serve to unify and stabilize a state, promoting national cohesion and a sense of belonging among its citizens.
Federal state
A political entity characterized by the division of powers between a central government and regional governments, allowing for multiple levels of governance.
Formal region
Groups of areal units that have a high degree of homogeneity in terms of distinguishing features
Functional/nodal region
A geographic area defined by a specific set of activities or interactions that occur within it, often centered around a node or focal point. Ex. A City
Intervening obstacle
Barriers that hinder or prevent migration from one place to another, affecting the decision-making process for potential migrants.
Factory farm
An industrialized form of agriculture that focuses on maximizing production by using intensive methods and technology to raise livestock in confined spaces.
Missionary
Individuals who are sent on a mission to promote their religious beliefs and convert others to their faith.
Post-Fordist production
The economic and production model that emerged after the Fordist model, which emphasized mass production and standardized goods.
Sovereignty
The authority of a state to govern itself and make its own laws without external interference.
Squatter Setttlements
Densely populated areas where people establish homes on land they do not own or have legal rights to, often arising due to rapid urbanization and a lack of affordable housing.
Subsistence agriculture
A type of farming where the primary goal is to produce enough food for the farmer and their family, rather than for sale or trade.
Vernacular/ Perceptual region
A place that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity, often defined by informal and subjective criteria rather than strict geographic boundaries.
Agribusiness
The integrated system of agricultural production, processing, distribution, and marketing that encompasses a wide range of activities and services related to food production.
Animism
The belief that objects, places, and creatures possess a spiritual essence, making them alive in a way. This perspective views the natural world as interconnected, where everything has a spirit or life force.
Cultural shatterbelt
A region where diverse cultural groups, often with conflicting interests, coexist and interact, leading to significant cultural fragmentation and tension.
Local culture
The practices, beliefs, and customs that are unique to a specific community or group, often rooted in a particular geographic area.
Footloose Industry
Industries that are not tied to specific locations due to their minimal resource needs and can operate anywhere with suitable conditions.
Infrastructure
Physical systems, facilities, and services that support the daily lives of people and businesses in an urban area
New Urbanism
An urban design movement that promotes walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and sustainable living.
Nonmaterial Culture
The intangible aspects of a culture, including beliefs, values, norms, customs, and symbols that shape a group's social practices.
Polytheism
The belief in multiple “Gods”
Popular Culture
The set of ideas, practices, beliefs, and objects that are prevalent and widely accepted within mainstream society at a given time.
Prorupted State
Countries that have a long, narrow extension of territory that protrudes from the main landmass, often to access resources or coastlines.
Slash and Burn Agrigculture
An agricultural technique where vegetation is cut down and burned to clear land for cultivation.
Sprawl
The uncontrolled and unplanned expansion of urban areas into the surrounding rural land.
Truck Farming
The production of crops of some vegetables on an extensive scale in regions especially suited to their culture primarily for shipment to distant markets.
Unitary State
A form of government where most or all of the governing power resides in a centralized government, with little authority granted to local governments.
Agglomeration
The clustering of people or activities in a specific area, often leading to increased efficiency and economic benefits. It often occurs in urban areas where businesses and resources are concentrated, fostering innovation and collaboration.
Cultural Landscape
The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the physical environment, shaped by factors such as land use, architecture, and agricultural practices.
Epidemiological Transition
The model that describes the changing patterns of health and disease in a population as it undergoes economic development and social transformation.
Fordist Production
Form of mass production in which each worker is assigned one specific task to perform repeatedly. Is vertically integrated.
Gender Gap
The disparities between men and women in various aspects of life, including economic participation, educational attainment, health outcomes, and political representation.
Human Development Index
Measures the status of life in any given place based off of life expectancy, education levels, and income per capita.
Maquiladora
A manufacturing plant in Mexico that imports materials and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly or manufacturing and then exports the finished products, often located near the US-Mexico border.
Relic boundary
A boundary that no longer functions but still holds significance, often reflecting historical or cultural divisions.
Polder
A low-lying tract of land that has been reclaimed from a body of water, typically through the construction of dikes and drainage systems. Commonly found in the Netherlands, where they are used for agriculture and habitation.
Pull factor
A reason that motivates individuals to move to a new location, often related to better opportunities or quality of life.