Human Geography

Culture

The total of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by and passed on by the members of a specific group

Society

a group that shares a geographic region, a sense of identify, and a culture

Ethnic Group

a group that shares a language, customs, & a common heritage
A separate identity from the region they live in

Innovation

Taking existing technology & resources & creating something new to meet a need
Change the life of a society
Ex. Cooking meat, creating basket

Diffusion

Spread of ideas, inventions, or patterns of behavior
Technology (tv and internet) helps diffusion

Cultural hearth

a site of innovation from which basic ideas, materials, & technology diffuse to many cultures

Acculturation

Occurs when a society changes because it accepts or adopts an innovation
EX: wearing jeans instead of traditional garments

Judaism

Oldest of the SW Asian religions
Est. more than 3,200 years ago
Concentrated in Israel
Monotheistic
Religious center = Israel, Jerusalem

Hinduism

One of the oldest
Dates back 5,000 years
Polytheistic
Divine spirit = Brahman
Caste System: levels of fixed social classes with specific rites & duties

Buddhism

Developed about 563 BC
Buddha = founder
Goal = reach nirvana (an enlightened spiritual state)

Fertility rate

Average # of children a woman will have
Average: 3.0

Population Pyramid

Graphic device that shows gender and age distribution of a population
Show how events affect the population

Population density

the average number of people who live in a measurable area

State

an independent unit that occupies a territory & has full control

Nation

group of people with a common culture living in a territory and a strong sense of unity

3 characteristics in describing a country

Size, Shape, & Location

Suburbs

political units touching the borders of the central city or touching other suburbs that touch the city

Metropolitan area

the city, its suburbs, & exurbs link together economically

Megalopolis

When several metropolitan areas grow together
EX: NE United States- Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, & Washington DC

Urbanization

The dramatic rise in the number of cities and the changes in lifestyle that result

City land-use patterns

Residential: Single-family housing & apartment buildings
Industrial: Areas reserved fir manufacturing of goods
Commercial: Used for private business & the buying & selling of retail products

Central Business District (CBD)

The core of the city based on commercial activity
Very expensive part of the city

Economy

Consists of the production & exchange of goods and services among a group of people

Economic System

the way people produce & exchange goods and services

Traditional Economy

"Barter"
No exchange of money

Command Economy

Government determines what is produced

Market Economy

Consumers/people determine what is produced

Mixed Economy

Government and Consumers determine what is produced

Primary Economic Activities

Gathering raw materials for immediate use

Secondary Economic Activities

Adding value to materials by changing their form

Tertiary Economic Activities

Providing business or professional services

Quaternary Economic Activities

Provide info, management, & services

Gross national product (GNP):

The total value of all goods and services produced by a country

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):

Total value of all goods & services produced within a country in a given period of time