Unit 1 APHG

Geography

The study of where things are found on Earth's surface and the reasons for their locations

Place

A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular characteristic

Region

An area of Earth defined by one or more distinctive characteristics

Location

The position that something occupies on Earth's surface

Scale

The relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and Earth as a whole

Space

The physical gap or interval between two objects

Connection

Relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space

Toponym

The name given to a place on Earth

Cartography

The science of map making

Map Scale

The relationship of a feature's size on a map to its actual size on Earth

Projection

The scientific method of transferring locations on Earth's surface to a flat map

GIS (Geographic Information System)

A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A system that determines the precise position of something on Earth through a series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of data about Earth's surface through satellite or other long-distance methods

Geotagging

The identification and storage of a piece of information by its precise latitude and longitude coordinates

Mashup

A map that overlays data from one source on top of a map provided by a mapping service

Formal Region

An area within which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics

Functional Region

An area organized around a node or focal point

Vernacular Region

An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity

Site

The physical characteristics of a place

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places

Absolute Location

The exact position of an object or place, measured within the spatial coordinates of a grid system

Relative Location

The position of a place in relation to other locations

Cultural Landscape

A combination of cultural features, economic features, and physical features that a region derives its unified character through

Cultural Ecology

The geographic study of human-environmental relationships

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment causes social development

Possibilism

The belief that the physical environment may limit some human actions, but people have the ability to adjust their environment