AP Human geography- Unit 1

absolute direction

relative to a fixed frame of reference and always point in the same direction, regardless of their location.

absolute distance

A distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length, such as a mile or kilometer.

absolute location

Position on Earth's surface using the coordinate system of longitude

cartographers

incorporates science, aesthetics, and technique to communicate spatial information effectively

census

counts the population of a nation, state, or other geographic region.

density

the number of people who live in a defined land area (usually square miles or square kilometers)

distance decay

the name of the theory that states that as the distance between two places increases, the interaction between those two places decreases

Distibution

the way something is spread out or arranged over a geographic area

ecological perspective

how life forms interact with the physical environment

environmental dieterminsim

The view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life including cultural development

flow

The flow of people, goods, money, ideas or materials between locations near or far. Human environmental interactions.

formal regions

an area with a high level of consistency in a certain cultural or physical attribute.

friction of distance

based on the notion that distance usually requires some amount of effort, money, and/or energy to overcome

functional region

An area organized around a central focal point or node.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface

Global Positioning System (GPS)

commonly used device to determine an individual's exact location on Earth

Globalization

the increasing connection of economic, cultural, and political characteristics across the world

human geography

the branch of geography dealing with how human activity affects or is influenced by the earth's surface.

location

the position that a point or object occupies on earth

map scale

the relationship of the size of the map to the size of the area it represents on earths surface

node

the focal point of a functional region

pattern

the way in which things are arranged in a particular space

perceptual region

a type of region that reflects peoples feelings and attitudes about a place

periphery

classfication of a country or region that has less wealth, lower education levels, and less sophisticated technologies and also tends to have an unstable government and poor health systems

physical geography

the study of natural processes and the distribution of features in the environment, such as land forms, plants, animals, soil, and change

place

a location on earth that is distinguished by its physical and human characteristics

possibilism

theory of human-environment interaction that states that humans have the ability to adapt the physical environment to their needs

qualitative data

ivolving data that is descriptve f a research subject and is often based on peoples opinions

quantitative data

involving data that can be measured by numbers

reference maps

a map that focuses on the location of places

region

an area of earths surface with certain characteristicss that make it dstinct yet cohesive from other areas

relative direction

direction based on a persons perception, such as left, right, up, or doown

relative distance

distance determined in relation to other places or objects

relative location

a description of where a place is in relation to other places or features

remote sensing

collecting or analyzing data from a location without making physical contact

scale

the area of the world bring studied

semi-periphery

classification of a country or region that has qualities of both core and peripheral areas and is often in the process of industrializing

site

a place's absolute location, as well as its physical characteristics, such as the landforms, climate, and resources

situation

location of a place in relation to other places or its surrounding features

space

the area between two or more things

spatial perspective

geographic perspective that focuses on how people live on earth, how they organize themselves, and why the events of human societies occur where they do

sustainability

the use of earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future

sustainable development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

theory

a system of ideas intended to explain certain phenomena

time-space compression

a key geographic principle that describes the ways in which modern transportation and communication technology have allowed humans to travel and communicate over long distances quicker and easier

topography

the representation of earth's surface to show natural and man-made features, especially their relative positions and elevations

world system theory

theory describing the spatial and functional relationships between countries in the world economy; categorizes countries as part of a hierarchy consisting of the core, periphery, and semi-periphery