ap human geo midterm review

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment shapes human behavior and societal development.

Possibilism

The theory that while the environment presents challenges, humans have the ability to adapt and modify their surroundings.

Site

A location’s physical characteristics, such as climate and elevation.

Situation

A location’s relationship to other places, like distance from a major city.

Formal Region

A region defined by a shared characteristic, such as French-speaking Quebec.

Functional Region

A region centered around a focal point, like a subway system.

Perceptual Region

A region based on cultural identity or perception, like 'the South' in the U.S.

Mercator Projection

A map projection that preserves direction but distorts size near the poles, commonly used for navigation.

Robinson Projection

A map projection that balances distortion, used for general reference.

Gall-Peters Projection

A map projection that preserves area but distorts shape, often used for equality-focused maps.

Goode’s Homolosine Projection

A map projection that reduces distortion of land masses, used for world maps.

Primary Economic Sector

The sector involving extracting natural resources, such as farming, fishing, and mining.

Secondary Economic Sector

The sector involving manufacturing and industry, like car production and textile factories.

Tertiary Economic Sector

The sector that provides services, including retail, banking, and teaching.

Quaternary Economic Sector

The sector involving knowledge-based work such as research and software development.

Quinary Economic Sector

The sector involving high-level decision-making, such as CEOs and government officials.

Quantitative Data

Data expressed numerically, such as population statistics and economic data.

Qualitative Data

Data expressed through descriptions, such as interviews and cultural observations.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Technology that helps analyze spatial data.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Technology that determines absolute location.

Remote Sensing

The collection of data from satellites or drones.

Absolute Location

An exact location defined by latitude and longitude (e.g., 40°N, 74°W).

Relative Location

A location described in relation to another place (e.g., north of Mexico).

Cartogram

A type of map that uses size distortion to show data, such as a world population cartogram.

Reference Map

A map showing physical and political features, such as a road map.

Thematic Map

A map that focuses on a specific theme, like population density or climate.

Pro-Natalist Policy

Policies that encourage births, for example, France's tax benefits for large families.

Anti-Natalist Policy

Policies that discourage births, such as China’s former One-Child Policy.

High Fertility Rate

Often indicates a less developed country (LDC) with lower education and healthcare.

Low Fertility Rate

Common in more developed countries (MDCs) with better healthcare and career opportunities for women.

Voluntary Migration

Moving by choice, like job relocation.

Forced Migration

Moving due to conflict or disasters, such as refugees.

Internal Migration

Migration that occurs within a country, such as rural to urban migration.

International Migration

Migration that occurs across countries.

LDC (Least Developed Countries)

Countries with low GDP and poor infrastructure.

NIC (Newly Industrialized Countries)

Countries like Mexico and India that are transitioning into developed status.

MDC (More Developed Countries)

Countries with high income and strong economies.

BRICS

A group of emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Industrial Revolution

A period that led to rapid population growth due to improvements in agriculture, medicine, and sanitation.

Population Pyramid

A graphical representation showing age and gender distribution within a population.

Expansive Population Pyramid

A pyramid shape with a wide base and high birth rates, typical of countries like Nigeria.

Stationary Population Pyramid

A pyramid with balanced age distribution and low birth/death rates, seen in countries like the U.S.

Contracting Population Pyramid

A pyramid shape with a narrow base and declining birth rates, typical of countries like Japan.

Thomas Malthus

An economist who predicted that population growth would outpace food production, leading to famine.

Physiological Density

The measure of the population per unit of arable land, indicating potential food stress.

Arithmetic Density

The measure of the population per total land area.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers per unit of arable land, indicating the level of development.

Push Factor

A condition that drives people to leave a place (e.g., job loss).

Pull Factor

A condition that attracts people to a place (e.g., better wages).

Refugee

A person forced to flee their country due to conflict, persecution, or disasters.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model describing the stages of population growth based on birth and death rates.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the environment, like agricultural fields and urban designs.

Lingua Franca

A common language used for communication between speakers of different native languages.

Relocation Diffusion

The physical movement of people spreading culture, such as Spanish in Latin America.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of culture without migration.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid and widespread diffusion of cultural elements, like viral trends on social media.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of culture from authority figures or influencers.

Stimulus Diffusion

The spread of core ideas that change in the process, like menu adaptations by McDonald's.

Artifact

Physical objects characteristic of a culture, such as pottery or clothing.

Sociofact

Social structures and traditions within a culture.

Mentifact

Beliefs and ideas, including language and values.

Popular Culture

Cultural systems that are large, urban, and spread rapidly, often via media.

Folk Culture

Traditional cultural practices passed down through generations in small communities.

Distance Decay

The principle that the farther people are from a cultural hearth, the less influence it has.

Toponym

A name for a place, which can be based on physical geography, historical figures, or cultural events.

Cultural Trait

A single element of culture, such as language, clothing, or religious practices.

Historic Routes of Diffusion

Trade and migration that have historically spread cultural practices across borders.