Unit 1 AP human geography

Cartography

The study of making maps and the representation of geographic information.

Contagious diffusion

is the rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population, often through direct contact.

cultural ecology

the study of how human societies adapt and interact with their environment, influenced by cultural practices and beliefs.

Culture

the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization, or group.

Cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity on the natural environment, reflecting cultural practices and social values.

Arithmetic density

the number of people per unit area of land, used to measure population distribution.

Physiological density

the number of people per unit area of arable land, indicating the pressure on agricultural resources.

Arable land

land that can be used for growing crops.

Diffusion

the process by which a characteristic spreads from one place to another over time, often seen in cultural, technological, or population contexts.

Distance decay

the theory that as distance increases, the interaction between two locations decreases.

Distribution

how things are spread out across space

Environmental determinism

the belief that the physical environment, particularly climate and terrain, shapes human behaviors and societal development.

Equator

an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, located equidistant from the North and South Poles.

Expansion diffusion

the spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another through contact or exchange while keeping its original form

Formal region

a region defined by official boundaries or uniform physical or cultural characteristics that are identifiable.

Functional region

a region defined by a specific set of activities or interactions that occur within it, often organized around a central point or node.

ex: metropolitan areas, where services and economic activities are linked to a central city.

Globalization

the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale, leading to increased interconnectedness and cultural exchange.

Ex: McDonalds being everywhere in the world

GPS ( global positioning system)

A satellite-based navigation system that allows users to determine their exact location anywhere on Earth.

GIS (geographic information system)

A framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing spatial and geographic data, often used for mapping and spatial analysis.

Hierarchical diffusion

the spread of cultural traits or innovations from an influential person or large city of importance to smaller, less influential people or cities

Hearth

The point of origin of an idea, innovation or culture trait

Intervening opportunities

the closer option which reduces the appeal of the farther one, the positive intervene

International date line

An imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, primarily along the 180th meridian, where the date changes by one day when crossed.

latitude

The measurement of distance north or south of the equator, expressed in degrees.

Longitude

The measurement of distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, expressed in degrees.

Mercator projection

A map projection that is good for navigation but shows distortion especially near the poles

Mental map

a map based on a persons personal experiences and internal thoughts, it is 100% person based

MDC ( more developed country)

A country with high levels of industrialization, urbanization, and income, typically providing a higher quality of life for its citizens.

Ex: the US, Greenland, Canada and Japan

LDC (less developed country)

A country with low levels of industrialization, urbanization, and income, often facing challenges like poverty, limited access to education, and inadequate healthcare.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment offers various possibilities for human activity, which can be adapted to by societies rather than solely determining their cultural practices.

Ex: Greenhouses in cold climates, Types of houses based on where you live

Map projection

A method used to represent the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map, affecting the shape, area, distance, or direction of represented features which causes distortion

Relocation diffusion

The spread of cultural traits or innovations through the movement of people from one place to another, often resulting in the adoption of these traits by the new population.

Remote sensing

The collection of earths data through satellites, used to analyze environmental changes and monitor natural resources.

Robinson map projection

A type of map projection that aims to balance distortions in shape, area, distance, and direction, resulting in visually appealing and functional maps. It is commonly used for world maps.

Scale

The relationship between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground, which helps to determine the level of detail and the extent of the area represented.

ex: Small, Large, Global, Regional, National, Local

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, including its location, natural resources, and topography, which help determine its suitability for human activities.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places and its surrounding environment, influencing its accessibility and interactions with other areas.

Time space compression

The process by which advances in transportation and communication technology reduce the time and distance barriers between places, facilitating faster interaction and connectivity.

Ex: facetiming someone who is in a different country as you

Spatial analysis

Studying the patterns of human activity across space to understand how and why these patterns occur and their implications for society.

Stimulus diffusion

The spread of an idea, innovation or cultural trait from a point of origin that gets adapted to match the cultural customs of the new area

Ex: McDonald’s in India has vegetarian options because of their culture

Time zones

Regions of the Earth that have the same standard time usually based on their distance from the prime meridian

Toponym

The name of a place or geographic area that often reflects the history, culture, or characteristics of that location.

Census

The official count of an areas population

Clustering

The grouping of similar entities or phenomena within a certain area, often analyzed in geographic studies to understand patterns of distribution.

Dispersal

The distribution of entities or phenomena across a given area, often resulting in a spread-out pattern rather than a concentrated one.

Friction of distance

The principle that states the interaction between two places decreases as the distance between them increases, impacting social and economic activities. This is based more on the costs, time and the obstacles

Geographic system

Tools for understanding spatial data like GIS or GPS used to analyze and visualize geographic information, facilitating decision-making and problem-solving in various fields.

Large scale maps

Show small areas with a lot of detail, zoomed in more on the map

Meridian of longitude

An imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, representing angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.

Parallel of latitude

An imaginary line that runs east to west around the Earth, representing angular distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.

Place

A specific point on the Earth's surface defined by its unique physical and cultural characteristics. Places can be identified by their location, that contributes to their identity and meaning.

Scale of analysis

The level of scale, (Global, Regional, National, Local) ex: looking at poverty rates to see which country is the worst and then at a regional scale to see which areas have it the worst

Small scale maps

Show large areas with less detail on a map, zoomed in

Reference maps

Maps that show geographic features and locations, often used for navigation and location identification.

Sustainability

The ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

Thematic maps

Maps that focus on specific themes or topics, such as population density or climate data.

Transnational corporation

A company operating in multiple countries

Uneven development

Uneven development refers to the unequal distribution of resources, wealth, and opportunities across different regions or populations, often resulting in disparities in economic growth and quality of life.

Vernacular region

A region defined by people's perceptions, cultural identity, and local knowledge rather than formal boundaries.