AP Human Geography Test

Absolute Direction

Based on the cardinal points of north, south, east, and west

Absolute Distance

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

Absolute Location

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

Acculturation

the adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture

Adolescent fertility rate

The number of births per 1,000 of woman ages 15 to 19.

African City Model

a model that suggests that cities have more than one CBD, which is a remanence of colonialism; colonial CBD, traditional CBD, market zone, surrounded by neighborhoods, and ethnic neighborhoods or informal satellite townships.

African Union (AU)

regional organization in the world that combines political, military and economic goals. Seeks an end to colonialism and apartheid in Africa.

Agglomeration

Grouping together of many firms from the same industry in a single area for collective or cooperative use of infrastructure and sharing of labor resources.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture characterized by integration of different steps in the food-processing industry, usually through ownership by large corporations.

Agricultural Density

The ratio of the number of farmers to the total amount of land suitable for agriculture

Alfred Weber

German economist, formulated a theory of industrial location: an industry is located where the transportation costs of raw materials and final product is a minimum.

Ancillary Activities

economic activities that surround and support large-scale industries such as shipping and food service

antecedent boundary

a boundary that existed before the cultural landscape emerged and stayed in place while people moved in to occupy the surrounding area...

Antinatalist

Policies that discourage people from having children (China's One Child Policy)

aquaculture (aquafarming)

The cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions

architecture

the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings; building design and materials will vary based upon culture and location.

Arctic Council

- 1996

- Members include countries with territory in the Arctic

- Promotes sustainable development

- Dedicated to protecting the regions environment

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people divided by the total land area.

Artifacts

objects created by and used by humans

Assimilation

Adopting the traits of another culture. It often happens over time when one immigrates into a new country; however, it may also occur by force.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

organization for economic, political, social, and cultural cooperation among Southeast Asian nations

Asylum Seeker

a migrant hoping to be declared a refugee in a foreign country

autonomous region

a defined area within a state that has a high degree of self-government and freedom from its parent state

Berlin Conference

Meeting at which Europeans agreed on rules for colonizing Africa

Bid rent theory

geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and demand on real estate changes as the distance towards the Central Business District (CBD) increases.

Bid rent theory

the geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and demand on real estate changes as the distance towards the Central Business District (CBD) increases. The further out from the CBD the less the land costs.

Biomass fuel

Fuel that derives from plant material and animal waste.

Biotechnology

The manipulation of living organisms or their components to produce useful products.

Birth Rate

the number of live births per thousand of population per year.

blockbusting

A process by which real estate agents convince white property owners to sell their houses at low prices because of fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood

Boomburb

A city with more than 100,000 residents located within a metropolitan area but that is not the central city and that has maintained a double-digit growth rate in recent years.

Brain Drain

the loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries

Break-of-bulk Point

A location where large shipments of goods are broken up into smaller shipments for delivery to local markets.

Breeder reactor

A nuclear power plant that creates its own fuel from plutonium.

Brownfields

abandoned polluted industrial sites in central cities, many of which are today being cleaned and redeveloped

Buddhism

a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha that developed in India in the 500s BC

Bulk-gaining Industry

Industries whose final products weigh more after assembly than they did previously in their constituent parts, and whose processing facilities tend to have production facilities close to their markets.

Bulk-reducing Industry

Industries whose final products weigh less than their constituent parts, and whose processing facilities tend to be close to sources of raw materials.

Burgess's Concentric Zone Theory

Views cities as growing outward in concentric rings.

- Made up of 5 Zones: Central Business District, Zone of Transition, Zone of Independent Workers Homes, Zone of better Residences, Commuters Zone

- Crime is highest in the zone of transition (Zone 2), and declines as one moves farther out from the rings.

Carrying Capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support.

Cartogram Map

A map in which the shape or size is distorted in order to demonstrate a variable such as travel, population, or economic production.

census data

systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population

Census Data

Systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population.

Central America (Mesoamerica)

the 5th hearth of agriculture (5,500 years ago), crops include: squash, pepper, cassava, cotton, lima bean, maize, potato, and sweet potato.

centrifugal force

a force that divides people and countries

centrifugal force

a force that divides people and countries

centripetal force

An attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state

Centripetal Force

the forces that unite people and countries

Chain Migration

The migration event in which individuals follow the migratory path of preceding friends or family members to an existing community.

chokepoint

A narrow, strategically significant area where trade could be easily blocked or controlled

Christaller's Central Place Theory

This model explains and predicts patterns of urban places across the map. In his model, Christaller analyzed the hexagonal, hierarchical pattern of cities, villages, towns, and hamlets arranged according to their varying degrees of centrality, determined by the central place functions existing in urban places and the hinterlands they serve.

Assumptions:

- Flat plane with uniform geography and nature

- Uniform population

- Single mode of transportation

- Evolution towards the growth of cities

- All persons have a similar income

- All persons have similar consumption patterns

Christianity

A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

Circular Migration

the temporary and usually repetitive movement of a migrant worker between home and host areas, typically for the purpose of employment

Climate

The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time

clustered settlement pattern

a settlement where buildings are clustered around a particular point.

Clustering

When objects in an area are close together.

Colonialism

Attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory.

colonialism

the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Columbina Exchange

the global exchange of goods and ideas resulting from the encounter between the peoples of the Eastern and Western hemispheres

commercial farming

growing large quantities of crops or livestock in order to sell them for a profit

commodity chain

series of links connecting the many places of production and distribution and resulting in a commodity that is then exchanged on the world market

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

network between agricultural producers and consumers whereby consumers pledge support to a farming operation in order to receive a share of the output from the farming operation

consequent boundary

A type of subsequent boundary that is drawn to accommodate existing linguistic, cultural, or religious boundaries

conservation

Protecting and preserving natural resources and the environment

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population.

Contraception

Intentionally preventing pregnancy from occurring

Cottage Industry

An industry in which the production of goods and services is based in homes, as opposed to factories.

Creolization

A language resulting from the mixing of a colonizer's language with the indigenous language of the people being dominated.

Cultural cohesion

The capacity of different national and ethnic groups to make a mutual commitment to live together as citizens of the same state.

cultural convergence

The tendency for cultures to become more alike as they increasingly share technology and organizational structures in a modern world united by improved transportation and communication.

cultural divergence

the restriction of a culture from outside influences

Cultural Hearth

a center where cultures developed and from which ideas and traditions spread outward

cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape

cultural relativism

the practice of judging a society by its own standards.

Culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

culture trait

A single element of normal practice in a culture.

de facto segregation

Occurs as a result of economic, social conditions, or personal choice rather than de jure (the law).

Death Rates

the number of deaths in a year for every 1,000 people in a population.

defined boundary

a boundary established by a legal

document, such as a treaty.

deforestation

The removal of trees faster than forests can replace themselves.

Deglomeration

The dispersal of an industry that formerly existed in an established agglomeration.

delimited boundary

a line drawn on a map to show the limits of a space

Demand

The quantity of something that consumers are willing and able to buy.

demarcated boundary

identified by physical

objects place on the landscape, such as a sign,

wall, or fence.

demilitarized zone

A zone from which military forces or operations or installations are prohibited