APHUG - Unit 1: Vocab

region

an area of Earth’s surface with certain characteristics that make it cohesive yet distinct from other areas

formal region

an area that has one of more shared traits; also called a uniform region

functional region

an area organized by its function around a focal point, or a center of an interest or activity

Node

the focal point of a functional region

perceptual region (vernacular region)

a type region that reflects people’s feelings and attitudes about a place; also called vernacular region

Globalization

an expression of economic, cultural, and political processes on a worldwide scale

World System Theory

a 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

Core

classification of a country or region that has wealth, higher education levels, more advanced technologies, many resources, strong militaries, and powerful allies

Periphery

classification of a country or region that is less wealthy, with lower education levels, and less sophisticated technologies, and also tends to have an unstable government and poor healthcare systems

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

Sustainable development

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

GIS (Geographic Information System)

a computer that allows for the collection, organization, and display of geographic data for analysis

Topography

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

Remote Sensing

collecting or analyzing data from a location without making physical contact

GPS (Global Positioning System)

a network of satellites that orbit Earth and transmit location data to receivers, enabling users to pinpoint their exact location

Map scale

the relationship of the size of the map to the size of the area it represents on Earth's surface

Reference map

a map that focuses on the location of places

Thematic map

any map that focuses on one or more variables to show a relationship between geographic data

Geospatial Sensing

the process of capturing images of Earth's surface from airborne platforms such as satellites or airplanes