Density
the frequency with which something occurs in a space → involves the numbers of a feature and the land area.
Sustainability
systems that provide people with what they want and need without impacting the future generations ability to get what they want and need.
Distribution
the arrangement of a feature in space.
Remote sensing
process of collecting information about the Earths surface from satellites orbiting the Earth-- data used in GIS.
Concentration
extent of a feature spread over space.
Spatial Perspective
Analyzing where things are located and why they are located there.
Possibilism
the environment has an impact on society but people have the ability to adjust the physical environment and set their own path in life.
Flow
________: the movement of people, ideas, goods, services → certain places may be located to increase /decrease ________.
Toponym
________: name given to a place on Earth.
Location
________: position that something occupies.
Environmental Determinism
________: Idea that the environment is the driver of societal development.
Field observations
________: geographer gives firsthand accounts (accurate and detailed but sometimes not possible to gather data)
Relative distance
________: qualitative (time, money, cardinal directions)
Photo analysis
________: use photos to understand type of culture, demographics, population density, and whats happening in a place.
Qualitative Data
________: Observations, interviews, and individual thoughts → up for discussion, will often change, hard to replicate.
Topographic
shows contour lines of elevation to show physical things on Earths surface (printed in 3D)
Isoline
information is connected through points of equal or very similar values (uses lines or color coding)
Dot Density
points show precise locations of data → more precise than choropleth
Graduated Symbol
shows percentage of amount of something and (imprecise) location using different sizes of the same symbol →
Cartogram
data is shown dynamically → the greater the value for country, the larger the area it is represented with on the map
Flow Line
shows movement of goods, people, or ideas (must look at colors, items transported, and size) larger/thicker arrows to show higher volume of trade
Thematic map
focus on a specific theme → chloroplast, flow line, cartogram, graduated symbol
Reference map
to better understand what happens on earths surface → geographic area
Absolute distance
quantitative (km, miles)
Relative distance
qualitative (time, money, cardinal directions)
Interrupted Map
pieces of the map are removed to try & remove distortion → not good for navigation or direction
Uninterrupted Map
no removed pieces or "break points" but maps have more distortion
Geographic Information System
computer system that layers maps by collecting, analyzing, and then displaying data
example uses
helps farmers know which parts of their field need what, gps
Field observations
geographer gives firsthand accounts (accurate and detailed but sometimes not possible to gather data)
Landscape analysis
studying wildlife, vegetation, or geography to see how a place has been impacted by people
Photo analysis
use photos to understand type of culture, demographics, population density, and whats happening in a place
Ways to collect data without being at the place
media reports, travel narratives, government documents, personal interviews
Qualitative Data
Observations, interviews, and individual thoughts → up for discussion, will often change, hard to replicate
Quantitative Data
Information counted/measured → usually in number form, not up for debat
Individual
Look for employment opportunities, local schools, crime rates, public services, cost of living, etc
Waldo Tobler's first law of geography
while all things on Earth are related to all other things, the closer things are to one another, the more they are related
Distance Decay
Effect of distance on interactions → the farther away one thing is from the other, the less interaction the two will have
Space
physical distance between two places on Earth's surface
Distribution
the arrangement of a feature in space
Density
the frequency with which something occurs in a space → involves the numbers of a feature and the land area
Concentration
extent of a feature spread over space
Clustered
closely spaced together
Dispersed
relatively far apart
Place
specific point on Earth distinguished by particular characteristics
Location
position that something occupies
Toponym
name given to a place on Earth
"Sense of place"
individual's perception of a place
**Spatial Perspective
**Analyzing where things are located and why they are located there
Flow
the movement of people, ideas, goods, services → certain places may be located to increase/decrease flow
**Absolute Location
**GPS coordinates of the position of something on a map
**Relative Location
**position of a place in relation to other places or features (n, s, e, w) or (in between rivers or by an ocean, etc.)
Sustainability
systems that provide people with what they want and need without impacting the future generations ability to get what they want and need
Scale
the ratio of a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground
Mercator Projection
Advantages: Shows true direction, Good for navigation purposes
Limitations: Massively distorts area, Size is distorted increasingly near the poles (greenland = africa in size) → creates bias against less-developed world
Gall - Peters
Advantages: Shows true direction, Area is relatively precise Limitations: Distorts shape, Continents appear elongated
Robinson
Advantages: Globe-like appearance that looks ‘real’, Distorts size and shape, but not too much Limitations: Imprecise measurements, Extreme distortion at the poles: flat at poles and compressed at equator
Azimuthal
Advantages: Preserves direction, When used from the point of the North Pole. no country is seen as the center Limitations: Distorts shape and area, Only shows one half of area
Goode - Homolsine
Advantages: Minimizes distortion in size and keeps land masses uninterrupted Limitations: Doesn’t present info easily to the reader, Can’t be used for navigation in ocean
Fuller
Advantages: Good at keeping size and shape and not interrupting land masses Limitations: Hard to interpret -- doesn’t use cardinal directions
Winkel Tripel
Advantages: Shows minimum distortion in reference to land, distance, and direction Limitations: Very distorted at poles, Lines of longitude and latitude are curved
Region:
Geographic area with common characteristics and patterns → can be global, regional, or national
Formal (Uniform) Regions:
geographic area with common attributes, traditionally defined by economic, social, political, or environmental characteristics. Examples: European Union (formal political region), Rocky Mountains (physical formal),
Functional (Nodal) Region:
Geographic area organized around a node, or center point → often around economic activity, travel, or communication Examples: power plant (can only serve so many people), metro systems, airports, local pizza place delivery zones
Perceptual Region:
geographic area that has no perfect definition → only exists because of people’s feelings, beliefs, or attitudes of the region. Differ from person to person because these exist in our minds Examples: different ideas of what makes up the middle east,
space time compression
opposite of distance decay. the set of processes that cause the relative distances between places (i.e., as measured in terms of travel time or cost) to contract, effectively making such places grow “closer" because of technological advancements.
How do Local governments use geographic data
use data to dictate land zones, where to build schools, etc.
How do Regional governments use geographic data
voting districts, which projects get state funding, allocate funding for infrastructure
How do National governments use geographic data
which laws should be passed, determine where federal funding should go, how to change tax policies
How do Local-scale businesses use geographic data
See where to build store-front, look at where people are living, medium income
How do Regional-scale businesses use geographic data
See which locations are outperforming others
How do National-scale businesses use geographic data
Countries tax rates, employment/labor laws, etc.
How do Individuals use geographic data
Look for employment opportunities, local schools, crime rates, public services, cost of living, etc.
chloropleth
uses colors to represent spatial data (referring to certain theme)