AP Human Geography Words

absolute direction

Corresponds to the direction on a compass: north, south, east, west, and combinations such as northeast and southwest

absolute distance

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

absolute location

A precise position on Earth's surface

cartogram

A map that distorts the geographic shape of an area in order to show the size of a specific variable; the larger the area on a cartogram, the larger the value of the underlying variable

cartographer

A person who makes maps

census

An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details about individuals, such as age, sex, and race

choropleth map

A thematic map that shows data aggregated for a specific geographic area, often using different colors to represent different values

culture

The shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors that a society transmits from one generation to the next

data aggregation

The process of collecting and organizing large amounts of information

dot density / dot distribution map

A map that uses dots to represent objects or counts; the dot can represent one object (a one-to-one dot density map), or it can represent a number of objects (a one-to-many dot density map)

elevation

Distance above sea level

gender

A general term for the ways in which a society defines the differences between males and females

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A software application for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface; allows the rapid manipulation of geospatial data for problem-solving and research

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system of 24 satellites that orbit Earth twice daily and transmit radio signals Earthward; the basis for many map-based apps that provide directions on how to get from one place to another

globalization

The process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale

Goode homolosine projection

A map projection that avoids shape distortion and the restrictions of a rectangular map by creating "interruptions" in the map's continuity; in each section, map projection regions are shown "equally," like an orange peel being laid out in a flat surface

human geography

The branch of geography that studies how human activity affects or is influenced by Earth's surface

infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (such as buildings, roads, and public utilities) needed for the operation of a society

isoline

On a map, a line that connects or links different places that share a common or equal value, such as elevation

latitude

The (invisible) horizontal lines circling Earth parallel to the equator; latitude is the degree of distance north or south from the equator, which is at 0 degrees, as far as the poles, which are at 90 degrees

longitude

The (invisible) vertical lines on Earth's surface that mark imaginary circles connecting the North Pole with the South Pole

map

A two-dimensional (flat) representation of a geographic area or place

map projection

A method for representing the surface of Earth or a celestial sphere on a plane (two-dimensional) surface; all map projections distort some aspect of Earth's surface

map scale

The distance on a map in relation to distance in actual space; for example, 1 inch on a map might indicate a distance of 100 miles

Mercator projection

A map projection that is useful for navigation because the lines connecting points on the map represent the true compass direction; however, landmasses become increasingly distorted the farther away they are from the equator

Peters projection

A map projection that shows all landmasses with their true areas but distorts their shapes

polar projection

A map projection that looks down at Earth from the perspective of one of the poles (North Pole or South Pole)

prime meridian

The zero-degree longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England; also known as the Greenwich Meridian

proportional / graduated circle map

A map that uses symbols (such as circles or dots) of different sizes to represent numerical values

reference map

A map that shows geographic locations on Earth's surface, such as the locations of cities or oceans

relative direction

A direction that can be described as position, such as in front of or behind, to the left or to the right

relative distance

A measurement of the level of social, cultural, or economic similarity between places despite their absolute distance from each other

remote sensing

The scanning of Earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it

Robinson projection

A map projection that attempts to create the most visually appealing representation of Earth by keeping all types of distortion relatively low over most of the map

scale

The territorial extent of an idea or object

scale of analysis

the level at which a phenomena is measured / analyzed; examples include global, local, national, regional

spatial patterns

The placement or arrangement of objects on Earth's surface; also includes the space between those objects

spatial perspective

A geographic perspective that seeks to identify and explain the uses of space

sustainability

The group of practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs

thematic maps

A map that emphasizes the spatial patterns of geographic statistics or attributes, and sometimes the relationships between them

time-distance decay

Also known as the "first law of geography"; the idea that near things are more related than distant things, and interaction between two places decreases the farther apart they are

topographic map

A graphic representation of the three-dimensional configuration of Earth's surface

border zone

A region where cultural markers overlap and blend into a recognizable border culture

contagious diffusion

The wavelike spread of ideas in the manner of a contagious disease or forest fire, moving throughout space without regard for hierarchy

contested boundaries

Boundaries that are disputed for religious, political, or cultural reasons

cultural landscape

The built forms that cultural groups create in inhabiting Earth — farm fields, cities, houses, and so on — and the meaning, values, representations, and experiences associated with those forms

diffusion

The pattern by which a phenomenon such as the movement of people, or their ideas, technologies, or preferences, spreads from a particular location through space and time

ecosystem

A territorially bounded system consisting of the interaction between humans and the environment

environmental determinism

The belief that the physical environment is the dominant force shaping cultures and that humanity is a passive product of its physical surroundings

expansion diffusion

Occurs when ideas or practices spread throughout a population, from area to area, in a snowballing process, so that the total number of knowers or users and the areas of occurrence increase

formal (uniform) region

A geographical area inhabited by people who have one or more traits in common

friction of distance

The inhibiting effect of distance on the intensity and volume of most forms of human interaction; time-space compression diminishes friction of distance

functional (nodal) region

A geographic area that has been organized to function politically, socially, culturally, or economically as one unit

global scale analysis

Geographic scale that looks at geographic phenomena across the entire world

greenhouse effect

The global warming trend caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide

greenhouse gases

Compounds in the atmosphere from fossil-fuel combustion, such as carbon dioxide, that absorb and trap heat energy close to Earth's surface

hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from one important person, community, or city to another, bypassing other persons, communities, or rural areas

interdependence

The ties established between regions and countries that over time collectively create a global economic system that is not necessarily based on equality

local scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a state or province, a city or town, or a neighborhood

mental map

A personal representation of a portion of Earth's surface

metropolitan area

An area composed of a heavily populated urban core and its less populated surrounding areas

national scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a specific country

natural resources

Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain

nodes

Central points where the functions of a functional region are coordinated and directed

nonrenewable resources

Natural resources that are available on Earth in finite quantities and will eventually be used up

perceptual / vernacular region

A geographic area that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants, based on the widespread acceptance and use of a unique regional name

place

How we modify space based on who we are as a group of people

possibilism

The belief that any physical environment offers a number of possible ways for a society to develop and that humans can find ways to overcome environmental challenges

region

A geographical unit based on one or more common characteristics or functions

regional analysis

The process of examining patterns and processes within and between regions at multiple geographic scales (local, national, regional, and global)

regional identity

The awareness of belonging to a group of people within a region

regional scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a particular region

relative location

The position of one place (or person) in relation to the position of another place (or person)

relocation diffusion

Occurs when individuals or groups with a particular idea or practice migrate from one location to another, thereby bringing the idea or practice to their new homeland

renewable resources

Natural resources that Earth will naturally replenish over time

reverse hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from a lower level of a hierarchy to a higher level

sense of place

How a person feels about a particular place and why it is important to them

space

The areas we occupy as humans; it has no value until the people who occupy it make it their own

stimulus diffusion

Occurs when a specific trait is rejected, but the underlying idea is accepted

time-space compression

The decreasing distance between places, as measured by travel time or cost; often summarized by the phrase "the world is shrinking"

aging/graying population

A population of a country or place that ages as the number or proportion of its elderly people increases

agricultural density

The number of farmers per unit of arable land

anti-natalist policy

Designed to curtail population growth by reducing fertility rates

arable land

Land suitable for cultivation

arithmetic (crude) density

The average number of people per unit of land area (usually per square mile or kilometer)

Baby Boomers

People born from 1946 to 1964 during the post-World War II uptick in birth rate

Boserup effect

Increase in food production resulting from the use of new farming methods

carrying capacity

The number of people a particular environment or Earth as a whole can support on a sustainable basis

cornucopians or anti-Malthusians

People who disagree with the Malthusian view of population and resources

crude birth rate (CBR)

The average number of births per 1000 people; the traditional way of measuring birth rates

crude death rate (CDR) / mortality rate

The number of deaths per year per 1000 people

degenerative disease

A disease that causes deterioration over time, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke

demographic equation

The method for calculating total population of a country or place based on natural increase and migration over a period of time (usually a year)

demographic momentum

The tendency for growing populations to continue growing after a fertility decline because of their young age distribution

demographic transition model

How crude birth rate (CBR) and crude death rate (CDR) as well as the resulting rate of natural increase (RNI) change over time as countries go through industrialization and urbanization

demography

The statistical study of population and its change

dependency ratio

The number of dependents in a population that each 100 working-age people (ages 15 to 64 years) must support

developed (industrialized) country

A country with an advanced economy and a high standard of living

developing (industrializing) country

A country that is of relatively low income or economically poorer than developed countries

doubling time

The number of years it takes for a population to double in size