AP Human Geography Unit 1 key terms

Thematic

display the same geographical or political data shown on general maps as a base layer but then map some physical, economic, or cultural phenomenon.

Choropleth

Thematic map which uses color variations to exporess geographic variation.

Goode map projection

equal-area map porjection, minimize distortion of land mases, distort the shape. commonly used in interrupted form

Mercador map projection

emphasizes accurate direction, but in doing so distorts land size

Polar

an azimuthal projection drawn to show arctic and antarctic areas

Gall-Peters

Rectangular, equal area map projection, distorts most shapes, cylindrical equal-area projection with latitudes 45° north and south as the regions on the map that have no distortion.

Isoline

maps that show lines that join point of equal value

Graduated (propotional) symbol

display the value of data aggregated from a given area using a symbol that is scaled up or down in proportion to the value.

arithmetic density

calculates the population density by dividing the total population of an area by the total land area

total population / total land area

physiological density

the number of persons per unit of agricultural land

= agricultural land / total population

sequent occupancy

notion that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape.

formal (uniform) region

an area with a high level of consistency in a certain cultural or physical attribute.

= uniform or homogeneous areas where everyone in that region shares common attributes or traits like language, climate or political system.

functional (nodal) region

defined by a social or economic function that occurs between a node or focal point and the surrounding areas. for example the circulation area of the New York Times is a functional region and New York is the node.

Perceptual (vernacular) region

region that exsits only in the mids of people, not uniformly by each person

expansion diffusion

when a cultural idea spreads from where it originated but also stays strong where it started

contagious diffusion

form of expansion in which people near the point of origin become adopters of a cultural fad

stimulus diffusion

when a culture changes as it spreads from its original point.

hierarchical diffusion

when an idea spreads by passing first among the most connected individuals, then spreading to other individuals.

relocation diffusion

when people move, or relocate, they spread ideas along with them.

Weber’s least cost model

a production point must be located within a triangle, with raw materials coming from at least two sources

Epidemiological transition

describes changes over time in population’s health and disease patterns as they industrialize or modernize

Rostow stages of growth model

traditional society, preconditions for take-off, take off, drive to maturity, age of high mass consumption

Cristaller’s central place model

in any given region that can only be one large central city which is surrounded by a series of smnaller cities , required by people living in surrounding communities.

Multiple nuclei model

describes cities with more than one CBD or a single system business districts.

Hoyt sector model

Zones in a city extend outward by transportation. cities grow in sectors or wedges along communication lines such as roads, rivers, rail.

Burgess’s concentric circle model

CBD which is surrounded by a series of rings with varying levels of development