1.1 human geography vocabulary

Physical geography

The Study of natural proceses and the distribution of features in the environment , such as landforms, plants, animals, and climate.

Human geography

The study of how people organize, use and change space on Earth

Spatial perspective

Refers to where where things occurs and the reason why the occur in that location

Ecological perspective

Studies the relationship between living things and the environment (how people depend on natural resources such as water, food, soil)

Location

The position of something on earth. (There are two types: absolute location and relative lication)

Absolute location

Exact position os a place on earth using latitude and longitude and coordinates

Relative location

The location of a place in relation to other places

Ex: NYC is north of Philadelphia and south of Boston

Place

A location on earth distinguished by its physical characteristics

Ex: Paris is known for the Eiffel tower

Site

Physical characteristics of a place (climate, elevation , soil type)

Ex: NYC’s site includes access to the Atlantic Ocean

Space

The area between two or more things on earth’s surface

Situation

How the location affects interaction, trade and growth- why that location matters

Ex: Chicago’s situation made it a major transportation hub because it’s connected to the Great Lakes and several railroads.

Mental map

Personal picture of a map.

Density

Number of thing or people in a specific area

Pattern

How things are arranged/ distributed in a particular space

Flow

The movement or transfer of something from one place to another

Environmental determinism

The idea that the environment shapes human’s lives.

Distance decay

The farther two thing are, the less interaction they have

Time-space compression

The idea that the world feels smaller because technology allows people, goods and ideas to move across space faster than before

possibilism

The theory that humans adapt and make choices despite environmental limits

Scale

The level at which geographical phenomenon is studied (local, regional, national, global)

Region

An area on earth that if defined by certain characteristics that make it different from other areas.

Formal region/ uniform region

A region with well-defined boundaries and pd at least one shared trait that can be language, climate, physical features, etc.

Functional region/nodal region

A region organized around a central point, where the surrounding areas are connected up to that central point by a specific function or activity

Node/ hub

Where activity is focused and around which the surrounding areas are connected

Suburbs

The residential areas surrounding a city

Perceptual/ vernacular region

A type of region that is defined by people’s perspective, does not have defined boundaries

Globalization

The expansion of political, economic and cultural processes on a worldwide scale

Theory

A set of ideas that help explain a phenomena

World system theory

A theory that help explain global economic inequality

Core

Wealthy, industrialized countries that control global trade and benefit the most economically

Semi-peripheral/peripherical countries

Countries in between periphery and core. They have the potential to become core countries

Periphery

Poorer, less developed countries that are exploited and depend on core countries

Sustainable development

Meeting needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs