AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ULTIMATE GUIDE

What is the fundamental problem with all maps?

Distortion of shape, area, distance, or direction.

What type of map projection accurately shows direction but distorts the size of landmasses significantly?

Mercator Projection.

Which map projection accurately represents the size and shape of landmasses but distorts distances near the edges?

Good Homolosine Projection.

What is an interrupted map?

A map that removes parts of the globe to reduce distortion.

What is the main purpose of a reference map?

To display boundaries, toponyms, and geographic features for informational purposes.

What do contour lines on a topographic map represent?

Terrain and elevation changes.

What is the difference between absolute and relative direction?

Absolute direction is exact (e.g., south), while relative direction is based on surroundings (e.g., left).

What is the focus of thematic maps?

To display spatial patterns and represent specific topics using quantitative data.

How do choropleth maps represent data?

Using different colors or shades to show different quantities.

What do dot density maps show?

The location and distribution of data points.

What do isoline maps connect?

Areas with similar or equal amounts of data.

What does a cartogram map distort to represent data?

The size of geographic areas.

What do flowline maps illustrate?

The movement of goods, people, or ideas between places.

What is remote sensing?

Collecting information about Earth from orbiting satellites.

What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)?

A computer system that collects, analyzes, and displays geographic data in layers.

What does the Global Positioning System (GPS) provide?

Absolute location.

What are field observations?

First-hand observations recorded by visiting a place.

What is landscape analysis?

Studying images (photos, satellite) to understand changes and human impact on an area.

What form does qualitative geographic data often take?

Word form.

What is a key characteristic of quantitative geographic data?

It is often in number form and objective.

How does changing the scale of analysis affect the level of detail in geographic data?

Smaller scales (zoomed in) show more detail, while larger scales (zoomed out) show more generalization.

What does absolute location describe?

An exact position on Earth using coordinates (latitude and longitude).

How is relative location described?

In relation to the surrounding area or nearby features.

What are the two main categories of characteristics that define a place?

Physical and human characteristics.

What is a sense of place?

An emotional response that forms a person's perception of a place.

What is placelessness?

When a place lacks a unique identity.

What does the spatial distribution of a place describe?

How things are spread out in that area.

Define density in the context of spatial distribution.

The amount of objects or people in a given area.

What does concentration refer to in spatial distribution?

How clustered or dispersed objects are in an area.

What is a pattern in spatial distribution?

The arrangement of objects in an area (e.g., linear, grid).

What is time-space compression?

The feeling that the world is smaller due to increased connectivity.

What is distance decay?

The decrease in interaction between places or people as distance increases.

What is environmental determinism?

The idea that the environment dictates the success of a society.

What is environmental possibilism?

The idea that the environment sets limits, but people can adapt and shape their environment.

What is land use?

The repurposing of land for specific purposes (e.g., residential, commercial).

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?

Renewable resources can be replenished, while non-renewable resources cannot.

What is sustainability in the context of natural resources?

Using resources in a way that meets present needs without compromising future generations.

What is scale of analysis?

The level at which data is organized and presented (e.g., local, regional, national, global).

How does the level of generalization change with the scale of a map?

Small-scale maps (zoomed out) have more generalization, while large-scale maps (zoomed in) have less.

What defines a geographic region?

One or more unique characteristics or patterns of activity.

What is another name for a formal region? What is it defined by?

Uniform region; defined by common attributes (economic, political, social, environmental).

What is a functional region organized around? What is another name for it?

A node or center point; also called a nodal region.

What are perceptual regions based on? What is another name for them?

People's opinions, attitudes, and feelings; also called vernacular regions.

Name the four majorly populated regions in the world.

South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

What are some physical factors that influence population distribution?

Climate, landforms, water bodies, and natural resources.

What are some human factors that influence population distribution?

Economic opportunities, cultural acceptance, historical significance, and political stability.

What does a dispersed population distribution look like?

Population spread out over a wide geographic area.

What does a clustered population distribution look like?

Population concentrated in a specific area or region.

What is population density?

The number of people in a specific area.

How is arithmetic density calculated?

Total Population / Total Land Area.

What does a high physiological density indicate?

Greater pressure on arable land to produce food.

How is physiological density calculated?

Total Population / Total Arable Land.

What does a high agricultural density suggest?

A greater reliance on manual labor in farming.

How is agricultural density calculated?

Number of Farmers / Total Arable Land.

How can high population density affect political power?

Areas with higher density often have greater political power and representation.

What is urban sprawl?

Unrestricted growth of an urban area into the countryside.

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum population size an environment can sustain without degradation.

What are some key aspects of population composition?

Age, gender, ethnicity, education, income, and occupation.

What does the y-axis of a population pyramid represent?

Different age ranges or cohorts.

What does a bottom-heavy population pyramid indicate?

Rapid population growth and a large young population.

What does a top-heavy population pyramid indicate?

An aging population.

What does the sex ratio show? How is it calculated?

The ratio of males to females in a population; (Number of Male Births / Number of Female Births) * 100.

What does the dependency ratio provide insight into? How is it calculated?

How many people a society needs to support; ((Number of Children aged 0-14 + Number of People aged 65+) / Working Age Population) * 100.

What is the Crude Birth Rate (CBR)?

The number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.

What is the Crude Death Rate (CDR)?

The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year.

How is the Natural Increase Rate (NIR) calculated? What does it not include?

CBR - CDR; does not include migration.

What is doubling time?

The time it takes for a population to double in size.

What is the Total Fertility Rate (TFR)? What TFR is considered the replacement rate?

The average number of children a woman will have; 2.1.

What is the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)?

The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.

How does increased access to healthcare and education typically affect TFR and IMR?

It leads to a decrease in both TFR and IMR.

How does economic development often influence family size?

More developed areas tend to have smaller family sizes.

What are pro-natalist policies? Give an example.

Policies that encourage higher birth rates; tax incentives for families with children.

What are anti-natalist policies? Give an example.

Policies that aim to reduce birth rates; China's former One-Child Policy.

According to the Demographic Transition Model, what characterizes Stage 1? Are there any countries in this stage today?

High CBR and CDR, low NIR; no countries are currently in Stage 1.

What are the key characteristics of Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Model? Give an example of a country in this stage.

High CBR, declining CDR, high NIR; Afghanistan.

What are the key characteristics of Stage 3 of the Demographic Transition Model? Give an example of a country in this stage.

Declining CBR, continuing decline in CDR, moderate NIR; Mexico.

What are the key characteristics of Stage 4 of the Demographic Transition Model? Give an example of a country in this stage.

Low CBR, low CDR, low to flat NIR (potentially ZPG); United States.

What are the key characteristics of Stage 5 (speculative) of the Demographic Transition Model? Give an example of a country in this stage.

Low CBR, low CDR, negative NIR; Japan.

What does the Epidemiologic Transition Model examine?

The causes of death in each stage of the Demographic Transition Model.

What are the primary causes of death in Stage 1 of the Epidemiologic Transition Model? Give an example.

Pestilence and famine; Bubonic Plague.

What is a key characteristic of Stage 3 of the Epidemiologic Transition Model regarding causes of death?

Increase in degenerative diseases (e.g., heart disease, cancer).

What is a potential characteristic of Stage 5 of the Epidemiologic Transition Model?

Resurgence of infectious diseases.

What was the main concern of Malthusian Theory?

That population would grow exponentially while food production would only increase arithmetically, leading to a catastrophe.

What do Neo-Malthusians believe?

That the world's supply of natural resources will deplete with continued population growth.

How can increased economic opportunities for women impact fertility rates?

It often leads to delayed childbearing and lower Total Fertility Rates (TFR).

According to Ravenstein's Laws, what is the primary reason for most migration?

Economic reasons.

According to Ravenstein's Laws, who is more likely to migrate long distances internationally?

Young adults.

What is step migration according to Ravenstein's Laws?

Migration that occurs in stages over short distances.

What is the gravity model of migration?

Migration flow is influenced by population size and distance between origin and destination.

What are some challenges associated with aging populations?

Increased dependency ratio, potential reduction in economic growth, and shifts in family structures.

What are push factors of migration? Give an example.

Negative conditions that motivate people to leave; lack of job opportunities.

What are pull factors of migration? Give an example.

Positive conditions that attract people to a new location; more business opportunities.

What is the difference between emigration and immigration?

Emigration is moving out of a place, while immigration is moving into a place.

What is an intervening obstacle in migration? Give an example.

A negative situation that hinders migration; running out of money.

What is an intervening opportunity in migration? Give an example.

An opportunity that causes a migrant to settle before their intended destination; finding a job offer along the way.

What is the key difference between forced and voluntary migration?

Forced migrants have no choice but to move, while voluntary migrants choose to move.

What is a refugee?

A migrant forced to leave their home country due to war, persecution, or disaster, crossing an international border.

What are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)?

People forced to flee their homes but who have not crossed an international border.

What is transnational migration?

People leaving their country of origin and settling in another state, often maintaining ties to their home country.

What is chain migration?

Legal immigrants sponsoring family members to immigrate.