AP HG unit 1

spatial

relating to space and location on the Earth, rather than chronology (time) as in history

absolute location

the precise point where a place is located on Earth, often referred to by street address or latitude/longitude coordinates

cultural ecology

geographic approach that emphasizes human-environment relationships.

relative location

where a place is located in relation to another place

geographic information system (GIS)

a computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data, usually in layers that can be manipulated using a computer

region

a group of places on Earth with similar human and/or physical features

site

The physical characteristics of a place (immediate location), Ex: soil type, climate, labor force, human structures

situation

the location of a place relative to other places and its surroundings

time-space compression

the shrinking of time distance between locations because of improved methods of transportation or communication

distance decay

decline of activity or function with increasing distance from its point of origin

density

number of something in a specifically defined area Ex: population density is the number of people per square mile or kilometer

human-environment interaction

connection and exchange between humans and the natural world

environmental determinism

the idea that human behavior is controlled and limited by the physical environment

formal region

An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics and/or has a set boundary: a state, city, national park, etc.

GPS

a system that determines accurately the precise position of something on Earth through satellites, tracking stations, and receivers

remote sensing

process of gathering data about Earth from instruments far above the planet's surface

spatial analysis

The analysis of geographic data about a certain place.

sense of place

The feeling that an area has a distinct and meaningful character

friction of distance

as distances increase, it requires more time, effort, and cost for interactions between places to occur; measures the degree to which distance affects the interaction between two places

distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

landscape analysis

the task of defining and describing landscape

field observation

the act of physically visiting a location, place, or region and recording, firsthand, information there

built environment

part of the physical landscape that represents material culture; the landscape created by humans ex: buildings, roads, signs, fences etc.

scale (relative scale)

the amount of territory that a map represents ex: global scale means the entire planet

reference maps

Maps designed for people to refer to for general information about places (NOT data)

choropleth map (thematic)

uses various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of data

thematic map

a map that shows a particular theme, or topic ex: choropleth, dot distribution, graduated symbol, isoline

dot density map

A map where equal-size dots are used to demonstrate the frequency or intensity of a particular phenomena

isoline map

A thematic map with lines that connect points of equal value.

cartogram (thematic)

the sizes of countries are shown to some specific statistic

Mercator projection

a projection of a map of the world onto a cylinder in such a way that all the parallels of latitude have the same length as the equator, EX: used especially for marine charts and certain climatological maps.

graduated/proportional symbol map

A map with symbols that change in size according to the value of the attribute they represent.

quantitative data

numerical data ex: distribution of people based on income

qualitative data

Data associated with a more humanistic approach to geography, often collected through interviews, empirical observations, or the interpretation of texts, artwork, old maps, and other archives.

scale of analysis

level at which the data is collected; global, regional, national, local (includes supranational and county)

absolute distance

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

census data

quantitative information collected through the offical count of the number of pleaple in defined area such as a state; conducted every 10 years

clustering

be or come into a cluster of close group; congregate

dispersal

process of distributing things or people over a wide area

elevation

height above sea level

flows

movement of people, goods, or information that has economic, social, political, or cultural effects ib societies

functional region

an area organized by its function around a focal point, or the center of an interest or activity

global

relating to the whole world; worldwide

land use

the way humans manage and modify the natural environment to create built environments and semi-natural habitats

local

specific community, town, city or neighborhood

map projection

method for representing the Earth's curved surface on a flat surface

national

distribution of phenomena over an entire country

natural resources

found within natural environment that is accessible and economically valuable to humans

pattern

the way in which things are arranged in a particular place

perceptual/vernacular region

type of region that reflects people's feelings and attitudes about a place

possibilism

a theory of human-environment interaction that states humans have the ability to adapt the physical environment (change IT rather than themselves) to their needs

satellite navigation system

satellite-based system for determining the absolute location of geographic features

space

the area between two or more things

sustainability

use of Earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future

satellite imagery

collection of images of Earth taken by articial satellites that orbit the planet