Key Geographic Concepts and Map Types

Map

A two-dimensional (flat) representation of a geographical area

Data aggregation

The process of collecting and organizing large amounts of information

Spatial perspective

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

Spatial patterns

The placement or arrangement of objects on Earth's surface

Time-distance decay

Near things are more related than distant things, and interaction between two places decreases the farther apart they are

Map symbols

Graphic elements that help organize the information in the map

Legend

Explains the meaning of map symbols and colors. Usually presented in a box in a corner of the map

Compass rose

A drawing that shows the map's orientation and the four cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west. Usually found at the edge of a map

Scale

Ratio between the map and the distance on the earths surface

Topographic map

A graphic representation of the three-dimensional configuration of Earth's surface. Shows the natural or physical features of a landscape, including its elevation

Reference maps

Emphasize geographic locations on Earth's surface

Thematic maps

Emphasize spatial patterns of geographic statistics or attributes

Choropleth map

Shows data aggregated for a specific geographic area, typically a political unit such as a country, province, or state

Electoral College

A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president

Food deserts

Locations in which most or all of the population struggles to access - or afford - enough nutritious food

Climate Change

The long-term changes in global temperatures and other characteristics of the atmosphere

Cartogram Map

Distorts the geographic shape of an area to show the size of a specific variable, such as the birth rate or the unemployment rate

Dot density map

Simply and effectively shows density differences in geographic locations across a map

Map Projection

Represents the surface of Earth or a celestial sphere on a plane (two-dimensional) surface

Census

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

Absolute location

Precise position on Earth's surface. The intersection of your latitude and longitude pinpoints your exact location

Aerial photography

Produces fine-grained, high-resolution, highly detailed images

Satellite imagery

Images of Earth's surface gathered from sensors mounted on orbiting satellites

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Software application for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on earths surface.- Ex display of hotels, restaurant's, gas stations.

Remote Sensing

the scanning of the earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it.

Cartography

The science of making maps

Spatial Perspective

a way of looking at the human and physical patterns on Earth and their relationships to one another

Mercator Projection

a map projection of the earth onto a cylinder

Peters Projection

a rectangular map projection that maps all areas such that they have the correct sizes relative to each other.

Robinson Projection

A map projection of a world map which shows the entire world at once.

lattitude lines

Horizontal, measure east-west

Longitude Lines

Vertical, north-south

Space

Areas we occupy as humans, physical gap or distance between objects

Place

Refers to how we modify space based on who we are as a group of people.

Cultural Landscape

the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape

Globalization

Actions and conditions in one place are increasingly linked to actions and conditions in other places around the globe.

Interdependences

Refers to the ties established between regions and countries that over time collectively create a global economic system.

Difussion

the spreading of ideas

Expansion

the act of spreading and ideas as well as increasing knowers and areas of occurrence

Hierarchical Diffusion

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

reverse hierarchical diffusion

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

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population. without regard for hierarchy

Stimulus diffusion

accepting underlying principle, even though a specific characteristic is rejected.

Relocation diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another.

friction of distance

the inhabiting effect of distance on the intensity an volume of most forms of human interaction

natural resources

Raw materials supplied by nature, used for economic gain

Nonrenewable resources

are available on earth in limited quantities, cannot be renewed at a certain point.

Environmental sustainability

ensuring the natural environment is used in a way that will preserve resources into the future

environmental determinism

A doctrine that claims that cultural traits are formed and controlled by environmental conditions.

Possibilism

The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives.

Geographic Scale

the geographic level of the area(s) under investigation

Global scale

Interactions occurring at the scale of the world, in a global setting.

regional scale

Interactions occurring within a region, in a regional setting.

national scale

as viewed across the whole country

local scale

A spatial scale that is essentially equivalent to a community.

other study tools...

-complete blank packet
-define words (word pyramid quiz)

Situation

the location of a place relative to other places

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

site

physical characteristics of a place

space-time compression

reduction in the amount of time it takes for something to reach another place.

Concentration

The spread of something over a given area.

Density

The frequency with which something occurs in space

Connections

Relationships among people and objects across space

Diffusion

the way phenomena, ideas, and technology travel over space

MDC

more developed country, generally wealthier

LDC

less developed country, generally poorer

Formal Region

well-defined areas that share a common attribute such as language, culture, religion, or economic activity, there is no disagreement over the area a formal region occupies

functional region

a type of region defined by a specific social or economic attribute (a node) that is often based in the center of the region as a type of focal point - EX: school district

perceptual region

areas defined by perception and feelings rather than based on objective geographic characteristics - E: silicon valley, midwest