AP Human Geography Terms Units 4-6

African Union

Organization of African countries that promotes unity, development, and cooperation.

Agglomeration

Clustering of businesses to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Agribusiness

Large-scale farming run like a corporation.

Agriculture

Growing crops and raising animals for food or profit.

Antecedent boundary

Boundary that existed before people settled there.

Apartheid

System of racial segregation in South Africa (ended in 1994).

Aquaculture

Farming of fish and aquatic organisms.

Arctic Council

Group of countries that cooperate on Arctic issues.

ASEAN

Southeast Asian countries working together economically and politically.

Autonomous region

Area with some self-government within a country.

Biodiversity

Variety of plant and animal life in an area.

Bid-rent theory

Land price decreases as distance from city center increases.

Blockbusting

Real estate tactic exploiting racial fears to sell homes.

Boomburb

Fast-growing suburban city.

Brownfields

Abandoned industrial sites, often polluted.

Burgess model

City grows in rings from CBD outward.

Carrying capacity

Max population an area can support.

Centripetal force

Unites people (shared language, culture).

Choke point

Narrow water route critical for trade (like canals).

Central place theory

Explains location/size of cities based on services.

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of goods, people, diseases after 1492.

Colonialism

One country settles and controls another.

Commercial agriculture

Farming for sale/profit.

Commodity chain

Steps from raw materials to finished product.

Community-supported agriculture

Consumers buy directly from local farms.

Conservation

Careful use of resources.

Consequent boundary

Boundary based on cultural differences.

Decolonization

Colonies gaining independence.

Deforestation

Clearing forests.

De facto segregation

Segregation by practice, not law.

Delimited boundary

Boundary drawn on a map.

Demarcated boundary

Boundary physically marked on land.

Demilitarized zone

Area where military is not allowed.

Democratization

Move toward democratic government.

Devolution

Transfer of power to regional governments.

Disamenity zone

Area not attractive for living (pollution, noise).

Domestication

Taming plants/animals for human use.

Edge city

Suburban business center.

Economies of scale

Lower costs with increased production.

Ecological footprint

Human impact on environment.

Enclave

Territory surrounded by another country.

Exclave

Territory separated from main country.

EEZ

200-mile zone where a country controls ocean resources.

Exurb

Rural area beyond suburbs.

Ethnic cleansing

Forcible removal of ethnic group.

European Union

Economic/political union of European countries.

Extensive agriculture

Large land, low labor (e.g., ranching).

Fair trade

Ethical trade ensuring fair wages.

Favela

Informal settlement in Brazil.

Federal state

Power shared between national and regional gov.

Fertile Crescent

Early farming region in SW Asia.

First Agricultural Revolution

Domestication of plants/animals.

Food desert

Area lacking access to healthy food.

Food insecurity

Lack of reliable food access.

Forward-thrust capital

Capital moved to promote development/control.

Galactic city model

City with multiple centers and highways.

Gentrification

Wealthier people moving into poorer areas.

Geometric boundary

Straight-line boundary.

GMOs

Organisms altered genetically.

Geopolitics

How geography affects politics.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing districts for political advantage.

Global supply chain

Worldwide production process.

Globalization

Increasing global connections.

Green Revolution

Increase in food production via tech.

Gravity model

Interaction based on size and distance.

Greenbelts

Protected open land around cities.

African city model

Colonial + traditional influences.

Multiple nuclei model

City has multiple centers.

Hoyt model

City develops in sectors.

Imperialism

Dominating another country politically/economically.

Inclusionary zoning

Requires affordable housing in developments.

Infilling

Building on empty land in cities.

Infrastructure

Basic systems (roads, water, power).

Intensive agriculture

High labor/inputs on small land.

International waters

Ocean beyond EEZs.

Irredentism

Claiming land with shared ethnicity.

Irrigation

Artificial watering of land.

Land tenure

Ownership of land.

Latin American model

City with spine and elite sector.

Local-food movement

Eating locally grown food.

Long lots

Narrow land plots along rivers.

Market gardening

Small-scale farming near cities.

Mechanized farming

Use of machines in farming.

Mediterranean agriculture

Farming suited to dry summers.

Metacities

Cities with 20+ million people.

Metes and bounds

Land described using landmarks.

Mixed crop/livestock

Crops + animals together.

Mixed land use

Residential + commercial together.

Monoculture

Single crop farming.

Multinational state

Multiple nations in one state.

Multi-state nation

One nation across multiple states.

Nation

People with shared identity.

Nation-state

One nation = one state.

Nationalism

Pride/loyalty to one’s nation.

Neocolonialism

Economic control of former colonies.

New Urbanism

Walkable, mixed-use city design.

Nomadic pastoralism

Moving with livestock.

NATO

Military alliance (U.S., Europe).

Plantation agriculture

Large farms in tropics for export.

Primate city

Largest city dominates country.