AP Human Geography Ultimate Guide

Space

The geometric surface of the Earth where objects are defined by their location.

Place

An area of bounded space with human significance, recognized by a toponym or place-name.

Region

A type of place categorized into formal, functional, and vernacular regions.

Formal Region

An area that possesses some homogeneous characteristic or uniformity.

Functional Region

An area with a central node that expresses some practical purpose.

Vernacular Region

A region defined by the perception or collective mental map of its residents.

Scale

The relationship of an object or place to the Earth as a whole, includes map scale and relative scale.

Absolute Location

The precise point on the Earth's surface defined by coordinates such as latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

The location of a place compared to other known places or geographic features.

Distance Decay

The principle that interaction decreases as the distance between places increases.

Tobler's Law

The concept that all places are interrelated, but closer places are more related than those further away.

Friction of Distance

The idea that distance requires some quantity of effect, typically a cost, which inhibits interaction.

Population Growth Rate

The rate at which the number of individuals in a population increases, expressed as a percentage.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The estimated average number of children born to each female of birthing age.

Dependency Ratio

The ratio of the number of people too young or too old to work compared to the number of people in the workforce.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that describes the transformation of countries from having high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates as they develop.

Agricultural Density

The ratio of the number of farmers to the amount of arable land.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model that describes changes in population growth as a result of epidemiological transitions.

Central Place Theory

A theory that seeks to explain the size and distribution of settlements based on their role as service centers.

Gravity Model

A model used to predict the interaction between two places based on their populations and the distance between them.

Urban Model

Frameworks that represent and explain the spatial structure and organization of urban areas.

Cultural Relativism

The idea that a person's beliefs and activities should be understood based on that person's culture.

Push Factors

Factors that drive people to leave their home countries or regions, such as economic hardships and political instability.

Pull Factors

Factors that attract people to a new location, such as better job opportunities, education, or quality of life.

Sustainability

The ability to maintain ecological balance by avoiding depletion of resources.

Aggregate Scale

The level at which data is collected or analyzed, which can influence the findings of a study.

Lagging Indicator

A measurable economic factor that changes after the economy has begun to follow a particular trend.

Time Zones

Regions of the Earth that have the same standard time.

Ecotone

A transition area between two biomes or ecosystems.

Caste System in India

A hierarchical social system in which people are born into specific castes, impacting their social status and opportunities.

Fractals in Geography

Pattern repetition across scales that can illustrate complex geographical phenomena.