AP Human Geography - Unit 1

Concepts for AP Human Geography - More concepts will be added as more are assigned.

Latitude

A method of labeling that goes parallel down the globe (North/South)

Location

The spot of anything on Earth’s surface

Longitude

A method of labeling that goes side to side across the globe (East/West)

Map Projection

A technique to turn Earth’s curved surface onto a 2D map

Cartography

The act/science of map making

Concentration

The dispersion of something in a given area

Map

A 2D model that shows the surface of a part/whole Earth

Cultural Ecology

A study of geographic perspective that highlights how humans adapt/interact with the environment

Density

The count of an occurrence within a given piece of area

Functional Region

A zone that functions around a central point involving some kind of human interaction/intervention.

Possibilism

A theory on how humans can adjust by choosing alternatives to break a restriction given by the environment.

Distortion

The distortion of a map due to Earth’s 3D form projecting into a 2D form.

Distance Decay

How interaction between two points of places is reduced as the distance increases.

Distribution

The arrangement of a feature over the Earth’s surface.

Environmental Determinism

A theory on how the physical environment dictates and strongly influences human actions strongly.

Formal Region

A given zone/area where everyone shares a common characteristic with one another (not limited to a physical human trait)

Geographic Info System (GIS)

A tool that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data from a computer system

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system that uses series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers to pinpoint a specific location.

Globalization

A move that gets the whole world involved leading to a making of something worldwide.

Greenwich Mean Time

The time zone of the prime meridian or 0 degrees longitude.

Scale

The relationship of distance shown on a map and the size of the actual distance.

Cartogram

Map where sizes of areas are distorted based on a variable of data.

Mercator Projector

A type of map projection that preserves shape and direction with the cost of distorted size

Site

Physical characteristics of a place.

Choropleth

Map that uses shades of colors to show variation in data across a given geographic area

Scales of Analysis

Local, regional, national, or global. A level in which data is grouped/examined.

Stimulus Diffusion

When the underlying idea or principle spreads even if its not in its exact form (when others adapt something differently).

Situation

Location of a place which is relative to other places with reasoning of importance

Prime Meridian

An imaginary line that passes through the Royal Observatory at England at 0 degress longitude. 

Graduated Symbol

A map that uses sizes of symbols to represent a magnitude of a variable.

Relative Location

The position of a place in relation to another.

Culture

How customary beliefs, social forms, and natural traits came together to constitute a group’s distinct tradition.