Geography: Map Types, Diffusion, Culture, and Regions

Vocabulary flashcards covering map types, diffusion, culture, and regional concepts from the notes.

Reference Map

Shows general spatial information like roads or landmarks.

Thematic Map

Focuses on a particular theme or subject.

Choropleth Map

Uses color/shading to show data density; darker shades indicate higher values.

Isoline Map

Uses lines to connect equal values (e.g., weather maps with isotherms).

Graduated Symbol Map

Symbols increase in size to show more data (e.g., bigger circles = higher population).

Dot Distribution Map

Dots represent quantity or frequency; one dot equals 1,000 people.

Cartogram

Distorts area based on data (e.g., countries shown by population size, not land area).

Clustering

Grouping closely together.

Density

Frequency of something per unit area (e.g., 100 people per square mile).

Arithmetic Density

Total population divided by land area.

Physiological Density

Population per unit of arable land.

Agricultural Density

Farmers per unit of arable land.

Concentration

How spread out or clustered something is; clustered = close together, dispersed = spread out.

Agglomeration

Items grouped tightly in an area (e.g., fast-food restaurants in a city center).

Dispersal

Objects spread out over space.

Elevation

Height above sea level.

Map Projection

Way to represent the globe on a flat surface (e.g., Mercator, Peters, Robinson).

Map Distortion

Inaccuracies from projecting 3D to 2D (e.g., Greenland appears massive on Mercator).

Azimuthal Projection

Map projection centered on one point; used for polar maps.

Mercator

Navigation map with straight lines; distorts size; useful for sailors.

Peters Projection

Equal-area map; distorts shapes; better represents true land area.

Robinson Projection

Compromise map; balances shape and size; commonly used in classrooms.

Remote Sensing

Gathering data from satellites or aircraft (e.g., monitoring wildfires from space).

GIS

Layers geographic data on maps (e.g., city planning or crime mapping).

GPS

Determines exact location via satellites (e.g., real-time position in maps).

Census Data

Official population data collection (U.S. census every 10 years).

Satellite Imagery

Images of Earth from satellites (e.g., tracking deforestation).

Map Scale

Shows ratio between map and real life (e.g., 1 inch = 10 miles).

Absolute Distance/Location

Exact measurement or coordinates (e.g., 40°N, 74°W).

Relative Distance/Location

Location in relation to another place (e.g., near the river).

Space

Physical gap between things (distance between two towns).

Place

Unique location with meaning (e.g., The Eiffel Tower = Paris).

Sense of Place

Personal/emotional connection to a place (feeling at home).

Site

Physical characteristics of a place (coastal, flat, forested).

Situation

Location relative to other places (e.g., NYC on Atlantic trade routes).

Flow

Movement of people, goods, or ideas (migration or trade routes).

Cultural Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits (e.g., tacos becoming popular in the U.S.).

Innovation

New invention or idea (e.g., smartphone).

Cultural Lag

Culture lags behind innovation (slow legal response to new tech).

Transculturation

Two-way cultural exchange (Japanese anime + American fans).

Assimilation

Minority adopts dominant culture (indigenous people forced to adopt colonial ways).

Acculturation

Exchange while maintaining identity (using English at work, native language at home).

Diffusion

Spread of an idea or feature (Internet use expanding globally).

Relocation Diffusion

Spread through people moving (Italian immigrants bringing pasta to the U.S.).

Expansion Diffusion

Spread outward from a source area (TikTok use expanding from teens to all ages).

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spreads through systems of power (fashion trends start in cities).

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid, widespread spread (viral TikTok dance).

Stimulus Diffusion

Core idea spreads but changes (McDonald's McVeggie in India).

Friction of Distance

Distance makes interaction harder (less trade with distant countries).

Syncretism

Blending of different cultures (Spanish Catholicism + Indigenous beliefs).

Distance Decay

Less interaction over greater distances (fewer visitors from faraway places).

Time-Space Compression

Technology reduces time/distance barriers (FaceTime with someone in another country).

Pattern

Repeated spatial arrangement (grid layout of NYC streets).

Environmental Determinism

Environment determines culture (harsh climates influence housing styles).

Possibilism

People adapt to environment (farming in deserts with irrigation).

Culture

Shared practices, beliefs, values (language, religion, customs).

Culture Trait

A single cultural feature (wearing a turban).

Culture Complex

Group of related cultural traits (football games: tailgating, jerseys, chants).

Cultural System

Larger shared cultural groupings (Latin American cultural system).

Culture Region

Area sharing cultural traits (Middle East).

Globalization

Increasing global interconnectedness (worldwide spread of Starbucks).

Transnational Corporation

Companies operating across countries (Coca-Cola, Apple).

Cultural Ecology

Human-environment interaction (adapting farming to local climate).

Biome

Natural ecosystem (rainforest, tundra, savanna).

Landform Preference

Settling based on physical geography (cities built along rivers).

Landscape

Physical and human-made features (mountains, buildings, roads).

Natural Landscape

Unaltered physical features (forest, mountains).

Built Landscape

Human-modified environment (skyscrapers, bridges).

Cultural Landscape

Visible imprint of culture on land (mosques, rice paddies).

Sequent Occupance

Layers of cultural history on landscape (Roman ruins in modern Italy).

Scale of Analysis

Level of geographic detail used (global vs local poverty rates).

Global

Worldwide scope (international climate change policies).

Regional

Across multiple countries or one continent (Middle East oil trade).

National

Within one country (U.S. public health policy).

Local

City, town, or neighborhood (gentrification in San Francisco).

Regions

Areas with shared features (The Corn Belt).

Formal Region

Defined by official boundaries/data (The Sahara Desert).

Functional Region

Based on connections (node-focused) (TV broadcast area).

Perceptual/Vernacular Region

Based on people's perceptions (The South in the U.S.).

Regional Boundaries

Lines that define regions (border between U.S. and Mexico).

Region and Scale of Analysis

Studying a region at various scales (comparing European economies).