UNIT 1 AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY - THINKING GEOGRAPHICALLY

Spatial Perspective

where something is and why it is there

Map Distortion

a change in the shape, size or position of a place when it is shown on a map

Pattern

How things are arranged on a particular space

Mercator Map Projection

Accurately shown the shape and direction, but distorts the distance and size of land masses

Region

Area of the Earth’s surface with certain characteristics that make it distinct from other areas

World Systems Theory

Theory developed by Immanuel Wallerstein that explains the emergence of a core, periphery and semiperiphery in terms of economic and political connections

Human Geography

The study of events and processes that have shaped how humans understand, use, and alter Earth

Absolute Location

The exact position that something occupies on Earth’s surface (ex. Coordinates)

Absolute Distance

The distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length such as mile or kilometer

Relative Distance

Distance measured in terms such as cost or time

Robinson Map Projection

A map projection that does not distort the area of water to land masses as much, but whose direction does not hold true

Distance Decay

The effects of distance on interaction generally the greater the distance the less interaction

Time Space Compression

The rapid innovation of communication and transportation technologies associated with globalization that transforms the way people think about space and time and allowed time distance between places to decrease.

Core Country

Countries that are highly interconnected with good transportation and communication networks and infrastructure that supports economic activity they often provide manufactured goods for trade.

Periphery Country

Countries that have less stable government and poorer services such as mental health care, They often provide the raw materials to the core countries.

Absolute Direction

A compass direction such as north or south

Place

A location on Earth’s surface that is distinguished by physical and huma characteristics

Relative Location

A description of where a place is located in relation to other places or features.

Site

A place’s absolute location, as well its physical features such as landforms, climate and resources.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Qualitative Data

Interpretations of data sources such as field observations, media reports, travel narratives, policy documents, etc.

Relative Direction

Directions such as left, right, forward, backward, up and down based on peoples perception of places.

Natural Resources

Materials or Substances such as minerals, forests, water and fertile land that occur in nature and can be use for economic gain

Land Use

Various ways humans use the land such as agricultural, industrial, and residential or recreational.

Formal Region

Area that has one or more shared traits, can be physical, cultural or combination

Perceptual/Vernacular Region

A region that reflects peoples feels and attitudes about a place.

Map Scale

The relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth’s surface.

Reference Map

A map type tat shows reference information for a particular space, making it useful for finding landmarks and for navigation

Thematic Map

A type of map that displays one or more variables such as population, or income level within a specific area.

Isoline Map

Map displaying lines that connect points of equal value, for example, a map showing elevation levels.

Graduated Symbol Map

A map with symbols that change in size according to the value of the attribute they represent.

Cartogram Map

A special kind of map that distorts the shapes and sizes of countries or other political regions to represent economic or other kinds of data for comparison

Globalization

The expansion of economic, political and cultural processes to the point that they become global in scale and impact

Quantitative Data

information measured in numbers

Census

The official count of the # of people in a defined area

Topography

The shape and features of land

Situation

A place’s location in relation to other places or its surrounding features.

Space

The area between two or more things on Earth’s Surface

Density

Number of things such as animals people, objects in a specific area

Semi - Periphery Country

Countries that are in the process of industrializing

Dot Distribution Map

A map where dots are used to demonstrate the frequency or intensity of a particular phenomena.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

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

Global Posting System

An integrated network of at least 31 satellites in the U.S. System that orbit Earth and transmit location data to handheld readers.

Remote Sensing

The scanning of the Earth by Satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it

Choropleth Map

A thematic map that uses tones or colors or tones to represent spatial data as average values per unit area

Political Map

A map showing units such as countries, provinces, districts, etc.

Clustering

Gathering; forming in a group

Azimuthal Map Projection

A map projection in which a region of the earth is projected onto a plane tangential to the surface, usually at a pole or the equator

Gall - Peters Projection

Equal area projection that distorts the shape of land masses (looks stretched out)

Flow

Movement of people, goods, information that has economic, social, political, or cultural effects on societies.

Environmental Determinism

Human behaviors is controlled by the physical environment

Possibilism

A theory that argues that humans have more urgency, or ability to produce a result, than environmental determinism would suggest

Functional Region

An area organized around a node or focal point

Sustainability

The use of Earth’s land and natural resources in a way that is ensured they will continue to be available in the future

Scale

The area of the world being studied

Dispersal

the distribution of individuals within geographic population boundaries.

Elevation

heigh above sea level

Node

The focus on a region