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Types of Maps

Reference and Thematic

Types of Spatial Patterns

Absolute and relative distance

Map Projections

Distortion (Shape, area, distance, and direction)

Scale of Analysis

Different methods of geographic data collection & data for decision-making purposes.

Site vs. Situation

Differences in location context.

Spatial concepts

Absolute and relative locations, space, place, distance decay, time-space compression, and pattern

Regions

Formal, Functional, and Vernacular

Cultural Ecology

Study of the relationship between culture and the environment.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment, particularly the climate and terrain, actively shapes cultures.

Sustainability

The ability to maintain ecological balance by managing natural resources.

Distribution

The arrangement of a feature in space.

Density

Arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural

Diffusion

Relocation and Expansion

Toponym

A place name that can portray cultural information of an area.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

Distance Decay

The diminishing importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin.

Space-Time Compression

The reduction in the time it takes for something to reach another place.

Sustainability Pillars

Environment Pillar, Social Pillar, Economic Pillar

Cultural Ecology Components

Environmental determinism and Possibilism

Uneven Development

The unequal distribution of resources and services across different areas.

Types of Diffusion

Relocation, Expansion, Hierarchical, Contagious, Stimulus

Maps

Maps are the most important tools of a geographer to help to visualize complex information.

Reference maps

Reference maps are designed for people to refer to for general information about places.

Political maps

Political maps show and label human-created boundaries such as countries, states, cities, and capitals.

Physical maps

Physical maps show and label natural features.

Road maps

Road maps show and label highways, streets, and alleys.

Plat maps

Plat maps show and label property lines and details of land ownership.

Thematic Maps

Thematic Maps show specific aspects of information.

Choropleth maps

Choropleth maps use various colors, shades of colors, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.

Dot distribution maps

Dot distribution maps show the spatial location and distribution of something across an area.

Graduated symbol maps

Graduated symbol maps use symbols of different sizes to indicate different quantities of something.

Isoline maps

Isoline maps use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space.

Scale

Scale is the relationship between the size of things in the real world and the size of those same things on the map.

Absolute Location

Absolute Location is the exact position where something is according to a coordinate system.

Relative Location

Relative Location is a description of where something is in relation to other things.

Elevation

Elevation is the height above a reference point, usually measured in feet or meters.

Absolute distance

Absolute distance refers to the exact measurement of distance between two points.

Relative Distance

Relative Distance refers to the perception of distance between two locations, which can change based on context.

Distribution

Distribution refers to the way something is spread out over an area.

Pattern

Pattern refers to the arrangement of objects in space.

Cartograms

Cartograms show the size of countries according to some specific statistic.

Small Scale vs. Large Scale

Small scale maps show a larger area with less detail, while large scale maps show a smaller area with more detail.

Isoline map

Most common type of isoline map is a topographic map.

Clustered

A type of distribution pattern where items are grouped closely together.

Linear

A type of distribution pattern where items are arranged in a line.

Dispersed

A type of distribution pattern where items are spread out over an area.

Circular

A type of distribution pattern where items are arranged in a circular formation.

Geometric

A type of distribution pattern that follows a geometric shape or arrangement.

Random

A type of distribution pattern where items are placed without a specific arrangement.

Projection

The process of showing a curved surface on a flat surface.

Mercator

A type of map projection that distorts size but maintains shape.

Peters

A type of map projection that maintains area but distorts shape.

Conic

A type of map projection that is useful for mapping small areas.

Robinson

A type of map projection that attempts to minimize distortion across multiple aspects.

Geospatial Data

Data that includes geographic information and spatial relationships.

Remote sensing

The acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact.

Aerial photography

The taking of photographs from an elevated position to capture the earth's surface.

Geovisualizations

Visual representations of geographic data that help in understanding spatial patterns.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.

Friction of distance

The concept that distance creates a barrier to interaction between places.

Time-space compression

The phenomenon where advancements in technology reduce the time it takes to travel between places.

Toponym

A place name that can provide insights into the geographical and cultural significance of a location.

Distance and Time

The relationship between the physical distance between two places and the time it takes to travel between them.

Time-space compression

The phenomenon where improvements in transportation methods reduce the time it takes to travel between places.

Spatial association

The relationship between the distribution of two or more phenomena across space, which can indicate a correlation or causation.

Human-environmental interaction

The connection and exchange between humans and the natural world.

Geographic concepts

Frameworks such as sustainability that help understand human-environmental interactions.

Sustainability

The ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Renewable resources

Natural resources that can be replenished naturally over time.

Nonrenewable resources

Natural resources that are finite and cannot be replaced once used.

Land use

The management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environments such as settlements and semi-natural habitats.

Cultural ecology

The study of how human culture interacts with the environment.

Environmental determinism

The theory that the physical environment predisposes societies and states towards particular development trajectories.

Scales of analysis

Different levels of geographic analysis that reveal patterns and relationships in data.

Data aggregation

The process of collecting and summarizing data to help with organization and analysis.

Life expectancy

The average period that a person may expect to live, often used in demographic studies.

Formal regions

Regions defined by uniform or homogeneous characteristics.

Functional regions

Regions defined by a node or focal point and the surrounding areas that are connected to it.

Perceptual regions

Regions defined by people's perceptions and feelings about an area.

Subregion

A smaller region within a larger region, often defined by specific characteristics.

Regional analysis

The examination of regions to understand their characteristics and relationships.

Grouping data

The process of categorizing data to analyze patterns and relationships.

Closeness

The perceived distance between locations, which can vary based on the scale of analysis.

Problems with regions

Issues that arise when attempting to classify areas into regions, such as overlapping characteristics or subjective definitions.