AP Human Geography AP Exam Terms

Sequent occupance

The notion that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape. This is an important concept in geography because it symbolizes how humans interact with their surroundings.

Cultural landscape

Fashioning of a natural landscape by a cultural group. This is the essence of how humans interact with nature.

Arithmetic density

The total number of people divided by the total land area. This is what most people think of as density; how many people per area of land.

Physiological density

The number of people per unit of area of arable land, which is land suitable for agriculture. This is important because it relates to how much land is being used by how many people.

Hearth

The region from which innovative ideas originate. This relates to the important concept of the spreading of ideas from one area to another (diffusion).

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time.

Relocation diffusion

The spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another. Ex: spread of AIDS from New York, California, & Florida.

Expansion diffusion

The spread of a feature from one place to another in a snowballing process. This can happen in 3 ways: hierarchical, contagious, and stimulus diffusion.

Hierarchical diffusion

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places (Ex: hip-hop/rap music)

Contagious diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population. (Ex: ideas placed on the internet)

Stimulus diffusion

the spread of an underlying principle, even though a characteristic itself apparently fails to diffuse. (Ex: PC & Apple competition, p40)

Absolute distance

Exact measurement of the physical space between two places.

Relative distance

Approximate measurement of the physical space between two places.

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth’s surface.

Environmental determinism

A 19th- and early 20th-century approach to the study of geography that argued that the general laws sought by human geographers could be found in the physical sciences. Geography was therefore the study o f how the physical environment caused human activities.

Absolute location

Position on Earth’s surface using the coordinate system of longitude (that runs from North to South Pole) and latitude (that runs parallel to the equator).

Relative location

Position on Earth’s surface relative to other features. (Ex: My house is west of 394).

Site

The physical character of place; what is found at the location and why it is significant (For more on Site & Situation, see p.16).

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places. (For more on Site & Situation, see p.16).

Space Time Compression

The reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place, as a result of improved communications and transportation system.

Friction of Distance

is based on the notion that distance usually requires some amount of effort, money, and/or energy to overcome. Because of this "friction," spatial interactions will tend to take place more often over shorter distances; quantity of interaction will decline with distance.

Distance Decay

The diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin. Typically, the farther away one group is from another, the less likely the two groups are to interact. (Electronic devices such as the internet and e-mail have aided in eliminating barriers to interaction between people who are far from each other.

Networks

defined by Manuel Castells as a set of interconnected nodes without a center.

Connectivity

The relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space. Geographers are concerned with the various means by which connections occur.

Accessibility

The degree of ease with which it is possible to reach certain location from other locations. Accessibility varies from place to place and can be measured.

Space

Refers to the physical gap or interval between two objects.

Spatial Distribution

Physical location of geographic phenomena across SPACE

Size

Is the estimation or determination of extent.

Scale

Representation of a real-world phenomenon at a certain level of reduction or generalization. In cartography, the ratio of map distance to ground distance, indicated on a map as a bar graph, representative fraction, and/or verbal statement.

Formal Region

(uniform) or homogenous region is an area within which everyone shares in common one or mare distinctive characteristics. The shared feature could be a cultural value such as a common language, or an environmental climate.

Functional Region

(nodal region) Area organized around a node or focal point. The characteristic chosen to define a functional region dominates at a central focus or node and diminishes in importance outward. This region is tied to the central point by transportation or communication systems or by economic or functional associations.

Vernacular Region

(Perceptual Region) is a place that people believe exists as a part of their cultural identity. Such regions emerge from people’s informal sense of place rather than from scientific models developed through geographic thought. (Often identified using a mental map- which is an internal representation of a portion of Earth’s surface)

Possibilism

The physical environment may limit some human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to their environment.

Pattern

Place Name

Often referred to as a places toponym-the name given to a place on Earth.

Age Distribution

(Population pyramid) is two back-to-back bar graphs, one showing the number of males and one showing females in a particular population in five-year age groups. This is important because you can tell from the age distribution important characteristic of a country, whether high guest worker population, they just had a war or a deadly disease and more.

Carry capacity

This is the population level that can be supported, given the quantity of food, habitat, water and other life infrastructure present. This is important because it tells how many people an area will be able to support.

Cohort

Population of various age categories in an age-sex population pyramids. This is important because this can tell what state this country it is whether in Stage 3 or Stage 5 in the demographic transition model.

Demographic equation

The formula that calculates population change. The formula finds the increase (or decrease) in a population. The formula is found by doing births minus deaths plus (or minus) net migration. This is important because it helps to determine which stage in the demographic transition model a country is in.

Demographic momentum

this is the tendency for growing population to continue growing after a fertility decline because of their young age distribution. This is important because once this happens a country moves to a different stage in the demographic transition model.

Demographic regions

Cape Verde is in Stage 2 (High Growth), Chile is in Stage 3 (Moderate Growth), and Denmark is in Stage 4 (Low Growth). This is important because it shows how different parts of the world are in different stages of the demographic transition.

Demographic Transition model

Has 5 steps. Stage 1 is low growth, Stage 2 is High Growth, Stage 3 is Moderate Growth, and Stage 4 is Low Growth and Stage 5 although not officially a stage is a possible stage that includes zero or negative population group. This is important because this is the way our country and others countries around the world are transformed from a less developed country to a more developed country.

Dependency ratio

The number of people who are too you or too old to work compared to the number of people in their productive years. This is important because this tells how many people each worker supports. For example the larger population of dependents, the greater financial burden on those who are working to support those who cannot.

Diffusion of fertility control

The diffusion of fertility control is spread throughout the world. In the U.S it’s below 2.1 in much of Africa it is above 4, if South America is between 2 and 3, in Europe it is below 2.1, in China and Russia it is below 2.1, and in much of the Middle East it is above 4. This is important because its shows how many kids a mother is having thus helping to see where the countries are growing rapidly and where countries are leveling off.

Disease diffusion

There are two types, contagious and hierarchical. Hierarchical is along high density areas that spread from urban to rural areas. Contagious is spread through the density of people. This is important in determining how the disease spread so you can predict how it will spread.

Doubling time

The number of years needed to double a population, assuming a constant rate of natural increase. This is important because it can help project the countries population increase over the years and when its population will double.

Ecumene

The proportion of earths surface occupied by permanent human settlement. This is important because its tells how much of the land has been built upon and how much land is left for us to build on.

Epidemiological transition model

This is a distinctive cause of death in each stage of the demographic transition. This is important because it can explain how a countries population changes so dramatically and more.

Infant mortality rate

(IMR) The annual number of deaths of infants under one year of age, compared with total live births. Its is expressed as the annual number of deaths among infants among infants per 1000 births rather than a percentage. This is important because it tell how developed a country is, if they have a high IMR they are an LDC and if it is low they are an MDC.

J-curve

This is when the projection population show exponential growth; sometimes shape as a j-curve. This is important because if the population grows exponential our resource use will go up exponential and so will our use as well as a greater demand for food and more.

Maladaptation

This is an adaptation that has become less helpful than harmful. This relates to human geography because it has become less and less suitable and more of a problem or hindrance in its own right, as time goes on. Which shows as the world changes so do the things surrounding it.

Malthus, Thomas

Was one of the first to argue that the worlds rate of population increase was far outrunning the development of food population. This is important because he brought up the point that we may be outrunning our supplies because of our exponentially growing population.

Mortality

There are two useful ways to measure mortality; infant mortality rate and life expectancy. The IMR reflect a country’s health care system and life expectancy measures the average number of years a baby can expect to live. This is important because you can use a countries mortality rate to determine important features about a country.

Natality

(Crude Birth Rate) This is the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; it is expressed as number of birth in year to every 1000 people alive in the society. This is important because it tells you the rate a country is having babies as well as how fast you can expect that population to grow.

Neo-malthusian

theory that builds upon Malthus’ thoughts on overpopulation. Takes into count two factors that Malthus did not: population growth in LDC’s, and outstripping of resources other than food; Recognizes that population growth in LDC’s is from the transfer of medical talents from MDC’s but not the wealth that would provide food and resources.

Overpopulation

relationship between the number of people on Earth, and the availability of resources; Problems result when an area’s population exceeds the capacity of the environment to support them at an acceptable standard of living.

Population densities

the frequency with which something occurs in space is density; Ex arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural density

Arithmetic density

total number of objects in an area. Used to compare distribution of population in different countries.

Physiological density

number of persons per unit of area suitable for agriculture. Could mean a country has difficulty growing enough food.

Agricultural density

the number of farmers per unit of area of farmland. May mean a country has inefficient agriculture.

Population distributions

the arrangement of a feature in space is distribution. Geographers identify the three main properties as density, concentration, and pattern; Used to describe how things and people are distributed across the earth.

Population explosion

a sudden increase or burst in the population in either a certain geographical area or worldwide; Occurred in the late 18th and early 19th centuries because several countries moved on to stage 2 of the DTM. Can trace factors that lead to these explosions.

Population projection

predicts the future population of an area or the world; Helps predict future problems with population such as overpopulation or under population of a certain race or ethnicity.

Population pyramid

population displayed by age and gender on a bar graph; Shape is determined primarily by crude birth rate. Shows age distribution and sex ratio.

Rate of natural increase

the percentage by which a population grows in a year.

CBR-CDR \= NIR Excludes migration; Affects the population and a country’s or area’s ability to support that population.

S-curve

traces the cyclical movement upwards and downwards in a graph. So named for its shape as the letter "s"; Relates to growth and decline in the natural increase.

Sex ratio:the number of males per hundred females in the population; Depends on birth and death rates, immigration. Men have higher death rates but also higher birth rates. Immigration usually means more males because they can make the journey.

Standard of living

refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way they are distributed within a population; Higher standards of living are found in MDC’s rather than LDC’s. Can help trace development.

Sustainability

providing the best outcomes for human and natural environments both in the present and for the future; Relates to development that meets today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Underpopulation

it is the opposition to overpopulation and refers to a sharp drop or decrease in a region’s population; Unlike overpopulation, it does not refer to resources but to having enough people to support the local economic system. If there are not enough tax payers, then the area cannot continue.

Zero population growth

when the crude birth rate equals the crude death rate and the natural increase rate approaches zero; Often applied to countries in stage 4 of the demographic transition model.

Activity space

space allotted for a certain industry or activity; Can apply to an area within a city or surrounding a central place.

Chain migration

when one family member migrates to a new country and the rest of the family follows shortly after; Mostly seen from Mexico to the United States when guest workers set up homes and make money for their family to follow them.

Cyclic movement

trends in migration and other processes that have a clear cycle

Distance Decay

When contact between two groups diminishes because of the distance between them.

Forced Migration

People removed from there countries and forced to live in other countries because of war, natural disaster, and government.

Gravity Model

Predicts that the optimal location of a service is directly related to the number of people in the area and inversely related to the distance people must travel to access it.

Internal Migration

Permanent movement within a particular country.

Intervening Opportunity

An environmental or cultural feature of the landscape that helps migration.

Migration Patterns

interregional, rural-urban, refugees, and push-pull factors

Intercontinental

Permanent movement from one country to a different country on the same continent.

Interregional

Permanent movement from one region of the country to another.

Rural-Urban

Permanent movement from suburbs and rural area to the urban city area.

Push-Pull Factors

Factors that induce people to leave old residence and move to new locations.

Refugee

People forced to migrate from their home country and cannot return for fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in social group, or political opinion.

Transhumance

Seasonal migration of live stock between mountains and lowland pasture areas.

Acculturation

Process of adopting only certain customs that will be to their advantage

Assimilation

Process of less dominant cultures losing their culture to a more dominant culture

Cultural core/periphery pattern

The core-periphery idea that the core houses main economic power of region and the outlying region or periphery houses lesser economic ties

Cultural Ecology

The geographic study of human environmental relationships

Cultural Identity

Ones belief in belonging to a group or certain cultural aspect

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape

Culture

The body of customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits that together constitute a group of people’s distinct tradition.

Culture Region

Formal

(Uniform) An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics

Core

Center of economic activity

Periphery

Outlying region of economic activity

Functional

(Nodal) Region organized at a node or focal point

Vernacular

(perceptual-regional self-awareness) A place that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity