Comprehensive Human and Physical Geography Concepts for Study

Absolute Location

The exact position of a place on Earth, often given in coordinates of latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Where a place is in relation to other places.

Accessibility

The ease of reaching one location from another.

Aerial Photography

Images of Earth's surface taken from an aircraft or satellite.

Built Environment

Human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity.

Cartography

The science or practice of making maps.

Cartographic Scale

The relationship between distances on a map and distances on the ground.

Concentration

The spread of something over a given area.

Connectivity

The degree of linkage between locations in a network.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how humans adapt to and modify the environment.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape.

Density

The frequency with which something occurs in space.

Diffusion

The spread of ideas, innovations, or phenomena across space.

Distance

The amount of space between two places.

Distance Decay

The decreasing interaction between places as distance increases.

Distortion

Changes in shape, size, or distance when representing Earth on a map.

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

Elevation

Height above sea level.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment shapes human culture and behavior.

Equator

An imaginary line circling Earth halfway between the poles (0° latitude).

Field Observation / Fieldwork

Gathering geographic data firsthand in the real world.

Formal (Uniform) Region

An area with one or more shared characteristics (e.g., language, climate).

Functional (Nodal) Region

An area organized around a focal point (e.g., metropolitan area).

Friction of Distance

The effect of distance on interaction between places.

Geographic Scale

The level of representation, experience, and organization of geographic events (local, national, global).

GIS (Geographic Information System)

Computer system for capturing, storing, and analyzing spatial data.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Satellite-based system that determines absolute location.

Human Geography

The study of human activities and their relationships with the environment.

Human-Environment Interaction

How humans adapt to, modify, and depend on the environment.

International Date Line

An arc mostly following 180° longitude; crossing it changes the calendar day.

Landscape Analysis

The process of studying and describing a landscape.

Latitude / Parallel

Distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.

Longitude / Meridian

Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.

Map

A 2D representation of Earth's surface.

Mental Map

A person's internal representation of a portion of Earth's surface.

Patterns

The geometric arrangement of objects in space.

Physical Geography

The study of natural features and processes.

Place

A specific point on Earth with distinctive characteristics.

Possibilism

The theory that humans can adapt and overcome environmental limitations.

Prime Meridian

The 0° longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England.

Processes

Sequences of events that produce changes in the environment or society.

Projection

The method of transferring Earth's 3D surface to a 2D map.

Proximity

Nareness in space.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive, non-numerical information (e.g., interviews, observations).

Quantitative Data

Numerical information (e.g., census data, statistics).

Reference Maps

Maps showing general information like boundaries and physical features.

Regionalization

The process of dividing Earth into regions for analysis.

Remote Sensing

Collecting data about Earth's surface from satellites or aircraft.

Scale of the Data

The level at which data is collected (local, regional, national, global).

Sense of Place

The emotional and cultural meaning attached to a location.

Site

The physical characteristics of a location.

Situation

A place's location relative to other places.

Spatial Approach

A way of studying geographic phenomena in terms of space.

Spatial Association

The degree to which things are similarly arranged in space.

Spatial Interaction

The flow of goods, people, or ideas between places.

Spatial Data

Information about the physical location and shape of geographic features.

Subregions

Smaller divisions of a region.

Sustainability

Meeting present needs without compromising future generations.

Thematic Maps

Maps that show specific data (e.g., population, climate).

Time-Space Compression

The reduction in time it takes for ideas, goods, or people to travel due to technology.

Topographic Maps

Maps showing elevation and landforms using contour lines.

Toponym

The name given to a place.

Vernacular (Perceptual) Region

An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity (e.g., "the South").

Dot distribution maps

Strength - shows distribution clearly; Weakness - can be cluttered in dense areas.

Choropleth maps

Strength - easy to see variation across regions; Weakness - hides internal differences within regions.

Graduated symbol maps

Strength - easy comparison of values; Weakness - symbol size can distort perception.

Cartograms

Strength - emphasizes data over geography; Weakness - distorts actual land area and shape.

Isoline maps

Strength - shows continuous data like elevation or temperature; Weakness - requires generalization between lines.

Mercator projection

Preserves shape and direction but greatly distorts size, especially near poles.

Goode projection

Reduces distortion of land area but interrupts oceans.

Peters projection

Preserves relative size but distorts shape.

Robinson projection

Balances size and shape but distorts both slightly.

Conic projection

Preserves mid-latitude areas well, but distorts edges.

Equal-Area projection

Preserves area, distorts shape.

Methods of geographic data collection

GIS, remote sensing, fieldwork.

Effects of decisions made using geographic information

They impact personal choices (navigation), business (location decisions), non-profit (aid distribution), and government (policy, zoning).

Value of major geographic concepts

They illustrate spatial relationships and help analyze real-world examples.

Scales of analysis

Global, regional, national, and local.

Three main types of regions

Formal (uniform), Functional (nodal), Vernacular (perceptual).

Example of a formal region

The Corn Belt, where corn is a dominant crop.

Example of a functional region

A metropolitan area centered around a city.

Example of a vernacular region

"The South" in the United States.