World Geo: Unit 1 Terms

5 themes of geography

location, region, place, movement, human environment interaction

location

relative (in relation to something else) and absolute (exact location using latitude and longitude)

region

physical and human characteristics about an area that unite it/make it different

place

physical, human, and climate characteristics that make up an area

movement

movement of goods, people, and ideas from one place to another

human environment interaction

how humans respond to, modify, and adapt to the environment

equator

imaginary line drawn around the Earth that is equidistant from both poles, that divides the Earth into 2 hemispheres

latitude

how far north or south something is from the equator

longitude

how far east or west something is from the equator

prime meridian

the Earth’s 0 of longitude, diving the earth into eastern and western hemispheres

map projections

the representation on a plane surface of any part of the Earth, or of a celestial sphere

political map

a map that shows national and state boundaries, capitals, and major cities

physical map

map that shows the physical features of an area, such as mountains, rivers, and lakes

infographic map

conveys information based on visual format that people can easily read, understand, and use

thematic map

portrays geographic pattern of theme in geographic area

continental drift

gradual movement of continents across Earth’s surface through geological time

demography

study of people (statistics about factors of human population)

population density

average number of people who live in a measurable area

birthrate

number of live births per total population

infant mortality rate

number of deaths among infants below age 1

immigration

movement of people into a foreign country

emigration

movement of people out of their home country

push factors

factors that push people out of their home country

pull factors

factors that pull people to a certain locations

urbanization

dramatic increase in the number of cities and changes in lifestyle that result

rural

countryside

urban

city

generation gap

difference of views/opinions of people of different generations

wealth gap

unequal distribution of wealth among citizens

unitary system

one person/unit has all of the power

federal system

power is divided into branches

confederation

political power is held by a group united in an alliance

sovereign (state)

authority of state to govern/rule itself

authoritarian

form of government with strong central power and limited political freedom

dictatorship

form of government where power is held by one person

totalitarianism

form of government absolute control is held by the state and influences all aspects of political and social life

monarchy

gorm of government where a king, queen, or sovereign is in charge

constitutional monarchy

form of government in which governing powers are limited by the constitution

democracy

form of government where a political figure is elected by the people

capitalism

economic system where a country’s trade and industry are controlled mostly by private owners for profit rather than the state

communism

government holds nearly all the political power and means of production and each person works and is paid according to needs and abilities

Karl Marx

father of communism

socialism

means of distribution, production, and exchange are owned and regulated by the community as a whole

infrastructure

basic support system needed to keep an economy running

natural resources

materials from nature that can be used for economical gain

renewable resources

energy sources that can naturally replenish as quickly as they are consumed

nonrenewable resources

resources of economic value that cannot be readily replenished by natural means at a quick enough pace to keep up with consumption

fossil fuels

fuel from burning the remains of dead plants or animals

nuclear energy

use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity

geothermal energy

thermal energy from the Earth’s core

solar energy

energy obtained from the sun

manufacturing

making products on a large scale using machinery

developed countries

sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to lesser states

developing country

poor agricultural country that is seeking to become more advanced economically and socially

gross domestic product (GDP)

value of goods and services produced within a country during a period of time

GDP per capita

GDP divided by number of citizens

subsistence farming

farming in which a family or community only produces the resources they need

commercial farming

production of crops and livestock done entirely for sale/profit