AP Human Geography Notes Unit One

Flash card set

Five Themes of Geography

Framework for understanding the interactions between people and their environments.

Location

Refers to the absolute (coordinates) and relative (in relation to other places) position of a place.

Place

The unique characteristics of a location, including both physical and human features.

Human-Environment Interaction

Explores how humans adapt to and modify their environment.

Movement

The flow of people, goods, and ideas across the Earth.

Region

Areas defined by common characteristics, including formal, functional, and vernacular regions.

Reference Maps

Maps that provide general information about a location, such as political boundaries.

Thematic Maps

Maps that focus on specific topics or themes, such as population density.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A tool used to analyze and visualize spatial data.

Scale and Perspective

The level at which geographic data is analyzed, ranging from local to global.

Map Projections

Methods used to represent the Earth's spherical surface on a flat map, each with specific distortions.

Spatial Analysis

The study of patterns in distribution and movement of geographic phenomena.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the environment shapes human behavior and culture.

Possibilism

The perspective that humans shape and adapt to their environment.

Distance Decay

The principle that interaction decreases as distance increases.

Time-Space Compression

The reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something due to advances in transportation and communication.

Formal Regions

Regions defined by uniform traits, such as a country or climate zone.

Functional Regions

Regions defined by a central node or focal point, like metropolitan areas.

Perceptual Regions

Regions defined by people's beliefs or perceptions, like 'the South'.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data used for statistical analysis.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data, including interviews and photographs.