Human Geo Web Flashcards

These flashcards capture key terms and concepts related to demography, migration, and socio-economic dynamics important for understanding population studies.

Ecumene

Portion of Earth's surface that is occupied by permanent human settlement.

Too's

Factors when the environment is too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, or too hilly for human settlement.

Density

Number of people in a specific space.

Distribution

The spatial spread of people in a space.

Demographers

People who study population concentration and distribution.

Demography

The study of population concentration and distribution.

Carrying Capacity

Number of living organisms or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation.

Sex Ratio

Number of male births divided by the number of female births times 100.

Natural Increase Rate (NIR)

Percentage by which the population grows in a year.

Population Doubling Time

Number of years needed to double a population, assuming a constant NIR.

Crude Birth Rate

Total number of births in a year for every 1000 people.

Crude Death Rate

Total number of deaths in a year for every 1000 people.

Total Fertility Rate

Average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime.

Infant Mortality Rate

Total number of deaths of babies less than a year old for every 1000 births.

Epidemiologic Transition

Explains causes of changing death rates in the demographic transition model.

Life Expectancy

Average amount of years a person is expected to live.

Immigrants

People entering a country to live there permanently.

Emigrants

People leaving a country permanently to live somewhere else.

Gravity Model

Larger cities have a bigger 'pull' to migrants.

Transnational Migration

Process of movement and settlement across international borders while maintaining connections to the country of origin.

Transhumance

Seasonal herding of animals to high and low elevations.

Guest Worker

Temporary labor migration adds workers to a country's workforce.

Internal Migration

Permanent moves that remain within a country.

Interregional Migration

Moving between different regions.

Intraregional Migration

Moves that stay within the same region.

Cartography

Science of making maps.

Scale

Size representation in maps.

Absolute Location

Exact location of a place (e.g., 12-503 Wanke Complex).

Relative Location

Location in relation to surrounding features (e.g., near the McDonald's).

Place

A location with unique characteristics that give it meaning.

Distance Decay

The interaction and communication diminish as distance increases.

Qualitative Data

Describes qualities and characteristics; can be gathered from surveys.

Quantitative Data

Objective, number-based data; e.g., census.

Landscape Analysis

Studying and describing a landscape to understand human impact.

Cultural Ecology

Interaction of people and the earth.

Sustainability

Practices that help humanity in the present without harming future resources.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can be replenished after use.

Non-Renewable Resources

Resources that cannot be replenished in a human lifetime.

Regions

Areas with one or more unifying characteristics.

Flows

Ways different planes interact (people, info, goods).

Space

Physical gaps between two things.

Toponym

Name given to a place on Earth.

Site

Physical character of a place.

Sense of Place

What makes a place special.

Sequent Occupancy

Cultural marks left by different groups over time.

Placemaking

Process of planning and creating public spaces.

Enclaves

Areas that tend to have a dominant ethnic group.

Gender

Cultural roles associated with masculinity and femininity.

Sex

Biological differences between males and females.

Nationality

Legal status of being a citizen of a country.

Ethnicity

Distinct ancestry and cultural traditions.

Race

Biological aspects, particularly skin color.

Acculturation

Cultural traits gained from another group.

Creolization

Mixing of cultural traits.

Lingua Franca

Common language used among speakers of different languages.

Diasporas

People living outside their home country.

Dialects

Regional variations of a language.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that pull away from the center and break states apart.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unite people and countries.

Assimilation

Complete adoption of cultural traits by immigrants.

Syncretism

Merging of different cultures.

Multiculturalism

Presence of several different cultures in the same area.

Sovereignty

Right to control and defend a territory.

Territoriality

Control over a specific geographic space.

Political Power

Control over people, land, and resources.

Self-Determination

Right of groups to govern themselves.

Devolution

Shifting of power from central government to regional authorities.

Boundaries

Expressions of sovereignty and culture, on land and water.

Berlin Conference (1884)

Division of Africa by European powers disregarding tribal cultures.

Treaty of Versailles (1920)

Ended WWI and redrew boundaries in Europe.

Establishment of Israel

Formation of Israel post-Holocaust, leading to regional conflict.

Decolonization & Independence Movements (1945-1990)

Self-determination movements leading to new countries after WWII.

Fall of Soviet Union (1991)

End of communism, leading to the creation of new independent states.

Defined Boundaries

Legally agreed locations for borders.

Delimited Boundaries

Identifying locations of defined boundaries.

Demarcated Boundaries

Visible marking of boundaries in the landscape.

Administered Boundaries

Legal management of borders and immigration.

Maritime Boundaries

Boundaries established for trade and shipping.

Autonomy

Self-governing authority of a region.

Balkanization

Fragmentation into smaller, often hostile units.

Climate

Long-term weather patterns affecting agriculture.

Space/Landforms

Physical features determining land usability.

Soil/Nutrients

Qualities of soil for agriculture.

Hearth

Origin point for cultural traits or crops.

Enclosure Movement

Laws enabling landowners to privatize communal land.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming to feed farmers and their communities.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming for sale on the global market.

Monocropping (Monoculture)

Cultivation of one or two crops, often leading to nutrient depletion.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture structured by large corporations.

Economies of Scale

Cost benefits from large-scale farming.

Technological Advances in Agriculture

Improvements that increase operational efficiency and yields.

Commodity Chains

Networks connecting production to customers.

Bid-Rent Theory

Land value increases closer to markets, requiring intensive farming.

Food Desert

Areas with limited access to healthy, affordable food.

Site Factors

Physical characteristics affecting a site's usability.

Situation Factors

Relative location influencing a city's function.

Transportation Networks

Systems enabling movement of goods and people.

GCPI (Global Power City Index)

Evaluates a city on economic power and livability.

Infilling

Redevelopment of vacant land to increase density.

Zoning Laws

Regulations determining land use types.