Key terms

Absolute distance

A distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length, such as a mile or kilometer.

Absolute location

The exact position of an object or place, measured within the spatial coordinates of a grid system.

Accessibility

The relative ease with which a destination may be reached from some other place.

Azimuthal projection

A map projection in which the plane is the most developable surface.

Breaking point

The outer edge of a city’s sphere of influence, describing the area of a city’s hinterlands that depend on that city for retail supplies.

Cartography

The theory and practice of making visual representations of Earth’s surface in the form of maps.

Choropleth map

A thematic map that uses tones or colors to represent spatial data as average values per unit area.

Cognitive map

An image of a portion of Earth’s surface that an individual creates in their mind, including knowledge of actual locations and personal perceptions.

Connectivity

The degree of economic, social, cultural, or political connection between two places.

Contagious diffusion

The spread of a disease, innovation, or cultural traits through direct contact with another person or place.

Cultural ecology

The study of the interactions between societies and the natural environments in which they live.

Cultural landscape

The human-modified natural landscape containing the imprint of a particular culture or society.

Distance Decay Effect

The decrease in interaction between two phenomena as the distance between them increases.

Dot maps

Thematic maps that use points to show the precise locations of specific observations or occurrences.

Environmental geography

The intersection between human and physical geography, exploring the spatial impacts humans have on the physical environment.

Expansion diffusion

The spread of ideas, innovations, or phenomena to surrounding areas through contact and exchange.

Formal region

Definition of regions based on common themes such as similarities in language, climate, or land use.

Friction of distance

A measure of how much absolute distance affects the interaction between two places.

Functional region

Definition of regions based on common interaction or function, such as the circulation of a particular newspaper.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A set of computer tools used to capture, store, transform, analyze, and display geographic data.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A set of satellites used to help determine location anywhere on Earth’s surface with a portable device.

Gravity Model

A mathematical formula that describes the level of interaction between two places based on population size and distance.

Hierarchical diffusion

A type of diffusion transmitted between places due to a physical or cultural community.

Intervening opportunity

A closer supplier blocking a third supplier from sharing its goods or services due to proximity.

Large scale

A relatively small ratio between map units and ground units, covering smaller regions with higher resolution.

Latitude

The angular distance north or south of the equator, defined by lines of latitude or parallels.

Longitude

The angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, defined by lines of longitude or meridians.

Mercator projection

A cylindrical map projection useful for navigation, maintaining accurate direction but distorting area.

Meridian

A line of longitude that runs north-south, equal in length and intersecting at the poles.

Natural landscape

The physical landscape or environment that has not been affected by human activities.

Parallel

An east-west line of latitude that runs parallel to the equator, marking distance north or south.

Perceptual region

An individualized definition of regions based on perceived commonalities in culture and landscape.

Physical geography

The realm of geography studying the structures, processes, and changes of natural phenomena on Earth’s surface.

Prime meridian

An imaginary line through Greenwich, England, marking the 0° line of longitude.

Projection

The system used to transfer locations from Earth’s surface to a flat map.

Qualitative data

Data associated with a humanistic approach to geography, often collected through interviews and observations.

Quantitative data

Data associated with mathematical models and statistical techniques for analyzing spatial location.

Reference map

A map type showing reference information for a particular place, useful for navigation.

Region

A territory encompassing many places sharing similar physical and/or cultural attributes.

Regional geography

The study of geographic regions.

Relative distance

A measure of distance that includes the costs of overcoming the friction of absolute distance.

Relative location

The position of a place relative to the places around it.

Relocation diffusion

The diffusion of ideas or behaviors from one place to another through migration.

Remote sensing

The observation and measurement of Earth’s surface using aircraft and satellites.

Resolution

A map’s smallest discern