AP Human Geography Overview

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the notes across units on population, diffusion, culture, language, religion, political geography, agriculture, and urban systems.

Enclave

A cluster of a minority ethnic group different from the major ethnic group in an area.

Farm Bill

US legislation allocating funds for food stamps, farm subsidies, soil and environmental programs, and rural development.

FRQ Task Verbs

Action words (e.g., describe, analyze, explain, compare) that tell you how to respond to Free-Response Questions.

Geographic Categories

Economic, Social (cultural/demographic), and Political groups used to organize analysis.

Ecumene

The portion of the Earth's surface occupied by permanent human settlement.

Population Distribution

Where people live across a space; influenced by physical and human factors.

Density

A measure of how many people or things occupy a space: arithmetic, physiological, etc.

Arithmetic Density

Number of people per unit area of land.

Physiological Density

Number of people per unit area of arable land.

Agricultural Density

Number of farmers per unit of arable land.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population an area’s resources can sustain, potentially increased by technology.

Population Clusters

Geographic regions with high population concentrations (e.g., East Asia, South Asia, Europe, etc.).

Population Pyramid

A graph showing the distribution of a population by age and sex.

Cohort

A group of people of the same age in a population used for demographic analysis.

Dependency Ratio

Ratio of dependents (young and old) to working-age people.

Population Pyramids Shapes

Pyramids with rapid growth (wide base), slow growth (bottle/beehive), or negative growth (inverted).

DTM (Demographic Transition Model)

Model describing changes in BR and DR as a country develops economically.

Stage 1 (DTM)

Low growth; BR and DR are very high; pre-industrial society.

Stage 2 (DTM)

Rapid growth; BR high, DR declines due to better living conditions.

Stage 3 (DTM)

Medium growth; BR falls, DR stabilizes.

Stage 4 (DTM)

Low growth; BR and DR are both low; mature industrial society.

Stage 5 (DTM)

Negative growth; BR below DR; aging population.

Natural Increase

Births minus deaths; population change excluding migration.

ZPG (Zero Population Growth)

Population neither grows nor declines; BR approximate to DR.

Doubling Time

Projected time for a population to double in size.

Fertility Indicators

Measures of birth-related trends (e.g., TFR, replacement rate, CBR).

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Average number of children a woman would have in her reproductive years.

Replacement Fertility Rate

TFR required to keep a population stable.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

Live births per 1,000 people per year.

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

Deaths per 1,000 people per year.

RNI (Rate of Natural Increase)

CBR minus CDR; natural population growth rate.

Malthusian Theory

Theory that population grows faster than food production, risking famine.

Neo-Malthusians

Modern proponents who warn about resource scarcity and support anti-natal policy.

Cornucopians

Belief that technology will always solve resource problems.

Ester Boserup

Proponent of agricultural intensification and innovation in response to population pressure.

Women & Demographic Change

How women’s education, health, status, and employment affect fertility and growth.

Population Policies

Government approaches to influence population growth (pro-natal/anti-natal, immigration, education).

Pro-Natal Policies

Policies to encourage population growth (childcare, parental leave, incentives).

Anti-Natal Policies

Policies to reduce birth rates (access to contraception, gender equality).

Dependency Ratios

Share of dependents relative to working-age people; aging societies have high ratios.

Forced Migration

Migration compelled by conflict, persecution, or disasters.

Voluntary Migration

Migration based on choice, often for economic opportunity.

Emigrate/Immigrate

To leave a country; to move into a country.

Push Factors

Conditions that drive people to leave a place (war, famine, unemployment).

Pull Factors

Attractions that draw people to a place (jobs, safety, education).

Intervening Opportunities

New opportunities that cause migrants to stop along their journey.

Gravity Model

Concept that larger and closer places attract more migrants.

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

General rules about migration: short distances, urban destinations, etc.

Diaspora

A dispersed population that maintains connections with its homeland.

Relocation Diffusion

Spread of a cultural trait by physical movement of people.

Stimulus Diffusion

Idea spreads but is adapted to fit local use.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread from larger or more influential places to smaller ones.

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid, widespread diffusion from a source outward to nearby areas.

Expansion Diffusion

Spread of an idea through a population in all directions.

Culture

A group’s shared practices, beliefs, values, and material traits.

Culture Traits

Individual elements of a culture (food, greetings).

Culture Complex

Interrelated culture traits that define a group.

Cultural Relativism

Judging a culture by its own standards rather than another’s.

Ethnocentrism

Evaluating another culture using one’s own cultural standards.

Cultural Landscape

Built environment reflecting a culture’s values and identity.

Sense of Place

Personal attachments and meanings assigned to a place.

Placemaking

Designing public spaces to strengthen community identity.

Ethnic Neighborhood/Enclave

A city area where a single ethnic group dominates the landscape.

Sequent Occupance

Process where successive groups leave their imprint on the landscape.

Diffusion

The spread of cultural elements from one area to another.

Hearth

An origin point from which a culture or trait spreads.

Toponym

The name given to a place.

Pidgin

A simplified language used for communication between groups; no native speakers.

Creole

A pidgin that becomes a native language for a community.

Lingua Franca

A third language used for communication between people with different native languages.

Orthography

The conventional spelling system of a language.

Dialect

Regional variation of a language with distinct vocabulary and grammar.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary separating distinct linguistic features.

Religious Diffusion

Spread of religious beliefs and practices across regions.

Monotheistic

Belief in a single deity.

Polytheistic

Belief in multiple deities.

Ethnic Religion

Religions tied to a cultural group, often with limited proselytizing.

Universalizing Religion

Religions that actively seek converts.

Animism

Belief that natural objects and phenomena possess spiritual powers.

Syncretism

Blending of different religious beliefs into a new system.

Secular

Non-religious; separation of church and state.

Theocracy

A state governed by religious law.

Fundamentalism

Strict adherence to religious doctrines.

Centripetal Forces

Ways a country is united (shared identity, common language, national pride).

Centrifugal Forces

Factors that pull a country apart (ethnic conflict, inequality).

State

A political unit with a defined territory and sovereignty.

Nation

A group with a shared heritage or identity, sometimes without a state.

Nation-State

A state whose population is largely homogeneous in ethnicity or culture.

Exclave/Enclave

Exclave: part of a country separated by another country; Enclave: a minority group within a larger area.

Boundaries

Lines that separate political or territorial spaces; types include defined, delimited, demarcated.

UNCLOS

United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas; governs oceans, EEZs, and maritime boundaries.

EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone)

Sea zone extending 200 nautical miles where a state has rights to marine resources.

12-Mile Territorial Sea

Sovereign coastal zone extending 12 miles from shore.

Median Line Principle

Equitable boundary allocation when zones overlap.

Supranational Organizations

Organizations formed by three or more states to achieve shared goals (e.g., EU, NATO).

Devolution

Transfer of powers from central to regional/local governments.

Core-Periphery

Model describing disparities between rich core regions and poorer periphery.

Colonialism

Political and economic system where a more powerful country rules a weaker territory.

Imperialism

Control of territory without settlement; political and economic influence.

Mercantilism

Colonizer exploits colonies for raw materials and markets.