APHG unit 1 flashcards

Absolute location

the precise, unchanging position of a place on Earth's surface, defined by a specific coordinate system like latitude and longitude or a street address

Cartography

the art and science of making maps

Census Data

the systematic collection of demographic information about a population, including details like age, gender, and race, usually collected every ten years

Contagious diffusion

the rapid spread of a cultural trait or idea through a population by direct, person-to-person contact

Density

the frequency or number of something in a given space

Diffusion

the spatial spreading of a cultural element, idea, or innovation from one place or group to another over time

Distance-decay

the concept that interactions between two places decrease as the distance between them increases

Distribution

the spatial arrangement of a phenomenon, such as how people, cities, or cultures are spread across a given area

Environmental determinism

the theory that human culture, societal development, and behavior are determined by the physical environment, particularly climate and geography

Equator

an imaginary line of latitude at 0 degrees that encircles the Earth, dividing it into the Northern and Southern hemispheres

Expansion diffusion

the process where a cultural trait, idea, or innovation spreads from its origin outward to new areas while simultaneously increasing in number in those areas

Field data

information collected directly in the real world through fieldwork

Formal region

an area with a high level of consistency in a specific cultural or physical attribute, such as a shared language, climate, or political system

Friction of distance

the concept that the effort, time, and cost required to overcome distance increases with greater distance

Functional region

an area organized around a central node or focal point, such as a city or airport, which is connected by transportation, communication, or economic systems

Geospatial data

information that can be tied to a specific physical location on Earth

Geographic information system (GIS)

a computer system that collects, stores, analyzes, and displays spatial data to identify patterns and relationships, helping in decision-making

Globalization

the process of increased interconnectedness and interdependence among economies, cultures, and populations across the world, driven by advances in communication, transportation, and trade

Global positioning system (GPS)

a satellite-based navigation system that provides a precise location and time on Earth

Gravity Model

a mathematical formula that predicts the interaction between two places based on their populations and the distance between them

Hierarchical diffusion

the spread of an idea, innovation, or cultural trend from a place or person of power or influence down through a structured network, often to less influential people or places

Hearth

the geographic origin of a cultural trait, innovation, or idea that then spreads to other areas

International Date Line

an imaginary line that follows the approximate path of the 180 degrees longitude meridian in the Pacific Ocean, separating one calendar day from the next

Large scale

large-scale maps, which show a small area with a high level of detail (like a city neighborhood)

Latitude

the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator, expressed in degrees

Less developed country (LDC)

a nation with low income, low levels of industrialization, and a lower standard of living compared to more developed countries

Longitude

the angular measurement of how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian

Major world regions

areas on Earth defined by a combination of shared human and physical characteristics

Mercator projection

a cylindrical map projection that is useful for navigation because it preserves shapes and angles, but it distorts the relative size of landmasses, making areas closer to the poles appear much larger than they are

More developed country (MDC)

A nation with a high level of economic growth, technological infrastructure, and high per capita income. Examples include the United States, Canada, and Japan

Model

a simplified representation of a complex geographic phenomenon used to help understand, analyze, and predict patterns

Possibilism

the theory that the physical environment offers a range of possibilities for human activity, but that human choices, culture, and technology determine how these options are used

Prime meridian

the imaginary line of 0 degrees longitude that runs through Greenwich, England, serving as the starting point for measuring longitude east and west around the globe

Projection

a method used to represent the three-dimensional surface of the Earth on a flat map

Regions

an area of Earth's surface that is defined and organized by one or more shared characteristics, which can be human (like culture, language, or politics) or physical (like climate, landforms, or vegetation)

Relative location

the position of a place in relation to other places or features around it

Relocation diffusion

the spread of cultural traits, ideas, and innovations through the physical movement of people who carry their culture with them as they migrate from one place to another

Remote sensing

the acquisition of information about Earth's surface from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft, to analyze geographical patterns, environmental changes, and human activity

Robinson projection

a compromise map projection that balances distortions of area, shape, distance, and direction to create a visually appealing world map

Scale

the amount of territory being studied (from local to global), and map scale, the ratio between a map's distance and the real-world distance it represents

Site

the specific physical characteristics of a location, such as its topography, climate, vegetation, and available water and mineral resources

Situation

the location of a place in relation to other places and its surrounding environment, focusing on its connectivity and accessibility

Small scale

represents a large area with less detail, such as a world map or a map of a continent

Space

the physical gap or distance between objects on the Earth's surface

Time-space compression

technological and transportation advancements reduce the perceived distance between places, making the world feel smaller

Spatial analysis

the process of examining the locations, attributes, and relationships of features on Earth's surface to understand patterns, processes, and the spatial expression of human behavior

Stimulus diffusion

a type of cultural diffusion where an underlying idea spreads to a new culture, but the original trait is modified to fit the new context

Sustainability

the use of Earth's renewable and nonrenewable resources in a way that ensures their availability for future generations

Time zones

a region that observes a uniform standard time

Toponym

the name given to a place on Earth, such as a mountain, river, settlement, or country

Uneven development

the unequal distribution of wealth, resources, and opportunities within and between countries and regions, resulting in some areas experiencing rapid progress while others lag behind

vernacular region

a perceptual region defined by people's informal, subjective cultural identity and shared beliefs, rather than by strict, objective boundaries

Wallerstein’s world systems model

a theory in that divides the global economy into three tiers: core, semi-periphery, and periphery