AP HUG (UNIT 1)

Physical Geography

The study Earth’s natural features such as landforms, climate and ecosystems

human geography

The study of people, cultures, economies, and their interactions with the environment.

Spatial Perspective

Looks at where things are located, why they are there, and how they are related.

Ecological Perspective

Focuses on how humans interact with the environment and how the environment influences human life.

Location

A position on earths surface

Absolute Location

The exact position, usually given in latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Describes a place in relation to other places.

Place

The unique physical and human characteristics that define an area.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, such as climate, soil, and water supply.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places or important features. (like trade routes)

Mental Map

A person's internal, personal map of places based on knowledge and experience.

Distance decay

The idea that interaction between places decreases as the distance between them increases

Time-Space Compression

They sense that the world feels “smaller” because improvements in communication and transportation.

Space

The physical gap between two objects or places.

Pattern

The arrangements of objects or phenomena in space (can be linear, clustered, or random)

Flow

The movement of people, goods, ideas, or information between places.

Distribution

The way something is spread out or arranged across Earth’s surface.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the environment strongly shapes human culture and behavior.

Possibilism

The belief that humans have the ability to adapt to and modify the environment.

Sustainability

Using resources in ways that meet current needs while preserving them for future generations.

 Scale of Analysis

The level at which geographic data is studied (global, regional, national, local).

Global Scale

Examines worldwide patterns (e.g., spread of COVID-19).

Regional Scale

Focuses on areas larger than a city but smaller than the world (e.g., the European Union)

 National Scale

Country-level data (e.g., U.S. population distribution).

Local Scale

Smaller units such as cities, counties, or neighborhoods.

Region

An area distinguished by one or more unique characteristics.

Formal Region

Defined by measurable, shared traits (e.g., Rocky Mountains, political boundaries).

Functional Region

Defined by connections and interactions (e.g., New York City metro area, newspaper delivery area).

Vernacular (Perceptual) Region

Based on people’s perceptions or cultural identity (e.g., “The South,” “The Middle East”).

Globalization

 Increasing interconnectedness of people, places, and economies through flows of goods, information, people, and ideas.

Sustainable development

Meeting present needs without limiting future generations’ ability to meet theirs (balance environment–economy–society).

World-systems theory

Model of the global economy organized into core, semi-periphery, and periphery linked by unequal economic relationships.

Core

High skill, capital-intensive, command-and-control functions; higher wages and technology.

Semi-periphery

Bridge role with mixed characteristics; significant manufacturing/services; mid wages and regulation.

Periphery

Raw materials/primary sector, lower wages and regulation; often dependent on external demand/investment.