Unit 1 Vocab

Geography

The study of the earth's landscapes, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments.

Human Geography

A branch of geography that deals with the study of people, their communities, cultures, economies, and interactions with the environment.

Spatial Perspective

A way of looking at the human and physical patterns and their relationships in space.

Scale

The relationship between the portion of the Earth being studied and the Earth as a whole.

Site

The physical character of a place, including its landscape and physical features.

Situation

The location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape.

Cartography

The art and science of map-making.

Maps

A symbolic representation of all or a portion of the Earth’s surface.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A satellite-based system that allows users to determine their exact location on Earth.

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite or other long-distance methods.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

A system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.

Region

An area defined by one or more distinctive characteristics.

Formal Region

An area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics.

Functional Region

An area organized around a central hub or node.

Perceptual Region

An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity.

Diffusion

The process by which a feature, idea, or trend spreads from one place to another over time.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of an idea or innovation through the movement of people.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of a trend or feature from one place to another in a snowballing process.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places.