AP Human Geo-Midterm Review

Physical Geography

Study of natural processes and distribution of features in the environment

Human Geography

The study of human activities and their relationship to the cultural and physical environments.

Spatial Perspective

Refers to where something occurs

Ecological Perspective

Refers to living things and their environment

Location

A specific point or area on the Earth's surface.

Absolute Location

The exact position of a place on the Earth's surface, usually expressed in coordinates (latitude and longitude).

Meridians

Lines of longitude that run from the North Pole to the South Pole.

Parallels

Lines of latitude that run parallel to the equator.

Latitude

The distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees.

Longitude

The distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees.

Relative Location

The position of a place in relation to other places.

Place

Location on Earth known by its physical and human characteristics

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, including its terrain, soil, and climate.

Situation

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

Space

the area between two or more things on Earth's surface

Distribution

Studying the way things are arranged within a given space

Density

# of things in a specific area (people, animals, objects)

Pattern

how things are arranged in a particular space

Flow

The movement of people, goods, or information from one location to another.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment, especially the climate, shapes human behaviors and societal development.

Possibilism

The physical environment may limit some human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to their environment.

Sustainability

The ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Distance Decay

The farther away one thing is from another, the less interaction the two things have

Friction of Distance

The concept that distance creates a barrier to interaction and communication.

Time-space Compression

The process by which the relative distance between places is reduced due to advancements in transportation and communication.

Scale

Refers to the area of the world being studied

Region

An area with certain characteristics that makes it distinct from other areas.

Formal Region

An area defined by official boundaries and uniform characteristics.

Functional Region

An area organized around a node or focal point, characterized by a specific function.

Node

The central point of a functional region.

Perceptual or Vernacular Region

An area defined by people's perceptions and feelings rather than formal boundaries.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.

World Systems Theory

A theory that emphasizes the world as a complex system of interrelated parts, focusing on the relationships between core, semi-periphery, and periphery countries.

Core

Countries that are economically and politically dominant, often characterized by high levels of wealth and education.

Periphery

Countries that are less developed, often with unstable governments and lower levels of wealth and education.

Semi-periphery

Countries that are in the process of industrializing and have characteristics of both core and periphery countries.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Quantitative data

info that can be measured numerically.

Qualitative data

interpetations of data sources, often collected through interviews and observations.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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

Topography

The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area.

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact, often through satellite or aerial imagery.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on Earth.

Cartographers

Individuals who create maps.

Absolute Distance

The exact measurement of the space between two points.

Relative Distance

The distance between two places as measured by the time or cost it takes to travel between them.

Absolute Direction

A compass direction such as north, south, east, or west.

Relative Direction

A direction such as left, right, forward, or backward that is based on a person's perspective.

Map Scales

The ratio of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground.

How does map scale work?

The smaller the scale, the bigger the area

Map Projections

Methods used to represent the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map.

Robinson Projection

A map projection that attempts to balance size and shape, providing a visually appealing representation of the world.

Mercator Projection

A cylindrical map projection that distorts size but preserves shape, commonly used for navigation.

Gall-Peters Projection

A map projection that represents areas in true proportion but distorts shapes, emphasizing the size of developing countries.

Azimuthal Projection

A map projection that shows the Earth from a specific point, often used for polar regions.

Reference Maps

Maps that show the location of various features in an area, such as roads, rivers, and boundaries.

Thematic Maps

Maps that focus on a specific theme or subject, such as population density or climate.

Isoline Maps

Maps that use lines to connect points of equal value, such as elevation or temperature.

Graduated Symbols Map

A map that uses symbols of different sizes to represent data values, such as population size.

Cartogram

A map that distorts the size of areas based on a specific variable, such as population.

Dot Map

A map that uses dots to represent the presence of a feature or phenomenon in a given area.

Choropleth Map

A map that uses different shades or colors to represent data values in predefined areas.

Population Distribution

The way in which people are spread across a given area.

Uniform Population Distribution

A pattern where individuals are evenly spaced across an area.

Clustered Population Distribution

A pattern where individuals are grouped closely together.

Linear Population Distribution

A pattern where individuals are arranged in a line, often along a resource or transportation route.

Random Population Distribution

A pattern where individuals are spread without a predictable pattern.

Physical Factors in Human Settlement

Natural features such as climate and landforms that influence where people live.

Climate

The long-term average of weather conditions in a particular area.

Temperate Climate

A climate characterized by mild temperatures and moderate precipitation.

Human Migration

The movement of people from one place to another with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently.

Population Density

The number of people occupying a unit of land

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people divided by the total land area.

Physiological Density

The number of people per unit area of arable land.

Arable Land

Land suitable for growing crops.

Agricultural Density

The ratio of the number of farmers to the amount of arable land.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Dependency Ratio

The ratio of the dependent population (those not in the labor force) to the working-age population.

Sex Ratio

The ratio of males to females in a population.

Demographics

Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

Fertility

The natural capability to produce offspring.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

The number of live births per 1,000 people in a population per year.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman would have during her lifetime based on current birth rates.

Mortality

The incidence of death in a population.

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population per year.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.

Life Expectancy

The average period that a person may expect to live.

Population Pyramids

Graphical representations of the age and sex distribution of a population.

Rate of Natural Increase (RNI)

The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths in a population.

Doubling Time

The period of time required for a quantity to double in size or value.

Urbanization

The increasing number of people that live in urban areas.

Malthus's Theory of Population Growth

The theory that population growth will outpace food production, leading to famine and conflict.

Overpopulation

A situation where the number of people exceeds the capacity of the environment to support life.

Neo-Malthusian

A modern adaptation of Malthus's theory, emphasizing the need for population control.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that describes the stages a country goes through as it transitions from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model that describes the changes in population health and mortality patterns as a country develops.

Antinatalist

Policies or beliefs that discourage population growth.

Pronatalist

Policies or beliefs that encourage population growth.

Land Degradation

long-term damage to the soil's ability to support life

Mobility

All types of movement from one location to another.