Spring Final Geography Study Guide

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering human and physical geography terms, economic sectors, government types, and population dynamics based on the lecture notes.

Map key

A symbol-based tool used to read and understand information on a map.

Map scale

A tool on a map used to measure distances.

Compass rose

A map symbol used to identify directions.

Physical geography impact on settlement

Factors like good soil, accessible water, and good climate draw people in, while bad climate pushes people away.

Political map

A map that shows boundaries like states and countries.

Physical map

A map that shows landforms like mountains and rivers.

Thematic map

A map that focuses on one specific theme.

MELCO

A set of factors that impact climate.

Refugee

Someone who is forced to leave their country.

Immigrant

Someone who leaves their country to live in another one.

Internally Displaced Person

Someone who flees their country but remains within its borders.

Push factors

Negative conditions like bad weather, politics, or social issues that lead to migration away from a place.

Pull factors

Positive attributes that draw people into a country.

Cultural region

An area where people share similar cultural traits.

Cultural diffusion

The spread of culture from one place to another.

Globalization

The growing connections of countries and cultures worldwide.

Perceptual region

An area defined by people's ideas or feelings about it.

Functional region

An area that usually revolves around infrastructure such as roads, rail lines, cell networks, and power grids.

Formal region

A region based off of real absolute data such as borders, biomes, climate regions, or political regions.

Human Development Index (HDI) / Standard of Living

Combined data that shows development; a high index indicates a higher standard of living.

GDP

Gross domestic product.

GNI

Gross national income.

Urbanization

The process of people migrating into cities.

Gentrification

The gradual making over of a previously poor city neighborhood involving new younger migrants, new businesses, and an increased cost of living.

Spatial Inequality

A concept tied to redlining and the forced relocation of minorities to specific districts in cities.

Infrastructure

Physical structures such as roads, rail, and bridges.

Population Pyramid: Tree shape

Indicates a less developing nation with high birth rates and high death rates, representing Stage 2 of the DTM.

Population Pyramid: Box shape

Indicates a developed country that has stabilized population growth, long life expectancy, low infant mortality, and lower birth rates, representing Stage 4 of the DTM.

Population Pyramid: Cup shape

Indicates a developed nation with declining birth rates, lower marriage rates, labor shortages, and a population in decline, representing Stage 5 of the DTM.

Developed nations

Nations normally characterized by higher economies, higher standards of living, better education systems, and more infrastructure.

Developing nations

Nations characterized by lower economies, lower standards of living, and lower education standards.

Impact of an aging population

Seen in places like Europe and Japan, this leads to fewer workers and more strain on pensions and healthcare.

Impact of a young and growing population

Creates many potential workers but puts pressure on the country to create jobs, schools, and infrastructure.

Political Geography

The study of how people organize land, borders, and governments around the world.

Democracy

A government where people have power in decision making through voting.

Republic

A system of government where citizens elect representatives to vote for them.

Dictatorship

A form of government where the state has total control over the citizens.

Theocracy

A religion-based government.

Traditional Monarchy

A system where the monarch holds significant or total control over citizens.

Constitutional Monarchy

A system where the monarch is held to the power of a constitution.

Communism (Command Economy)

An economic system where the government makes all the major decisions.

Socialism (Mixed Economy)

An economic system that blends market and command elements.

Free Enterprise (Capitalism)

An economic system where privately owned businesses make all the decisions with minimal government interference.

Traditional Economy

An economy based on traditions and ancestral ways of doing things.

Revolution factors

Typically led by there being too much government control.

Water Stress / Water Scarcity

The condition of not having enough water.

Colonialism

When one country takes control over another one.

Deforestation

The complete destruction of forests for land to build cities and for resources like wood.

Apartheid

A system of racial segregation in South Africa where non-white people were denied equal rights.

Sustainable development

Development that meets current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Segregation

Treating different races without equal rights.

Nationalism

Believing that your country is superior to others.

Legacy of colonialism

Evidence in the Human Development Index today where former colonies inherited weaker infrastructure and less diverse economies, leading to lower rankings.

Economic Interdependence

When countries rely on each other for goods, services, or markets, connecting their economies.

Free Trade

When goods and services move throughout countries without tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions.

Multinational Corporation

A company that operates in multiple countries.

Primary Industry

Sectors that extract or harvest natural resources directly, like mining, fishing, or forestry.

Secondary Industry

Sectors that take raw materials and turn them into finished products, like manufacturing or factory work.

Tertiary Industry

Sectors focused on providing services like healthcare, education, and finance.

Quaternary Industry

Sectors focused on research, tech, information services, and innovation.

Supranationalism

When countries join together to make decisions that apply to them all, such as NATAFA.