HGAP Vocab Unit 1

human geography

the branch of geography that studies how human activity affects or is influenced by Earth's surface

globalization

the process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale

sustainability

group of practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs

gender

a general term for the ways in which a society defines the differences between males and females

global citizen

a person who is aware of and understands the wider world and his/her place in it

culture

the shared practices, tech, attitudes, and behaviors that a society transmits from one generation to the next

infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (buildings, roads, public utilities) needed for the operation of a society

map

two dimensional (flat) representation of a geographic area or place

cartographer

someone who makes maps

data aggregation

process of collecting and organizing large amounts of information

spatial perspective

geographic perspective that seeks to identify the uses of space

spatial patterns

placement/arrangement of objects on Earth's surface; includes space between objects

time-distance decay

"first law of geography"; the idea that near things are more related than distant things, and the interaction between 2 places decreases the farther apart they are

map symbols

graphic elements that organize information in a map

legend

explains the meaning of map symbols and colors, usually presented in a box at the corner of a map

compass rose

a drawing, usually on the edge of a map, showing the 4 cardinal directions and the map's orientation

absolute direction

Corresponds to the direction on a compass: north, south, east, west, and combinations such as northeast and southwest

map scale

distance on a map in relation to distance in actual space

ex.: 1 inch on a map might indicate a distance of 100 miles

scale

the territorial extent of an object or idea

absolute distance

the distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length (foot, yard, mile, kilometer)

relative distance

a measurement of the level of social, cultural, or economic similarity between places despite their absolute distance from each other

relative direction

a direction that can be described as position (in front, behind, left, right)

elevation

distance above sea level

isoline

connects/links different places that share a common interest

topographic map

graphic representation of the 3D configuration of Earth's surface

reference maps

a map that shows geographic location on Earth's surface (locations of cities/oceans)

thematic maps

a map that shows data aggregated for a specific geographic area, often using different colors to represent different values

choropleth map

A thematic map that shows data aggregated for a specific geographic area, often using different colors to represent different values

cartogram

A map that distorts the geographic shape of an area in order to show the size of a specific variable; the larger the area on a cartogram, the larger the value of the underlying variable

proportional/graduated circle map

A map that uses symbols (such as circles or dots) of different sizes to represent numerical values

map projection

A method for representing the surface of Earth or a celestial sphere on a plane (two-dimensional) surface; all map projections distort some aspect of Earth's surface

Mercator Projection

A map projection that is useful for navigation because the lines connecting points on the map represent the true compass direction; however, landmasses become increasingly distorted the farther away they are from the equator

Peters Projection

A map projection that shows all landmasses with their true areas but distorts their shapes

Goode Homolosine Projection

a map projection that avoids shape distortion by not having the map rectangular; looks like an orange peel in order to make regions proportional equally

polar projection

a map projection that looks down at Earth from the perspective of one of the poles (North or South)

Robinson projection

a map projection that tries to create the most visually appealing representation of Earth by keeping all types of distortion relatively low over most of the map

census

an official count/survey of a population, typically recording various details about individuals, such as age, sex and race

fieldwork

learning and doing research involving first-hand experience, which takes place outside the classroom setting

absolute location

A precise position on Earth's surface

relative location

The position of a place/person in relation to another place/person

latitude (lines)

the horizontal lines circling Earth parallel to the equator; is the degree of distance north or south of the equator (0 degrees) as far as the poles (90 degrees)

longitude (lines)

the vertical lines on Earth's surface that mark imaginary circles connecting the North Pole with the South Pole

prime meridian

the zero-degree longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England; also known as the Greenwich Meridian

dot density/distribution map

a map that uses dots to represent objects/counts; the dot can represent one object (a one-to-one dot density map) or it can represent a number of objects ( a one-to-many dot density map)

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system of 24 satellites that orbit Earth twice daily and transmit radio signals Earthward; the basis for many map-based apps that provide directions on how to get from one place to another

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A software application for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface; allows the rapid manipulation of geospatial data for problem-solving and research

remote sensing

the scanning of the earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it

aerial photography

remote-sensing photography that produces fine-grained, high-resolution, highly detailed images

satellite imagery

images of earth's surface gathered from sensors mounted on orbiting satellites; these sensors record in both the visible and non-visible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing humans to view patterns and processes that are both visible and invisible to the naked eye

space

the areas we occupy as humans; it has no value until the people who occupy it make their own

place

How we modify space based on who we are as a group of people

cultural landscape

the built forms that cultural groups create in inhabiting Earth - farm fields, cities, houses, etc. - and the meaning, values, representations, and experiences associated with those forms

geographic processes

the physical and human forces that work together to form and transform the world

independent invention

occurs when the same or a very similar innovation is developed at the same time in different places by different people working independently

diffusion

the pattern by which a phenomenon such as the movement of people, or their ideas, technologies, or preferences, spreads from a particular location through space and time

expansion diffusion

occurs when ideas or practices spread throughout a population from area to area, in a snowballing process, so that the total number of users and the areas of occurrence increase

hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from one important person, community, or city to another, bypassing other persons, communities, or rural areas

reverse hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from a lower level of a hierarchy to a higher level

contagious diffusion

The wavelike spread of ideas in the manner of a contagious disease or forest fire, moving throughout space without regard for hierarchy

stimulus diffusion

occurs when a specific trait is rejected, but the underlying idea is accepted

relocation diffusion

Occurs when individuals or groups with a particular idea or practice migrate from one location to another, thereby bringing the idea or practice to their new homeland

time-space compression

the decreasing distance between places, as measured by travel time/cost; often summarized by the phrase "the world is shrinking"

friction of distance

inhibiting effect of distance on the intensity and volume of most forms of human interaction; time-space compression diminishes friction of distance

interdependence

The ties established between regions and countries that over time collectively create a global economic system that is not necessarily based on equality

ecology

a biological science concerned with studying the complex relationships among living organisms and their physical environments

cultural ecology

study of interactions between societies and their local environments

ecosystem

a territorially bounded system consisting of the interaction between humans and the environment

environmental perception

The mental images that comprise humans' perception of nature; environmental perception may be accurate or inaccurate

natural hazard

A physical danger present in the environment, such as a flood, hurricane, volcanic eruption, and earthquake

tsunami

a huge wave produced by the displacement of a large volume of water, often caused by an earthquake

natural resources

Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.

nonrenewable resources

Natural resources that are available on Earth in finite quantities and will eventually be used up

renewable resources

natural resources that Earth will naturally replenish over time

greenhouse gases

compounds in the atmosphere from fossil-fuel combustion (CO2) that absorb and trap heat energy close to Earth's surface

greenhouse effect

the global warming trend caused by rising levels of CO2

environmental determinism

the belief that the physical environment is the dominant force shaping cultures and that humanity is a passive product of its physical surroundings

possibilism

The belief that any physical environment offers a number of possible ways for a society to develop and that humans can find ways to overcome environmental challenges

global scale analysis

geographic scale that looks at geographic phenomena across the entire world

regional scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a particular region

national scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a specific country

local scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a state or province, a city or town, or neighborhood

global perspective

Geographic perspective that acknowledges the two-way relationship between local communities and global patterns, emphasizing that the forces of globalization need to take into account local-scale cultural, economic, and environmental conditions

region

a geographical unit based on one or more common characteristics/functions

formal region

A geographical area inhabited by people who have one or more traits in common

border zone

A region where cultural markers overlap and blend into a recognizable border culture

functional region

a geographic area that has been organized to function politically, socially, culturally, or economically as a unit

nodes

central points where the functions of a functional region are coordinated and directed

metropolitan area

An area composed of a heavily populated urban core and its less populated surrounding areas

perceptual/vernacular region

a geographic area that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants, based on the widespread acceptance and use of a unique regional name

mental map

a personal representation of a portion of Earth's surface

sense of place

how a person feels about a particular place and why it's important to him/her

activity space

where a person goes and what he/she does on a day to day basis

regional identity

The awareness of belonging to a group of people within a region

contested boundaries

boundaries that are disputed for religious, political, or cultural reasons

regional analysis

process of examining patterns and processes within and between regions at multiple geographic scales (local, national, regional, global)