Key Geographic Concepts: Distribution, Regions, and Global Systems

Space

Refers to the area between 2+ things on Earth's surface.

Density

The number of things (people, animals) in a specific area. A city is very dense, having 171,000 people per square mile.

Pattern

How things are arranged in a particular space. Some cities have a neat, geometric layout (grid system).

Flow

The movement of people, goods, and information; important because it has economic, social, political, and cultural effects.

Environmental Determinism

Human behavior is largely controlled by the physical environment. Example: Western Europe and North America are favored, making it incredible as North Africa and Asia civilizations arose earlier and were more advanced.

Possibilism

The environment offers both opportunities and challenges; societies react based on their decisions and technologies available. Example: People divert rivers to irrigate land for agriculture and build dams and aqueducts for drinking water.

Sustainability

The use of Earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future.

Distance Decay

Describes the effect of distance on interactions; the more distance, the less interaction.

Friction of Distance

Distance requires time, effort, and cost to overcome.

Time-space Compression

How technology helps the distances seem shorter. Example: calling someone across the world.

Geographic Concepts

Help explain the distribution of phenomena on Earth by showing where things are located, how concentrated they are, and how they move or interact across space.

Spatial Patterns

Help explain the distribution of phenomena on Earth by showing where things are located.

Flow (in Geography)

Describes how things move or interact across space.

Densely Populated Areas

Areas where fast food restaurants cluster (spatial pattern) and expand over highways where people travel frequently.

Geographers' Scales

Use different scales to fully understand issues at different levels of the world, such as global warming in countries, regions, and communities.

Interaction

The way in which different elements affect one another within a geographic context.

Cultural Effects of Flow

The impact of the movement of people, goods, and information on society.

Economic Effects of Flow

The influence of the movement of people, goods, and information on economic activities.

Political Effects of Flow

The impact of the movement of people, goods, and information on political structures and relationships.

Social Effects of Flow

The influence of the movement of people, goods, and information on social dynamics and relationships.

Geometric Layout

A specific arrangement of structures or areas, often seen in urban planning.

Region

An area on Earth's surface with certain characteristics that make it distinct from other areas.

Formal Region

An area that has one or more shared traits, which can be physical, cultural, or a mix.

Country

A formal political region that shares government, laws, services, and taxes.

Functional Region

An area organized by its function around a focal point or the center of interest/activity.

Node

The focal point of a functional region.

Perceptual (Vernacular) Region

A type of region that reflects people's feelings and attitudes about a place.

Core

Economically and politically dominant on the world stage, characterized by wealth, high education, good technology, and stable governments.

Peripheral Region

Regions that have low cheap labor, high poverty, and are in the process of industrialization.

Semi-peripheral Region

Countries that are less wealthy, have less education, and are less advanced technologically than core countries.

World System Theory

A theory stating that core, semi-periphery, and peripheral countries form a power hierarchy.

Core Countries

Countries with strong governments, skilled labor, and trade partnerships that control and benefit from the world economy.

Peripheral Countries

Countries with weaker, less stable governments and poor infrastructure that have little power outside their borders.

Semi-peripheral Countries

Countries that act as an economic and political link between core and peripheral countries.

Industrialization

The process of developing industries in a country or region.

Transportation Systems

Networks that facilitate the movement of goods and people.

Communication Systems

Networks that enable information exchange.

Economic Activity

The production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Cultural Traits

Shared characteristics that define a group of people.

Geographical Scale

The level of detail or scope at which geographical data is analyzed.

Focal Point

The central point around which a functional region is organized.

Comparison Tools

Methods or frameworks used to analyze and compare different regions.