APHUG 1.2 2

Flashcards covering types of regions, absolute vs. relative location, prime meridian, time zones, ecotones, intervening opportunities, and the concepts of site and situation.

What characteristic distinguishes the borders of culture regions?

They tend to have fuzzy, undefined borders.

How are the boundaries of political regions typically described?

Political regions have finite and well-defined boundaries.

How are environmental region boundaries typically characterized?

They are transitional and measurable.

What is an ecotone?

The environmental transition zone between two bioregions.

What is a functional (nodal) region?

An area with a central place or node that serves a practical purpose and exerts influence outward.

Market areas belong to which type of region?

They are examples of functional (nodal) regions.

Why do outlet malls often have large areas of influence?

Because they are spaced far apart, drawing shoppers from long distances.

Define an intervening opportunity.

An attraction at a shorter distance that takes precedence over a farther attraction.

On what basis are vernacular regions formed?

They are based on residents’ perceptions or collective mental maps.

Why can the concept of a vernacular region vary within its own area?

Personal or group perceptions differ across the region.

What is absolute location?

A point expressed by latitude and longitude coordinates.

Why does the Prime Meridian run through Great Britain?

Because accurate longitude calculation at sea was developed by the British Royal Navy, leading to its adoption as 0° longitude.

State the latitude of the Equator and of the North & South Poles.

The Equator is 0° latitude; the North and South Poles are 90° latitude.

Why are most time‐zone bands 15° wide?

Dividing 360° of longitude by 24 hours yields 15° per hour.

What is relative location?

The position of a place compared to a known place or geographic feature.

How do the concepts of site and situation work together?

They jointly describe location: site refers to a place’s physical characteristics, while situation (implied) relates it to surrounding features.