Unit 1A Vocab

AP Human Geography

absolute location

A precise position on Earth's surface

accessibility

The degree of ease with which it is possible to reach a certain location from other locations. Accessibility varies from place to place and can be measured.

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

cartography

The science of making maps.

choropleth maps

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

circular distribution

Phenomena are equally spaced from a central point, forming a circle, such as distribution of the homes of people who shop at a particular store.

clustered

When objects in an area are close together.

concentration

The spread of something over a given area.

connection

Refers to the relationship among people and objects across the barrier of space.

density

The frequency with which something exists within a given unit of area.

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.

dispersed

The spacing of people within geographic population boundaries.

distance decay (friction of distance)

The diminished importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin.

distortion

The misrepresentation of shape, area, distance, or direction of or between geographic features when compared to their true measurements on the curved surface of the earth.

dot density maps

A map that uses dots to represent objects or 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).

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.

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.

globalization

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

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

The time in the zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0" longitude.

Homogeneous

Of the same or a similar kind or nature.

Homolosine

Is an equal-area pseudocylindrical projection for world maps.

human geography

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

International Date Line

An arc that for the most part follows 180° longitude, although it deviates in several places to avoid dividing land area. When the International Date Line is crossed heading east (lowered America), the clock moves back 24 hours, or one entire day. When it crosses heading west (toward Asia), the calendar moves ahead one day.

isoline maps

On a map, a line that connects or links different places that share a common or equal value, such as elevation.

large-scale maps

Usually have higher resolution and cover much smaller regions than small-scale maps. Map scale ratio in which the ratio of units on the map to units on the earth is quite small.

latitude

The (invisible) horizontal lines circling Earth parallel to the equator; latitude is the degree of distance north or south from the equator, which is at 0 degrees, as far as the poles, which are at 90 degrees.

linear distribution

A settlement pattern in which buildings are arranged in a line, often along a road or river; limited to areas where legal systems dictated that property lines must be rectangular.

longitude

The (invisible) vertical lines on Earth's surface that mark imaginary circles connecting the North Pole with the South Pole.

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.

non-renewable natural resources

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

patterns

The geometric or regular arrangement of something in a particular area.

physical maps

Their primary purpose is to show landforms like deserts, mountains, and plains.

political maps

A map that shows the spatial organization of the countries and territories on the entire globe at a given point in time.

projection

A system used to transfer locations from Earth' surface to a flat map.

reference maps

A map that shows geographic locations on Earth's surface, such as the locations of cities or oceans.

relative location

The position of one place (or person) in relation to the position of another place (or person).

remote sensing

The scanning of Earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it.

Robinson projection

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

scale

Generally, the relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and Earth as a whole.

scales of analysis

The relative size of the map or lens we choose to use to observe geographical phenomena. Also called relative scale, the scale of analysis includes local, regional, national, and global sizes to consider when viewing maps of Earth.

small-scale maps

Show a larger geographic area with few details on them. Small scale maps show large areas like countries or huge geographic areas such as continents.

spatial data

Information that has a geographic aspect to it. In other words, the records in this type of information set have coordinates, an address, city, postal code, or zip code included with them.

spatial patterns

The placement or arrangement of objects on Earth's surface; also includes the space between those objects.

thematic maps

A map that emphasizes the spatial patterns of geographic statistics or attributes, and sometimes the relationships between them.

topographic maps

A graphic representation of the three-dimensional configuration of Earth's surface.

township and range

Land survey system created by the U.S. Land Ordinance of 1785, which divides most of the country's territory into a grid of square-shaped townships with 6-mile sides.