AP HUG

Geography

The study of where things are located and why they are located there, examining the spatial patterns and relationships between people, places, and environments.

Spatial

Relating to the location, distribution, or arrangement of things on Earth's surface.

Place

A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular character, including both physical and human characteristics.

Space

The physical gap or distance between two objects or places.

Region

An area of Earth distinguished by a distinctive combination of cultural and/or physical features.

Formal region

A region defined by a common, official, or measurable characteristic shared by everyone within its boundaries (e.g., a country or state).

Functional region

A region defined by a set of interactions or connections that operate from a central node or focal point outward (also called a nodal region).

Vernacular region

A region defined by people's perceptions or feelings about an area, rather than objective data (also called a perceptual region).

Absolute location

The exact position of a place on Earth's surface, usually described using latitude and longitude.

Relative location

The position of a place in relation to other places or features.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, such as its climate, water sources, topography, and soil.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places, including its accessibility and connections (also called relative location in context).

Distance decay

The idea that interaction between two places declines as the distance between them increases.

Space time compression

The idea that technology and improved transportation/communication have reduced the effective distance between places.

Scale

The relationship between the size of an area on a map and the actual size of that area on Earth; also, the level of analysis (local, regional, national, global).

Toponym

The name given to a place on Earth.

Cartography

The science and practice of mapmaking

Map projection

A method of representing the curved, three-dimensional surface of Earth on a flat, two-dimensional map, which inevitably introduces some distortion.

GIS (Geographic Information System)

A computer-based system used to collect, store, analyze, and display geographic (spatial) data in layers.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A satellite-based navigation system used to determine precise locations on Earth's surface.

Remote sensing

The collection of data about Earth's surface from satellites or other devices high above the surface.

Mental Map (Cognitive Map)

An individual's internal representation or perception of a place, shaped by personal experience and knowledge.

Human environmental interaction

The relationship and interplay between people and their physical environment, including how humans adapt to, modify, and depend on it.

Cultural landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the physical environment, reflecting the values and practices of the culture that shaped it.

Diffusion

The process by which a characteristic (idea, innovation, disease, etc.)
spreads from its point of origin over an area.