AP Human Geography Study Guide
🗺 1. Types of Maps
🧭 Main types:
Political map → countries, borders
Physical map → landforms, elevation
Choropleth map → shaded by data (income, population)
Dot distribution map → dots show quantity
Flow-line map → movement (migration, trade)
Topographic map → elevation using contour lines
🧠 Memory trick:
👉 “P-P-C-D-F-T”
(People Prefer Clear Data For Tests)
🌎 2. Scales of Analysis & Regional Analysis
📏 Scales of analysis:
Local → small area (city, neighborhood)
Regional → group of places
National → country level
Global → world scale
🌍 Regional analysis types:
Formal region → shared trait (language, climate)
Functional region → centered around a hub (radio station area)
Vernacular region → people’s sense of place (cultural identity and perception)
🌍 3. World Regions (Cultural Realms simplified)
North America
Latin America
Europe
Sub-Saharan Africa
North Africa / Southwest Asia
East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Central Asia
Austral Realm
👶 4. DTM & ETP
📊 Demographic Transition Model:
High birth/death
Death drops
Birth drops
Stable
Decline
👉 Population change over time
🦠 Epidemiologic Transition Model:
Disease + famine
Pandemics decline
Chronic diseases
Delayed aging diseases
Re-emerging diseases
👉 Causes of death over time
⚖ 5. Malthus vs Boserup
🌱 Malthus (limits)
Population grows too fast
Leads to famine, war
👉 “Too many people, not enough food”
🌾 Boserup (innovation)
Population = pressure → technology improves food supply
👉 “More people = more solutions”
🌍 6. 10 Cultural Realms
Anglo-America
Latin America
Europe
Sub-Saharan Africa
North Africa / SW Asia
South Asia
East Asia
Southeast Asia
Central Asia
Austral Realm
✝☪☸ 7. Major Religions + Locations
✝ Christianity
Europe, Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa
☪ Islam
Middle East, North Africa, Indonesia
☸ Buddhism
East & Southeast Asia
🕉 Hinduism
India, Nepal
✡ Judaism
Israel, diaspora worldwide
🧠 Tip:
👉 Islam = SW Asia + North Africa
👉 Christianity = Americas + Europe
👉 Hinduism = India
🧱 8. Territoriality
👉 Control and defense of space
Examples:
Borders
Fences
Property lines
🌦 9. Climate Regions (World scale)
Tropical (hot/wet)
Dry (deserts)
Temperate (mild seasons)
Continental (cold winters)
Polar (very cold)
🌾 10. First Agricultural Hearths
Fertile Crescent (Middle East)
Indus Valley
Huang He (China)
Mesoamerica
Andes
Sub-Saharan Africa
🌾 11. Von Thünen Model
👉 Farming rings around a city:
Dairy/veg (closest)
Forest
Grains
Ranching (outer)
💰 12. Bid-Rent Theory
👉 Land closer to CBD is more expensive
CBD = highest rent (business)
Outskirts = housing
🏙 13. City Models
🏙 Burgess (concentric rings)
CBD in center
Rings outward
🏙 Hoyt (sector model)
City grows in wedges (along transport)
🏙 Harris-Ullman (multiple nuclei)
Multiple centers (suburbs, airports, etc.)
🏪 14. Central Place Theory
👉 Cities provide goods/services to surrounding areas
Big cities = rare services (hospitals)
Small towns = everyday goods (groceries)
🧲 15. Gravity Model
👉 Bigger cities attract more interaction
Formula idea:
More population = more pull
Distance = reduces interaction
🏭 16. Industrial Revolution Locations
Britain (first)
Western Europe
Northeastern U.S.
👉 Near coal, iron, ports
🌍 17. Rostow’s Stages of Growth
Traditional society
Preconditions for takeoff
Takeoff (industrialization)
Drive to maturity
High mass consumption
👉 Economic development stages
🌍 18. Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory
🌎 Core-Periphery Model:
Core → rich, powerful countries
Semi-periphery → in-between
Periphery → poorer, resource-exporting countries
👉 Global inequality system
🧠 SUPER QUICK MEMORY MAP
🌍 People + Population:
DTM
ETP
Malthus/Boserup
🏙 Cities:
Bid-rent
City models
Central place
Gravity model
🌾 Land + Agriculture:
Von Thünen
Agricultural hearths
🌎 Global systems:
Wallerstein
Rostow
Industrial Revolution
🗺 Geography basics:
Maps
Regions
Cultural realms
Religions
Territoriality
Climate