APHG Vocabulary

I. Geography – Nature & Perspectives

  • Sequent occupance:

    • Definition: Successive societies leave cultural imprints on a place.

    • Importance: Symbolizes human interaction with surroundings, contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape.

  • Cultural landscape:

    • Definition: Modification of a natural landscape by a cultural group.

    • Importance: Essence of human interaction with nature.

  • Density Metrics:

    • Arithmetic density: Total number of people divided by total land area. Commonly perceived density.

    • Physiological density: Number of people per unit of arable land. Relates to land utilization by people.

  • Hearth:

    • Definition: Region from which innovative ideas originate.

    • Importance: Vital for understanding idea diffusion.

  • Diffusion:

    • Definition: Process by which features or trends spread from one place to another over time.

    • Types:

      • Relocation diffusion: Spread of an idea through the physical movement of people (e.g., AIDS spread).

      • Expansion diffusion: Snowballing spread of a feature (e.g., hip-hop music).

        • Hierarchical: Spread from authorities to other locations.

        • Contagious: Rapid, widespread diffusion (e.g., online trends).

        • Stimulus: Spread of underlying principles despite apparent failure to diffuse.

  • Distance Concepts:

    • Absolute distance: Exact physical space measurement between places.

    • Relative distance: Approximate space measurement.

    • Distribution: Arrangement of phenomena across Earth's surface.

  • Environmental determinism:

    • 19th-20th century approach arguing physical environment shapes human activities.

  • Location Concepts:

    • Absolute location: Coordinate system reference (latitude and longitude).

    • Relative location: Location in relation to other features.

    • Site: Physical character of a place and its significance.

    • Situation: Location relative to other places.

II. Population – Migration & Dispersion

  • Age Distribution:

    • Population pyramid shows males and females by age group.

    • Importance: Reflects characteristics of a country (e.g., war impact).

  • Carrying Capacity:

    • Definition: Maximum population supported by available resources.

    • Importance: Indicates sustainability of an area.

  • Cohort:

    • Definition: Population divided by age in population pyramids.

    • Importance: Indicates demographic transition stage.

  • Demographic Equation:

    • Formula: Births - Deaths + Net Migration. Aids in calculating population changes.

  • Demographic Momentum:

    • Tendency for a growing population to continue after fertility decline.

    • Importance: Indicates future demographic stability.

  • Demographic Regions:

    • Cape Verde (Stage 2), Chile (Stage 3), Denmark (Stage 4).

    • Importance: Shows global variation in demographic stages.

  • Demographic Transition Model:

    • Stages: 1. Low growth, 2. High growth, 3. Moderate growth, 4. Low growth, 5. Zero/negative growth.

    • Importance: Illustrates transitions from less to more developed countries.

  • Dependency Ratio:

    • Ratio of dependents (too young or old) to working-age population.

    • Importance: Indicates financial burdens on workers.

  • Fertility Control & Disease Diffusion:

    • Comparison of global fertility rates; important for growth projections.

    • Types of disease diffusion: contagious and hierarchical, important for veterinary health.

  • Doubling Time:

    • Time taken to double a population at a constant growth rate.

    • Importance: Helps project future populations.

  • Epidemiological Transition Model:

    • Defines causes of death in demographic transition stages.

    • Importance: Explains population shifts and health trends.

  • Gendered Space & IMR:

    • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Indicator of development based on infant deaths per 1000 live births.

    • Importance: Higher IMR indicates less developed countries.

III. Cultural Patterns & Processes

  • Acculturation:

    • Adoption of certain customs favorable to a group.

  • Assimilation:

    • Process in which less dominant cultures lose their cultural identity.

  • Cultural Adaptation:

    • Processes by which cultures adjust to changing environments.

  • Cultural Core/Periphery Pattern:

    • Distribution of economic power; core regions have greater economic power.

  • Cultural Identity:

    • Beliefs of belonging to specific cultural groups.

  • Cultural Landscape:

    • Visible imprint of human activity on the landscape.

  • Diffusion Types:

    • Expansion Diffusion: Features spread in snowballing manner.

      • Hierarchical, Contagious, Stimulus.

    • Relocation Diffusion: Idea spread through migration.

  • Innovation Adoption:

    • Study of the spread of new technologies in cultures.

  • Maladaptive Diffusion:

    • Spread of processes with negative consequences.

  • Religious Concepts:

    • Animism, major religions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Islam), conflict impacts.

IV. Political Organization of Space

  • Annexation:

    • Incorporation of territory into another political entity.

  • Antarctica:

    • No permanent residents, not owned by any nation.

  • Apartheid:

    • Racial segregation in South Africa from 1948-1994.

  • Balkanization:

    • Fragmentation of regions into smaller regions, e.g., breakup of Yugoslavia.

  • Boundary Types and Disputes:

    • Exclusionary: Prevents entry (e.g., U.S. and Mexico border).

    • Inclusionary: Facilitates trade (e.g., U.S.-Canada border).

    • Conflicts often arise due to historical land claims.

  • Buffer State:

    • Country between conflicting nations (e.g., Mongolia).

  • Core/Periphery Model:

    • Distinction between developed (core) and developing (periphery) regions.

V. Agricultural & Rural Land Use

  • Agribusiness:

    • Commercial farming integrated into the food-processing industry.

  • Adaptive Strategies:

    • Ways societies adjust agricultural practices to maintain production.

  • Agricultural Origins:

    • Early humans began farming around 8000 B.C. with plant domestication.

  • Commercial vs. Subsistence Agriculture:

    • Commercial agriculture is for profit, subsistence agriculture is for personal consumption.

  • Sustainable Agriculture:

    • Practices that aim to maintain natural resources for future generations.

  • Intensive Subsistence Agriculture:

    • High-effort farming for maximum yield, common in densely populated areas.

  • Third Agricultural Revolution (Green Revolution):

    • Rapid innovation in farming techniques and technologies.

VI. Industrialization & Development

  • Economic Indicators:

    • GDP and GNP measure the economic health and output of countries.

  • Human Development Index (HDI):

    • Combines life expectancy, education, and income to assess development.

  • Measures of Development:

    • Include literacy rates, caloric intake, and infant mortality.

  • Dependency Theory & Neocolonialism:

    • Explains underdevelopment from historical exploitation by MDCs.

VII. Cities & Urban Land Use

  • Urban Models:

    • Various models studied to explain city layouts and functions (e.g., Concentric Zone Model).

  • Agglomeration:

    • Clusters of people or activities that benefit through proximity.

  • Gentrification:

    • Renovation of low-income neighborhoods by middle-class individuals.

  • City Structures:

    • Include CBD, residential areas, and ethnic neighborhoods.

  • Globalization:

    • Impact of worldwide economic relationships on urban development.