Geographically Unit Organizer (Unit 1)
List 1 (Criteria J, K, L)
World Systems Theory: A theory that explains the world system as a complex social system that extends beyond individual nations and is divided into core, semi-periphery, and periphery countries.
MDC/core country: More Developed Country; a country with a high level of industrialization, urbanization, and standards of living.
LCD/periphery country: Less Developed Country; a country with a lower level of industrialization and lower standards of living.
Developing country/semi-periphery country: A country that has made some progress toward development but does not yet reach the level of MDCs.
BRICS countries: An economic group of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Primary sector: Economic activities that involve the extraction of natural resources (e.g., agriculture, mining).
Secondary sector: Economic activities that involve manufacturing and processing (e.g., construction, industry).
Tertiary sector: Economic activities that provide services instead of goods (e.g., retail, healthcare).
HDI: Human Development Index; a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
GII: Gender Inequality Index; an index for measurement of gender disparity in a country.
GDP: Gross Domestic Product; the total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a specific time period.
GDP per capita: The GDP divided by the population of the country, indicating the economic output per person.
List 2 (Criteria A, B, C)
Political map: A map that shows governmental boundaries of countries, states, and counties.
Physical map: A map that illustrates the physical landscape features of an area, such as mountains, valleys, and plains.
Choropleth map: A type of map that uses different shades or colors to represent data values in predefined areas.
Dot distribution map: A map that uses dots to represent the presence of a feature or phenomenon in a given area.
Graduated symbol map: A map that uses symbols of different sizes to represent quantitative data associated with a geographic location.
Isoline map: A map that uses lines to connect points of equal value. Often used for showing temperature, elevation, or rainfall.
Cartogram: A map in which the shape and size of geographic regions are distorted to convey information about a particular theme.
Quantitative data: Data that can be quantified and used for statistical analysis.
Qualitative data: Data that is descriptive and conceptual, often used to describe qualities or characteristics.
Remote sensing: The acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact, typically using satellite or aerial imagery.
Census data: Data collected about a population, including statistics on age, race, income, and education.
GIS (Geographic Information System): A system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.
GPS (Global Positioning System): A satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on Earth.
List 3 (Criteria D, E, F)
Site/Absolute location: The exact position of a place on the Earth's surface, often defined by coordinates.
Situation/Relative location: The location of a place in relation to other places and the context in which it exists.
Space: The physical gap or interval between two objects.
Location: A specific place or position, often distinguished from the concept of space.
Scale: The relationship between the distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground.
Density: The number of something per unit of area.
Distribution: The way something is spread out over an area or arranged in space.
Globalization: The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.
Distance decay: The diminishing importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin.
Friction of distance: The increased effort, time, and cost associated with moving between places as the distance increases.
Space-time compression: The reduction in the time it takes for something to reach another place as a result of technological advancements and globalization.
List 4 (Criteria G, H)
Environmental determinism: The belief that the physical environment, particularly the climate and terrain, shapes human behavior and culture.
Possibilism: The theory that while the environment may limit cultural development, human beings have the ability to adapt and modify their environment.
Sustainability: The ability to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals): A collection of 17 global goals designed to be a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
Scale of analysis: The level of detail or the geographical extent that is used to analyze data and issues.
List 5 (Criteria I)
Diffusion: The process by which a characteristic spreads from one place to another over time.
Expansion diffusion: The spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in a snowballing process.
Hierarchical diffusion: The spread of an idea or innovation from influential or powerful individuals or nodes to others.
Relocation diffusion: The spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another.
Contagious diffusion: The rapid widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population.
Stimulus diffusion: The diffusion of an underlying principle, even though a specific characteristic is rejected.
Reverse hierarchical diffusion: The spread of ideas from lower to higher classes or from rural to urban areas.
Hearth: The region from which innovative ideas originate.
List 6 (Criteria H)
Region: An area distinguished by a unique combination of cultural and physical features.
Formal region: An area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics.
Functional region/nodal region: An area organized around a node or focal point, usually characterized by a common purpose or function.
Perceptual region/vernacular region: An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity, often based on personal perception.
Regionalism: A strong identification with and pride in a particular region of a country, which can lead to political or cultural movements.