AP Human Geography Fall Exam Study Guide

AP Human Geography Fall Exam Study Guide

Exam Structure

  • Total Points: 125 points

    • 50 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) at 2 points each

    • 1 Free Response Question (FRQ) worth 15 points

    • 1 Reflection Question worth 10 points

Unit 1: Thinking Geographically

  • Human Geography vs. Physical Geography

    • Human Geography: Study of human activities and their relationship to the cultural and physical environments. Example: Analyzing the distribution of religions across continents.

    • Physical Geography: Study of natural features of the earth’s surface and the processes that shape them. Example: Studying the formation of mountain ranges or river systems.

  • Key Terms:

    • Cartography: The art and science of map-making. Example: Creating a political map of the world.

    • Projection: The method of representing the earth's curved surface on a flat surface. Example: The Mercator Projection, which distorts the size of landmasses near the poles.

    • Various types of projections may distort certain geographical features.

    • Choropleth: A type of map that uses color or shading to indicate the quantity or density of a variable in areas. Example: A map showing population density by county, with darker shades indicating higher density.

    • Cartogram: A map where the size of the areas are distorted according to a specified variable/statistic, often population. Example: A world map where the size of each country is drawn proportionally to its population, rather than its land area. Canada and Morocco shown as same size because they have similar population.

    • Toponym: Practice of giving a name to a place or geographical feature. Example: 'New York City', named after the Duke of York.

    • Distribution: The arrangement of a feature in space/the way a phenomena is spread over an area. Example: The clustered distribution of fast-food restaurants along a major highway. Types: Clustered or agglomerated, linear, dispersed, circular, geometric, and random.

    • Regions and Types of Regions:

    • Formal Region: Defined by uniform characteristics. Example: The state of Texas, defined by its political boundaries.

    • Functional Region: Organized around a central node and its surrounding areas. Example: The service area of a particular pizza delivery company.

    • Vernacular Region: Based on people's perceptions. Example: "The South" in the United States, defined by shared cultural perceptions rather than strict boundaries.

    • Autonomous Region: A defined area that has a degree of self-governance, often with a distinct cultural or ethnic identity. Example: Hong Kong, which maintains a separate legal and economic system from mainland China.

    • Semi-Autonomous Region: A region that has some degree of autonomy but is still subject to the overarching authority of a central government. Example: Greenland, which has its own government and controls many local affairs while being part of the Kingdom of Denmark.    

Unit 2: Populations and Migration

  • Population Density and Types:

    Population density refers to the number of people living per unit of area, typically expressed as people per square kilometer. There are several types of population density metrics, including:

    • Arithmetic Density: The total population divided by the total land area, providing a general sense of how crowded an area is. Example: US pop. = 328,239,523 in a total of 3,841,999 square miles. 328,239,523/3,841,999 = 35.9 people per square kilometer or 22.2 per square mile.

    • Physiological Density: The number of people per unit of arable land, indicating pressure on agricultural resources. Helps determine carrying capacity. Example: Egypt has 2.8 % arable land, physiological density of 8,078/sq. mile compared to arithmetic density of 226/sq. mile. Indicates small % of region’s land is capable of growing crops.

    • Agricultural Density: The ratio of farmers to the amount of arable land, reflecting the efficiency and productivity of the agricultural sector. Example: Bangladesh vs. The Netherlands Ag. Density. The Netherlands low 31/sq. mile = Dutch Farmers can afford tech + produce more crops then Bangladesh with 431/sq. mile.

    • Crude Birth Rate (CBR): The number of live births per 1,000 people in a year. Example: A country records 15 live births per 1,000 residents annually.

    • Crude Death Rate (CDR): The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year. Example: A country records 8 deaths per 1,000 residents annually.

    • Natural Increase Rate (NIR): The difference between the number of live births and deaths during a specific period. Example: A country with a CBR of 15 and CDR of 8 has an NIR of 7 per 1,000 (0.7%0.7\%).

    • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births in a year. Example: A rate of 5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in a developed country.

    • Life Expectancy: The average number of years a person can expect to live based on current mortality rates. Example: Japan's life expectancy is approximately 85 years.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM): A model that describes the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops economically. Example: Countries in Stage 2 (e.g., many developing nations) exhibit high birth rates and falling death rates due to improved healthcare. SKETCH

  1. Stage 1: High birth and death rates, leading to a stable population.

  2. Stage 2: High birth rates and falling death rates, resulting in rapid population growth.

  3. Stage 3: Birth rates begin to decline, and population growth starts to slow.

  4. Stage 4: Both birth and death rates are low, stabilizing the population.

  5. Stage 5: Potential decline in population due to very low birth rates.

  • Population Pyramids: A graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population, typically forming the shape of a pyramid. Example: A population pyramid for a developing country may display a wide base, indicating a high proportion of youth, while a developed country may show a more rectangular shape, reflecting an aging population. SKETCH

  • Epidemiological transition Model: A theory that describes the changing patterns of population mortality and disease as a country develops, illustrating the shift from infectious diseases prevalent in low-income countries to chronic, lifestyle-related diseases common in high-income countries. SKETCH

  • Malthusian Theory: The theory proposed by Thomas Malthus that population growth is potentially exponential while food supply growth is linear, leading to potential overpopulation and famine. Example: Malthus's prediction that unchecked population growth would outpace agricultural production, leading to widespread food shortages.

  • Reasons for Migration:

    • Push Factors: Negative aspects that drive people away from their home location (e.g. war, economic hardship). Example: The civil conflict in Syria forcing millions to flee their homes.

    • Pull Factors: Positive aspects that attract people to a new location (e.g. job opportunities, safety). Example: The availability of high-paying tech jobs in Silicon Valley attracting skilled workers from around the world.

  • Types of Migrants:

    • Refugee: A person who flees their home country due to fear of persecution. Example: Individuals fleeing political persecution or war in Afghanistan.

    • Asylum Seeker: An individual seeking international protection after fleeing their home country. Example: A person arriving in a new country and formally requesting protection from persecution in their home country.

    • Internally Displaced Person (IDP): A person forced to flee their home but who remains within their country's borders. Example: Residents of Sudan displaced by conflict but who have not crossed an international border.

Unit 3: Culture

  • Key Terms Related to Culture:

    • Toponyms: The names of places that reflect aspects of culture. Example: 'Salt Lake City' reflecting the presence of a salt lake and historical religious groups.

    • Ethnic Enclave: A geographic area with a high concentration of a specific ethnic group. Example: Chinatown in San Francisco, known for its distinct Chinese cultural identity.

    • Enclave = Completely surrounded by other territories.

    • Exclave = Separate from other territories.

    • Culture Defined: The shared beliefs, practices, norms, and values of a group. Example: American culture includes holidays like Thanksgiving, a democratic political system, and popular sports like baseball.

  • Types of Culture:

    • Folk Culture: Traditional practices of small, homogeneous groups in rural areas. Example: Amish communities in Pennsylvania, characterized by traditional farming practices and conservative dress.

    • Popular Culture: Culture that is found in a large, heterogeneous society that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics. Typically urban. Example: The global spread of fast-food chains like McDonald's or popular music genres like pop.

  • Cultural Diffusion:

    • Types of Diffusion:

    • Relocation Diffusion: The spread of cultural traits through the movement of people. Example: The spread of Italian cuisine (e.g., pizza) to the United States with Italian immigrants.

    • Expansion Diffusion: The spread of a cultural phenomenon from its original location to other areas.

      • Examples include hierarchal, contagious, and stimulus diffusion.

      • Hierarchical Diffusion: Spreads from nodes of power or authority. Example: Fashion trends originating in major cities like Paris or New York and then spreading to smaller towns.

      • Contagious Diffusion: Rapid, widespread diffusion throughout a population. Example: The rapid spread of a viral video across social media platforms.

      • Stimulus Diffusion: The underlying concept spreads, but not the specific trait. Example: The spread of the idea of fast food, leading to local versions adapted to different cultural tastes (e.g., McDonald's offering vegetarian options in India).

  • Centripetal Forces: Forces that unite or bind a country together (e.g. shared language). Example: A shared national language, national holidays, and sports teams uniting a diverse population. + A dominant religion, like Hinduism in India and Nepal, can create a powerful sense of unity.

  • Centrifugal Forces: Forces that divide a country or hinder its unity (e.g. ethnic divisions). Example: Linguistic divisions within Belgium between French and Flemish speakers.

  • Language:

    • Two Largest Language Families:

    • Indo-European

    • Sino-Tibetan

    • Lingua Franca: A language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different. Example: English in international business, aviation, and diplomacy.

    • Reasons for Extinction or Endangerment of Languages: Factors including globalization, cultural homogenization, and lack of speakers. Example: Indigenous languages facing decline due to the dominance of national or global languages in education and media.

  • Religion:

    • Largest Universalizing Religion: Christianity.

    • Universalizing vs. Ethnic Religion:

    • Universalizing Religion: A religion that intends to convert all of humanity and is not limited by location (e.g. Christianity, Islam). Example: Islam, actively seeking converts globally.

    • Ethnic Religion: A religion identified with a particular ethnic or cultural group (e.g. Hinduism). Example: Judaism, primarily identified with the Jewish people.

    • Hearths of Major Religions: Include which diffusion type it used + place of worship+ where they difffuesed to

    • Knowledge of the geographical origins of the six major world religions.

    • Hinduism: Originated in the Indian subcontinent, it is one of the oldest known organized religions encompasses a variety of beliefs, rituals, and philosophies, emphasizing concepts such as dharma (duty) and karma (action and consequence). E

    • Sikhism: Founded in the Punjab region of India in the 15th century, Sikhism emphasizes belief in one God, the teachings of the ten Gurus, and the importance of community service. E

    • Christianity: Originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of Judea. U

    • Islam: Emerged in the 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula. U

    • o

    • Judaism: Rooted in the ancient Near Eastern traditions, Judaism is monotheistic and centers on the covenant between God and the Hebrew people, emphasizing laws and ethical practices laid out in the Torah. E

    • Principal religions in various regions:

    • South and Central America: Predominantly Christian.

    • Middle East: Predominantly Islam.

    • North America: Predominantly Christian.

Unit 4: Political Geography

  • Key Political Geography Concepts:

    • Nationalism: A strong identification with and support for one's nation, often placing its interests above others. Example: Supporters waving national flags and chanting for their country during an international sporting event.

    • Nation: A group of people who share common characteristics such as language, culture, and history. Example: The Basque people, who share a distinct language and culture, residing in parts of Spain and France.

    • Nation-State: A political unit where the geographical territory corresponds with a specific nation. Example: Japan, where the vast majority of the population shares a common culture and language within its state boundaries.

    • State: A defined geographical area recognized as an independent political entity. Example: France or Canada.

    • Stateless Nation: A nation that does not have its own independent state (e.g. Kurds). Example: The Kurds, an ethnic group inhabiting parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, who seek their own state.

    • Neocolonialism: The practice of using economic, political, or cultural pressures to control or influence countries, especially former dependencies. Example: A powerful country maintaining significant economic influence over a former colony through debt, trade agreements, or corporate investments. + China's Belt and Road Initiative, investments in Africa with unpayable loans.

  • Geopolitical Terms:

    • Choke Point: A narrow passage or route that can be easily controlled and has strategic importance (e.g. Strait of Hormuz). Example: The Suez Canal, critical for international shipping between Europe and Asia.

    • Shatterbelts: A large region caught between major powers, unstable and prone to fragmentation. Example: Eastern Europe during the Cold War or the Balkans.

    • Balkanization: The process by which a state breaks down through conflicts among its ethnicities or cultural groups. Example: The break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s into several independent states along ethnic and religious lines.

  • Specific Case Studies:

    • The Kurds: An ethnic group in the Middle East without a sovereign state, seeking autonomy. Example: The autonomous Kurdistan Region in Iraq, which represents a step toward greater self-governance for the Kurdish people.

    • Devolution: The transfer of power from a central government to local or regional authorities, often in response to ethnic or cultural pressures. Example: The establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in the United Kingdom, granting more regional control.

    • Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Korea: An area where military forces are prohibited, serving as a buffer zone between rival countries. Example: The heavily fortified border region between North and South Korea, which has restricted military activity.

  • Types of Boundaries:

    • Knowledge of different types of political boundaries (physical, geometric, cultural).

    • Physical Boundary: Follows a natural feature. Example: The Pyrenees Mountains forming a border between France and Spain.

    • Geometric Boundary: Drawn as straight lines, often along parallels or meridians. Example: The 49th parallel forming much of the border between the U.S. and Canada.

    • Cultural Boundary: Follows discontinuities in ethnic, linguistic, or religious traits. Example: The boundary between India and Pakistan, drawn to separate religious groups.

  • United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ):

    • UNCLOS outlines international legal standards for oceans and maritime resources.

    • EEZ extends 200 nautical miles from a coastal state where that state has special rights to explore and manage resources. Example: The United States claims an EEZ of 200 nautical miles from its coast, giving it exclusive rights to fishing and mineral exploration within that area.

Final Notes

  • Expect 1 Free Response Question on any of the units.

  • Expect 1 Reflection Question pertaining to the semester and goals for the future.