cultural landscape
A combination of cultural features such as language and religion, economic features such as agriculture and industry, and physical features such as climate and vegetation.
absolute location
Exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates (Quantitative data)
relative location
where a place is located in relation to another place ( Qualitative data )
scale of analysis
a scale that determines what is being studied based on the size of the area being examined
Hearth
The region from which innovative ideas originate
Projection
The system used to transfer locations from Earth's surface to a flat map.
environmental determinism
the view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life including cultural development(environment controls culture)
Connectivity
The degree of economic, social, cultural, or political connection between two places
geographic grid
a system of imaginary arcs drawn in a grid pattern on Earth's surface
Mapmaking (cartography)
the act or process of making geographical maps
Contemporary Tools
GPS, remote sensing, GIS
place
A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular character.
Possibilism
viewpoint that people, not environments, are the dynamic forces of cultural development
Globalization
Actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope.
Distance Decay
the effects of distance on interaction, generally the greater the distance the less interaction
Sequin occupance
The idea that societies leave their cultural imprint on a place contributing to the cultural landscape
space-time compression
The reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place, as a result of improved communications and transportation systems
Time zones
one of the 24 regions or divisions of the globe approximately coinciding with meridians at successive hours from the observatory at Greenwich, England.
Sustainability
The use of Earth's renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that do not constrain resource use in the future.
Physical Geography
the study of physical features of the earth's surface
Human Geography
The study of where and why human activities are located where they are
Spatial Perspective
a way of looking at the human and physical patterns on Earth and their relationships to one another
Five Themes of Geography
1.Location, 2. Place, 3. Human-Environment Interaction, 4. Movement, 5. Region
Formal Region
An region in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics
Functional region
A region defined by the particular set of activities or interactions that occur within it organized around a node or focal point
perceptual region
a region defined by popular/ personal feelings and images rather than by objective data
site
The physical character of a place
Situation
The location of a place relative to another place
Expansion Diffusion
The spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in a snowballing process.
relocation diffusion
The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another.
hierarchal diffusion
the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places
Contagious Diffusion
The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population regardless of social status
Stimulus Diffusion
The spread of an underlying principle, even though a specific characteristic is rejected.Ex.) McDonalds in India
Cultural traits of regions
Language, food, political systems, religions, custom, participation in trade
periphery
Outlying region of economic activity with poor communications and populations
Core
Central region in an economy with good communication and high population
Transnational Corporation
A company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located.
Koppen Climate Classification
a system for classifying climates that is based on mean monthly and annual values of temp and precipitation.Tropical, temperate, desert, polar, and continental
Distribution properties
1. Density2. Concentration3. Pattern
Density property
The number of things in an area, person, animals, plants, money etc
thematic map
a map that emphasizes a particular theme of information about an area by showing density and distribution of data
Reference maps
Informational map showing boundaries and place names, world, city, evacuation routes
Chorpleth map
Maps that use color to represent data
Cartograms
Think cartoon. Maps that distort the appearance of places
Isolate maps
Maps that connect areas of equal value with lines (weather) often looks like a finger print
Latitude
Distance north or south of the equator. Running east to west 0degrees prime meridian
Longitude
Distance east or west of the prime meridian runs north to south
topographic map
A map that shows the surface features of an area.
large scale map
Maps that cover smaller areas with greater detail
Aculturation
adapting traits from other cultures; example: religion
Assimilation
the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another as to be identical