AP HUG Unit 1

reference maps

maps designed for people to refer to for general information about places. The two pain types are physical and political

thematic maps

maps used as a communication tool - they tell us how human activities are distributed. (statistical map)

Cartogram map

a map where the geometry of regions is distorted in order to display information

Choropleth Map

a map that uses differences in shading, coloring, or the placing of symbols to display data

Dot Density Map

a map that shows geographic phenomenon by placing dots on the map..

Isoline Map

a map that has lines drawn on to connect data points of the same value.

Proportional Symbol Map

a type of thematic map that uses symbols of varying sizes to show data clusters

Absolute Location

The exact coordinates of a place (latitudal and longitudal location)

Relative Location

the location of a place in relation to other things

Absolute Direction

The cardinal directions (North/East/South/West)

Relative Direction

Left/Right/Up/Down

Clustering

A spatial pattern where data is grouped and bunched together

Dispersal

A spatial pattern where data looks to be distributed over a wide area.

Elevation

A measure of how high or low a place is in relation to the sea level.

Mercator Map

A map that has greatly distorted poles, but keeps the shape and direction of countries constant.

Robinson Map

A map with rounded edges where everything is slightly distorted

Goode-Homolosine Projection

A map projection that distorts direction and distance, but keeps size and shape accurate.

Gall Peters

A map that distorts the size of countries (especially near the equator)

Geospatial Data

all information on a landscape (including physical features and human activities)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface

Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS)

A system that uses data from satellites to pinpoint a location on Earth and help people find their way to a destination.

Remote Sensing

the process of taking pictures of Earth’s surface from satellites (or, earlier, airplanes) to provide a greater understanding of Earth’s geography

Census Data

An official count of all individuals in a population in the USA, happens every ten years.

Space

Extent of an area (can be in a relative or absolute sense)

Distance Decay

a geographical term that describes the effect of distance on spatial interactions

Time-Space Compression

the increasing sense of connectivity that seems to be bringing people closer together

Pattern

The geometric or regular arrangement of something in an area

Spatial Information

_____ _________ can come from written accounts in the form of field observations, media reports, travel narratives, policy documents, personal interviews, landscape analysis, and photographic interpretation.

Sustainability

the goal of the human race reaching equilibrium with the environment; meeting the needs of the present without risking the resources of the future

Natural Resources

physical material constituting part of Earth that people need and value

Environmental Determinism

How the physical environment caused, or determined, social development. The belief that the prosperity of a community is determined by its physical environment.

Environmental Possibilism

The belief that (while the physical environment can limit some human actions) humans have the ability to adjust to their environment

Scale

The relationship between the distance onf the ground and the corresponding distance on a specific map. How zoomed in is the map? What are you looking at?

Scale of Analysis

At what scale is the data being displayed? (Looking at a map of America and seeing data about individual states)

Region

a place larger than a point and smaller than a planet that is grouped together because of a measurable or perceived common feature

Formal Region

A region based off quantitative data -- all government areas are ____ ____s because they share a government (ex. Wisconsin)

Functional Region

a region based around a node or focal point -- terrestrial radio broadcasts are an example of this.

Vernacular (Perceptual) Region

an area that shares a common qualitative characteristic, it’s only a region because people believe it’s a region (The American Midwest)