reference map
A map type that shows reference information for a particular place, making it useful for finding landmarks and for navigating.
Absolute Direction
Based on the cardinal points of north, south, east, and west
Absolute Distance
The distance that can be measured with a standard unit length, such as a mile or kilometer.
Absolute Location
The exact position of an object or place, measured within the spatial coordinates of a grid system.
Cartogram Map
A map in which the shape or size is distorted in order to demonstrate a variable such as travel, population, or economic production.
Census Data
Systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population.
Clustering
When objects in an area are close together.
Dispersal
When objects in an area are relatively far apart.
Distance Decay
The diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin.
Dot Map
Maps where one dot represents a certain number of a phenomenon, such as a population.
elevation
The height of land above sea level.
Environmental Determinism
the view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life including cultural development
Field Observations
A method of studying what people are doing and observing how their actions and reactions vary.
Flows
the movement of objects, people and ideas between places.
Formal Region
An area within which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics.
Functional (Nodal) Region
An area organized around a node or focal point
Geographic Data
information that identifies the geographic location of features and boundaries on earth (natural and constructed).
Geographic Information System (GIS)
A collection of computer hardware and software that permits spatial data to be collected, recorded, stored, retrieved, manipulated, analyzed, and displayed to the user.
Global Scale
the level of geography that encompasses the entire world as a single unified area
Human Environment Interaction
The geographic theme that explores how people use, adapt to, and modify the environment
Isoline Map
Map displaying lines that connect points of equal value; for example, a map showing elevation levels
Land Use
Various ways humans use the land such as agricultural, industrial, residential, or recreational
Landscape Analysis
Using field observation, spatial data, and aerial photography to gather data to define and describe landscapes.
Local Scale
the level of geography that describes the space where an individual lives or works; a city, town, or rural area
Map Projection
the scientific method of transferring locations on Earth's surface to a flat map.
Media Reports
Articles published by newspapers and magazines and television news programs.
Mercator Projection
a projection of a map of the world onto a cylinder in such a way that all the parallels of latitude have the same length as the equator, used especially for marine charts and certain climatological maps.
National Scale
Interactions occurring within a country.
Natural Resources
Materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
Pattern
the geometric arrangement of objects in space
Perceptual (Vernacular) Region
A region that only exists as a conceptualization or an idea and not as a physically demarcated entity.
Photographic Interpretation
The identification, description and measurement of objects in images, especially in aerial photographs, for geologic, cartographic or military purposes.
place
A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular character.
Possibilism
The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives.
Reference Map
A map type that shows reference information for a particular place, making it useful for finding landmarks and for navigating.
Regional Analysis
The study of the cultural, economic, political, physical, or other factors that contribute to the distinctiveness of geographical areas.
Regional Scale
Interactions occurring within a region, in a regional setting.
Relative Direction
Directions such as left, right, forward, backward, up, and down based on people's perception of places
Relative Distance
Distance measured in terms such as cost or time which are more meaningful for the space relationship in question
Relative Location
The position of a place in relation to another place.
Remote Sensing
The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or other long-distance methods.
Robinson Projection
A projection that maintains overall shapes and relative positions without extreme distortion. Most classrooms use this projection
Satellite Imagery
Images of the earth taken from orbiting satellites. Images can be taken in a variety of forms so as to detect specific information about the earth, vegetation and other types of land cover.
Satellite Navigation System
a device used to plot the user's position on a map, using GPS technology to obtain the location.
Scales of Analysis
the study of a phenomena globally, regionally, or locally
space
The physical gap or interval between two objects
Sustainability
meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Thematic Map
A type of map that displays one or more variables-such as population, or income level-within a specific area.
Time-space compression/convergence
The increasing sense of connectedness between a space due to technology
Travel Narratives
records of the places, people, and occurrences of a particular region that a traveler visits.