Unit 1 Flashcards
Reference map
Shows general information/navigation/location. Ex: political, physical, road
Thematic map
Communicate information about a place - spatial aspects - what is it like?
Chloropleth map
Use various colors/shades to show location/distribution of spatial data
Dot-density map
Each dot represents a specified quantity of spatial characteristic (same size)
Graduated proportional symbol map
Use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of variable
Cartogram map
The sizes of countries are shown according to specific variable. Area distorted to show variable.
Isoline map
Use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in data across space. Ex: weather, elevation.
Absolute location
Exact location (coordinates)
Relative location
Location in relation to other object
Absolute distance
Exact distance
Relative distance
Distance in relation to other things
Absolute direction
Exact direction
Relative direction
Direction in relation to other things
Clustering
Density: the number of something in defined area
Dispersal/distribution
The way something is spread out in an area
Patterns and spatial associations
Indication that 2 or more phenomena may be related
Map projection
The process of a cartographer showing the curved surface of the earth on a flat map
Mercator projection
Purpose: sea navigation
Area is distorted near poles
Peters equal area projection
Purpose: area of landmasses accurate
Shapes inaccurate near poles
Robinson projection
Purpose: no major distortions
All aspects of map slightly distorted
Field work/observations
Physically visiting location to gather data. Ex: US census
GIS
Computer software that stores and analyzes and displays info from multiple maps/data sets
GPS
Satellites orbit the earth and communicate local information
Arial photography
Professional images captured from planes/drones
Remote sensing
Sensors on aircraft/satellites collect images of earth’s surface
Sense of place
Factors that contribute to uniqueness of location
Cultural Landscape
Human created artifacts
Placelessness
A location without a sense of place
Toponym
Location’s name, reflective of cultural history of place
Regionalization
The process geographers use to categorize spaces into smaller areas
Distance decay
Interaction between you laces declines as distance between places increases
Time-space compression
The increasing sense of accessibility and connectivity seems to bring people that are far apart closer together
Diffusion
The process where characteristics spread across space
Cultural ecology
The study of how humans interact or adapt to their environment
Determinism
Belief that climate and landforms are the most powerful forces shaping human behavior and society/cultural development
Possibilism
Acknowledges the limitations imposed by the natural environment, but ficuses on the role of human culture to modify and respond the the environment to better fit human needs
Scales of analysis
Zooming in and out to tell a story
Small scale maps
Large area with small amount of data
Large scale maps
Small area with large amounts of data
Regions
Places that have one or more unifying characteristics (human or physical) or patterns of activity
Formal region
United by one or more specific traits
Economic region
Same currency
Social region
People of same culture
Political region
Formal boundaries (states)
Environmental region
Separated by environmental factors
Functional region
Organized around a central node, relationship is typically based around economics, travel, or communication
Perceptual/vernacular region
Based on a person’s perception of location
Informal, boundaries vary
