Unit 1 Flashcards
Mercator map projection
Accurate direction, distortion in size and location of the landmasses
Robinson projection
Puts majority of distortion at the poles, true size and shape of the landmasses
Reference map
Informational map that shows boundaries, names, etc.
Topographic map
Uses lines to display terrain and elevation changes
Absolute direction
The exact direction you are heading
Relative direction
The direction depends on the surrounding area
Absolute distance
The exact distance between 2 places (miles or km)
Relative distance
An approximate measurement between 2 places (time)
Absolute location
The exact spot where something is located
Relative location
A description of a location using surrounding geographic features
Thematic map
Displays spatial patterns of places and uses quantitative data
Every map projection has distortion in either…
Direction, shape, area, or distance
Toponym
A name given to a place or location
Choropleth map
Uses different colors
Dot density map
Show data by placing points on a map where data is occurring, see spatial distribution
Spatial analysis
Process of analyzing patterns and relationships within an area or geographic data
Clustered
Objects in an area close together with no space between them
Dispersed
Objects in an area are spread out with space between them
Graduated symbol map
Uses shapes (usually circles) to show location and amount of data
Isoline maps
Use lines to connect different areas that have similar equal amounts of data (weather map)
Cartograph map
Shows data by “distorting” the shape, bigger the number larger it is vice versa
Flow line map
Shows movement of different goods, people, etc.
Remote sensing
Collecting information about the earths surface from satellites orbiting the earth
GIS
Computer system that can collect analyze and display geographic data
GPS
Network of satellites that are used to determine the location of something on the earths surface
Census
An official count of all the people who live in a particular area
Small scale map
Shows large portion of the earths surface but has less detail
Supranational organization
An alliance which consists of multiple countries, (3 or more), work together to achieve common goals or address issues that impact the states
Place
Specific point on the earths surface that has one or more unique characteristics
Sense of place
Strong feeling or perception people have of a place
Placelessness
A place that does not invoke any strong response from individuals due to a lack of unique characteristics
Concentration
How things are spread out
Density
The amount of objects or people in an area
Pattern
The arrangement of things in an area
Time space compression
The reduction of time it takes for something or someone to get from one place to another
Distance decay
The larger the distance the less interaction (effect of distance on cultural or spatial interactions)
Environmental determinism
The environment sets the success of a society
Environmental possibilism
The environment puts limits on society, but people have the ability to adjust the physical environment to overcome limits
Land use
Describe how land has been changed for a specific purpose
Natural resources
Resources that are produced in nature
Renewable resources
Natural resources that can be used multiple times without running out
Non-renewable resources
Natural resources that can only be used once
Sustainability
Use of the earths resources in a way that ensures those resources will still be available in the future
Scale
Global, regional, national, local
A distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground
scale of analysis
Observation of data at the global, national, regional, local scale
Large scale map
Shows less of the earths surface but more details
Region
Geographic area with common characteristics and patterns of activity
Formal region
Defined by economic, political, social, or environmental characteristics
Fictional regions (nodal)
Ares that are organized around a center point
Vernacular region
Areas that are linked together due to people’s opinions, beliefs, etc. on the region
