Unit 1: Thinking Geographically Flashcards
Absolute Location
The exact spot where something is located, usually including its latitude and longitude.
Cartography
The science/practice of drawing maps.
Cultural Ecology
The study of human adaptations to social/physical environments.
Equator
An imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres. It has the latitude of 0 degrees.
Ethnocentrism
The attitude that ones ethnicity, group or nationality is superior to others.
Geography
A science that covers the description, distribution and interaction of the diverse physical, biological and cultural features of Earth’s surface.
GIS (Geographic Information System)
A computer system for capturing, storing, checking and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface.
GPS (Global Positioning System)
A network of satellites and receiving devices used to determine the location of something on Earth.
International Date Line
The boundary which every calendar day starts. Areas to the west of this line are a day ahead of areas to the east.
Latitude
The measurement of distance north or south of the equator. When on a map, latitude lines are parallel to the equator and perpendicular to the prime meridian.
Longitude
The measurement of distance east or west of the prime meridian. When on a map, these lines are perpendicular to the equator and parallel to the prime meridian.
Prime Meridian
The line of 0 degrees longitude, the starting point for measuring east and west around Earth.
Projection
Representation of features of a curved surface on a flat surface, like flat maps of the Earth.
Relative Location
A description of how a place is related to other places.
Region
An area or division, especially part of a country or the world that has definable characteristics but not always a fixed boundary.
