AP Human Geography Unit 1 Summary

Introduction

Map Distortion: Maps distort direction, shape, area, or distance.
Mercator Projection: Conformal; accurate direction, size distortion (Greenland appears larger than Africa).
Good-Homolosine Projection: Equal-area; true size/shape of land masses, distance distortion.
Robinson Projection: Distortion spread across map, particularly near poles.
Gall-Peters Projection: Accurate land mass size, shape distortion.

Reference Maps: Show boundaries, geographic features, directions, property lines, political boundaries, etc.
- Topographic Maps: Use contour lines to display terrain and elevation.
Thematic Maps: Display spatial patterns with quantitative data.
- Chloropleth Maps: Use colors/shades to show data quantities.
- Dot Density Maps: Use dots to show occurrences and distribution of data.
- Graduated Symbol Maps: Use symbols to indicate location and amount of data.
- Isoline Maps: Connect areas with similar data values (e.g., weather maps).
- Cartogram Maps: Distort size based on data value (e.g., population).
- Flowline Maps: Show movement of goods, people, or ideas.

Absolute Direction/Distance: Exact (e.g., compass degrees, miles/kilometers).
Relative Direction/Distance: Contextual (e.g., "north of" another object, approximate travel time).
Spatial Analysis: Understanding clustering (e.g., East Coast population density).

Remote Sensing: Satellite data for thematic maps, spatial patterns.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Analyzes and displays geographic data.
Global Positioning System (GPS): Provides absolute location.
Field Observations and Interviews: Collect firsthand or unique perspectives on geographic data.
Media Reports and Government Documents: Offer insights into social and political conditions.
Travel Narratives and Photo Analysis: Personal perspectives and visual geography understanding.

Qualitative Data: Subjective, word-based, up for interpretation (e.g., interviews, narratives).
Quantitative Data: Objective, numerical (e.g., census data, population pyramids).

Scale Insight: Local (detailed), National (patterns), Global (broad generalizations).
Government Use: Planning, lawmaking, resource allocation.
Business Use: Market analysis, operations, expansion strategies.
Individual Use: Navigation, home selection, policy comparison.

Absolute vs. Relative Location: Exact coordinates vs. surrounding context.
Physical vs. Human Characteristics of Place: Natural features vs. demographic, cultural elements.
Sense of Place vs. Placelessness: Emotional connection vs. lack of identity.
Spatial Distribution: Density, concentration, and patterns.
Time-Space Compression vs. Distance Decay: Connectivity through technology vs. traditional distance impact.

Environmental Determinism: Environment dictates societal success.
Environmental Possibilism: Society can adapt and modify the environment.
Land Use Patterns: Agricultural, industrial, commercial, residential, recreational, and transportational uses.
Sustainability: Managing resources without compromising future generations.

Scale Types: Global, national, regional, and local.
Scale of Analysis: How data is organized and presented (e.g., country-based vs. global patterns).
Small vs. Large Scale Maps: Generalizations vs. detailed information.

Types of Regions:
- Formal Regions: Defined by uniform characteristics (e.g., political, environmental).
- Functional Regions: Organized around a central point (e.g., airports).
- Perceptual Regions: Based on opinions or beliefs (e.g., "The Middle East").

Complete the study guide and take the practice quiz for Unit 1 test preparation.
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The importance of understanding and applying geographic concepts effectively.