AP Human Geography Review 

By:  Alexa Morera, Shelby Wheaton Paul, Grzelczyk   

Human Geography Quote
“ History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a
clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a
compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography. It
tells them where they are but, more importantly, what they must be.”
- John Henrik Clarke
Unit 1
Unit 1 Definitions
+ Location- The place where a particular point or object exists. 
+ Place- An area that is defined by everything in it.
+ Scale- The ratio between the size of an area on a map and he actual size of that same area on the earth's surface
+ Pattern- The geometric or regular arrangement of something in an area.
+ Network- A set of interconnected nodes without a center.
+ Flows- People, goods, money, ideas or materials between locations near or far
+ Regionalization- The organization of earth's surface into distinct areas that are viewed as different from other
areas.
+ Globalization- The expansion of economic, political, and cultural processes to the point that they become
global in scale and impact
+ Site v Situation- Site is the exact location of a city, you can find it on a map. The situation of a city relates to its
surrounding features, both human-made and natural.
 Local v Regional v Global Scale
Local Scale- A spatial scale that is essentially
equivalent to a community.
Local
Regional Scale- Any area larger than a point and RRegional
smaller than the entire planet. Glaba

Global Scale- The geographical realm encompassing

all of Earth. Regional

Global
Map Projections

- Mercator - Robinson - Polar -Peters

Qualitative and
Quantitative
Data
 Unit 2
Population & Migration
Population & Migration
+ Arithmetic Density- Measures the total number of people living in an
area.
+ Physiological Density- The number of people supported by a unit area
of arable land.
+ Agricultural Density-  Total number of farmers per unit of arable land.
Population Pyramid
+ A population pyramid is a graph that shows the distribution of ages
across a population divided down the center between male and female
members of the population.

Example of a population pyramid

of Europe, 2020 and 2050
Rate of Aging
+ Nation determines the rate of aging by taking number of those who
have reached the state pension age and divides it by the number of
'working age' (16-64 years) adults to measure the
dependent elderly population relative to those who pay for them. 
Impacts of Fertility, Mortality, and Migration
+ Fertility Rate- The number of children born alive to women of that age during
the year as a proportion of the average annual population of women of the same
age.
+ Mortality Rate- measure of the number of deaths in a particular population,
scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time.
+ Migration- The permanent change of residence by an individual or group.
+ These all-affect population because it changes the number of people in
the country. Fertility adds, mortality declines, and migration declines and adds to
the population depending if the resident is leaving or coming into the country.
Transition Models

Migration Transition Model Demographic Transition Model

 Push and Pull Factors Changes in the roles of women
+ Push factors are conditions that
+ Over the years, women have
would make a resident want to
been “breaking out” of
leave. For example, a not safe
stereotypes that were once given
neighborhood.
to them. There are more women
+ Pull factors are conditions that entering the workforce and some
attract residents. For example, a are getting higher titles.
better job opportunity.
Aging Populations
Population aging is the increasing median
age in a population due to declining
fertility rates and rising life expectancy.
Unit 2 Definitions
Modern refugee migrations- A person
who, owing to well-founded fear of
persecution for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular
social group or political opinions, is
outside the country of his nationality and
is unable or, owing to such fear, is
unwilling to avail himself of the protection
of that country.
Transhumance- The action or practice of
moving livestock from one grazing ground
to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to
lowlands in winter and highlands in
summer.
Transnational Migrations- A process of
movement and settlement
Chain Migration- The process by which
across international borders in which Step Migration- Migration as occurring
green card holders or legal U.S. residents
individuals maintain or build multiple stage by stage as rural inhabitants move
may sponsor a family member for
networks of connection to their country of closer to urban areas of growth.
immigration to the United States.
origin while at the same time settling in a
new country.
Rural to Urban- The movement of people
(typically farmers) from rural settlements
Internal-  Human movement within a
Guest Workers- Legal immigrants who to urban center in search of jobs. 
nation-state, such as going westward and
have a work visa, which are usually short
southward movements in the US. forced
term.
migration.
 Diffusion Types

Contagious Diffusion- Distance-controlled spreading of an idea through a local population by contact from
person to person.

Hierarchical diffusion- An idea spreads by passing first among the most connected individuals, then spreading to
other individuals.

Stimulus diffusion- A form of diffusion in which a cultural adaptation is created as a result of the introduction of a
cultural trait from another place. In other words, it is the spreading of an underlying principle of an idea when the
idea cannot spread to a particular culture.

Relocation diffusion- A form of diffusion where the ideas being diffused are transmitted by their carriers as they
relocate to new areas.
 Unit 3
CULTURE/ LANGUAGE/
RELIGION/ETHNICITY/GENDER
Unit 3 Definitions
+ Culture- The customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or
other social group.
+ Lingua Franca- a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native
languages are different.
+ Creolization- The process by which elements of different cultures are blended to create a new
culture.
+ Acculturation- Process of social, psychological, and cultural change that stems from the balancing
of two cultures while adapting to the prevailing culture of the society. 
+ Assimilation- The process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society's
majority group or assume the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group whether fully or
partially.
+ Syncretism- The combining of different beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of
thought.
Religion and
Hearths
+ Judaism- an Abrahamic primarily ethnic religion
comprising the collective religious, cultural, and
legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people.
+ Christianity- An Abrahamic monotheistic religion
based on the life and teachings of Jesus of
Nazareth.
+ Hinduism- An Indian religion and dharma, or way
of life.
+ Islam- An Abrahamic monotheistic religion
teaching that Muhammad is a messenger of God.
+ Buddhism- Encompasses a variety of traditions,
beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on
original teachings attributed to the Buddha and
resulting interpreted philosophies.
Gender Inequality
Indexes
+ The country with the lowest
gender inequality index is
Switzerland (0.025)
+ The country with the highest
gender inequality index is
Yemen (0.795)
 Folk Culture & Pop Culture
• Originates in a rural hearth
• Practiced primarily by small,
homogenous groups living in
isolated rural areas
• Rural group living in relative
isolation
• Tends to remain consistent over a
number of generations
• Originates in an urban hearth
• Experiences dramatic change over
time
• Both influence
•  Embrace cultural traits such as
most aspects of life
• Change over time dance, music, and food preference
that change frequently
• Informed by the mass media.
 Unit 4
Political Geography
 Unit 4 Quote
“That is the challenge of
escalating conflicts when it
comes to the stability of oil
markets.”
 Unit 4 Definitions
1. Annexation: the formal act of acquiring something (especially territory) by conquest or occupation
2. Antecedent boundary: a boundary that existed before the cultural landscape emerged and stayed in place while people moved in to occupy the surrounding area
3. Exclusionary: A border meant to keep others out, for example the border between the United States and Mexico.
4. Inclusionary: A border that is meant to facilitate trade and movement for example the border between the U.S.-Canada border
5.Capital: Principal city in a state or country. 
6. Buffer state: a small neutral state between two rival powers
7. City-state: a city with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside
8. Colonialism: is the exploitation by a stronger country of weaker one
9. Perforated state: A state whose territory surrounds that of another state.
10. Gerrymander: to divide (a geographic area) into voting districts to give unfair advantage to one party in elections
 4.2 Political Progress: Colonialism 
+ So, what is colonialism?  Well Colonialism is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition, and expansion of colonies
in one territory by people from another territory. 
+ There are 3 main reasons why people colonize 
+ 1. Gold: Money from another country that they think/know they can benefit from.
+ 2. Glory: A nation that can succeed by its ruler and people allowing it to be powerful.
+ 3. God: They move for religious purposes mainly so they can practice their religion free from laws preventing them to do so.
+ Types of colonialism:
• Exploitation: They want to exploit their religion and make it a powerful religion that all citizens live by. 
• Settler: People want to get away from the big cities influences. They want to live a small non influenced life, that they can decide
their own future. 
• Internal: Moving within a country or state. Like going further west or further east for a reason such as there being forced or better
goods in the area there moving to..
• Surrogate: When a larger area wants to expand in other areas, so they fund and provide resources for those willing to move and
colonialize. 
 + Political power: Political power is expressed or
shown geographically 
+ It can be expressed in maps as it can be drawn
and marked where political territories lie. 
+ Political Power distributes types of government
around the world. 
+ Examples and Definitions

4.3 Political Power

+ Democracy: is a system of government by the
whole population or all the eligible members of a
state, typically through elected representatives.
and Territory  (The Unites States and Nigeria)
+ Monarchy: A monarchy is a form of government
in which a person, the monarch, is head of state
for life or until abdication (United Kingdom and
Japan)
+ And many more types of government such
as Monarchy. ...
+ Oligarchy,Totalitarian,Anarchy,Aristocracy,Dicta
torship
 Political Boundaries

Defining  Function
+ Political Boundaries are: + Political boundaries are the dividing lines between
+ A political boundary is an imaginary line separating one political unit, such countries, states, provinces, counties, and cities. These
as a country or state, from another. Sometimes these align with a natural lines, more often called borders, are created by people to
geographic feature like a river to form a border or barrier between nations. 
separate areas governed by different groups.
+ Political borders. Sometimes, political boundaries follow
+ Natural borders. physical boundaries, but most of the time you can't see
+ Landscape borders. them.
+ Geometric borders. + They keep certain people in a certain area. For example, to
+ Fiat borders. go out of the United States you need a passport which is
+ Relic borders.
permission to leave the country and come back in. 
+ Lines of Control.

+ Maritime borders.
 + These internal boundaries mark the limits of
each state government's authority, but the
state does not have the same sovereignty as the
country. The United States also divides people
into congressional districts, each of which is
represented by a member of the House of

Internal Boundaries Representatives.

+ The Unites states and the UK would probably
be the best examples of internal boundaries.
In America boundaries are divided by states
which all have different laws and
different rules a person inside the boundaries
must abide by. 
Unit 5
Agriculture
 Unit 5 Quote
Next time you bite into a slice of watermelon or a cob of corn, consider this: These
familiar fruits and veggies didn't always look and taste this way.
“A farmer depends on himself, and the land and the weather. If you’re a farmer,
you raise what you eat, you raise what you wear, and you keep warm with wood
out of your own timber. You work hard, but you work as you please, and no man
can tell you to go or come. You’ll be free and independent, son, on a farm.”
 What is Agriculture?
the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the
growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other
products.
Agriculture changed the world.
 Before the Agriculural Revolution.
+ Before the Industrial Revolution, agriculture workers labored six days a week, from sunup to sundown, just to keep their
crops growing. Certain seasons were more demanding than others, specifically the plowing and harvest seasons.
+ Until agriculture was developed around 10,000 years ago, all humans got their food by hunting, gathering, and fishing. ...
Today only a few scattered tribes of hunter-gatherers remain on the planet.
+ No home was every perminate as tribes of people were constantly having to move around to find food. 
+ Because of the intensity and necessity of agricultural labor, it was the largest employment source in Europe. 3 Men, women
and children worked side by side to feed the country. Often if the father was a farm owner and worker, his entire family
labored alongside him. Working in agriculture was not just a job it but often a lifestyle for families.
 + The British Agricultural Revolution, or Second Agricultural Revolution,

What was the was an unprecedented increase in agricultural production in Britain arising
from increases in labour and land productivity between the mid-17th and
late 19th centuries.

agricultural + The Neolithic Revolution, also called the Agricultural Revolution, marked

the transition in human history from small, nomadic bands of hunter-
gatherers to larger, agricultural settlements and early civilization.

revolution + The Agricultural Revolution brought about experimentation with new

crops and new methods of crop rotation. These new farming techniques
gave soil time to replenish nutrients leading to stronger crops and
better agricultural output. Advancements in irrigation and drainage
further increased productivity.
 + 1. Neolithic Revolution: The Neolithic
Revolution started around 10,000 B.C. in the
Fertile Crescent, a boomerang-shaped region of
the Middle East where humans first took up
farming. Shortly after, Stone Age humans in
other parts of the world also began to practice
agriculture.
+ 2. The Second Agricultural Revolution, also
3 Agricultural known as the British Agricultural Revolution,
took place first in England in the seventeenth and

Revolutions
early eighteenth centuries ... It involved the
introduction of new crop rotation techniques and
selective breeding of livestock and led to a
marked increase in agricultural production.
+ 3. The Third Agricultural Revolution - This is
also called the Green Revolution and began in
the 1930's. New agricultural practices were
created to help farmers all over the world and
eliminate hunger by improving the output and
quality of crops. Farmers could now use the same
amount of land and get more crops.
Effects of the Agricultural
Revolution
 Effects of the Agricultural
Revolution (continued)
+ The agricultural revolution had a variety of consequences for humans. It has been linked to
everything from societal inequality—a result of humans' increased dependence on the land and
fears of scarcity—to a decline in nutrition and a rise in infectious diseases contracted from
domesticated animals
+ The major effect of the Agricultural Revolution in the 1800s was the increase in the food supply,
which was able to feed the urban dwellers. Any family who agreed to settle on a land for at least
five years was given that land for free.
+ The increase in agricultural production and technological advancements during the Agricultural
Revolution contributed to unprecedented population growth and new agricultural practices,
triggering such phenomena as rural-to-urban migration, development of a coherent and loosely
regulated agricultural market
 Unit 6
Industrialization and Economic Development.
Unit 6 Definitions 
• Megacities,Metropolis,City,Village,Hamlet
 Hamlet/Towns
Hamlets are predominantly agricultural areas with some sparse human settlements, while
villages are small aggregates of dwellings forming communities. Towns are larger
aggregates of dwellings, while cities are even larger settlements.
 Megacities 
A megacity is a very large city, typically with a population of more than 10
million people. Precise definitions vary
 Metropolis
Global city — A metropolis is a large city or conurbation which is a significant
economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important
hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
 City
conglomeration of people and buildings clustered together to serve as a center of
politics, culture, and economics. urban. the entire build-up, non-rural area and its
population, including the most recently constructed suburban appendages.
 Village
A clustered human settlement larger than a hamlet and generally offering several
services.
 Rank- Size Rule
The rank size rule states that the largest city in each country will have of the population of the largest city in that country.
If the largest city has a population 1,000,000, and we want to know the population of the fourth largest city, it will have of
the population of the largest city.
Cities to Remember Acronym 
 MMCTVH: My mom can't take Vicky home
Unit 7
Unit 7 Definitions
 Cottage Industry
prior to the Industrial Revolution, most goods were produced in home. 
Ecomonomic Sectors
Primary: Farming and Agriculture
Secondary:Assembling raw materials
 Economic Sectors continued
One classical breakdown of economic activity distinguishes three sectors: Primary:
involves the retrieval and production of raw materials, such as corn, coal, wood
and iron. Secondary: involves the transformation of raw or intermediate materials
into goods e.g. manufacturing steel into cars, or textiles into clothing.
 Point of Crisis 
The idea that there is a center of wealthy states and a periphery o fpoorer,
less developed states that depend on the wealthier ones. This is significant
bevause it explains many of the complicated relationships between national
governments.
 Human Development Index
The Human Development Index is a statistic composite index of life
expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used
to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
 A decent standard of living
The Human Development Report in 1993 describes decent standard of
living as “the capability of living a healthy life, guaranteeing physical and
social mobility, communicating and participating in the life of the
community (including consumption)”
 Life expectancy definition
The term “life expectancy” refers to the number of years a person can
expect to live. By definition, life expectancy is based on an estimate of the
average age that members of a particular population group will be when
they die.
 GNI Definition
gross national income (GNI) calculates the monetary worth of what is
produced within a country plus income recieved from investments outside
the country. per capita GNI. the gross national product of a given country
divided by its popoulation.