Location
The place where a thing is; it can be defined absolutely or relatively
Absolute Location
The location of a place as pinpointed in terms
... [Show More] of the global geographic grid
Relative Location
The location of a place relative to other places
Place
Place is a concept that refers to the wide range of human activities and human-environment interactions that occur in a particular location.
Human-Environment Interaction
The direct connections between humans and our biophysical world.
Movement
The core idea that human beings and all animal life are always in motion.
Region
A territory that exhibits a certain uniformity
Formal Region
A region defined by essential uniformity in one or more physical or cultural features
Functional Region
A region defined by interaction among places, such as trade and communication
Perceptual (Vernacular) Region
A region defined by widespread popular conception of its existence
North American Region
United States and Canada
Latin American Region
Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean Islands
European Region
Europe
Northern Eurasia Region
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Central Asia and Afghanistan Region
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan
The Middle East and Northern Africa Region (MENA)
Composed of countries that cluster around the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf
Sub-Saharan Africa Region
The majority of Africa;Poorest region in the world
South Asia Region
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives;Second poorest region
East Asia Region
China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan
South-East Asia Region
Myanmar (Burma), Laow, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste
Oceania Region
Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands
Geography
The study of the interaction of all physical and human phenomena at individual places and of how interactions among places form patterns and organize space
Physical Geography
The study of the characteristics of the physical environment
Human Geography
The study of the geography of human groups and activities
Cartography
The study of maps and making
Remote Sensing
The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or from high-flying aircraft
Geographic information system (GIS)
A computer system used to organize, store, analyze, and display geographic information
Regional Geography
An inventory analysis of all characteristics of any individual place
Topical (Systematic) Geography
The study of universal laws or principles that apply to all places; topics may be as diverse as the geography of soils (pedology), of life forms (biogeography), of politics (political geography), of economic activities (economic geography), and of cities (urban geography)
Spatial Analysis
An approach to geographic inquiry focusing on patterns in the distribution of human actions, environmental processes, and interactions among and between places or regions
Distribution
The position, placement, or arrangement of a phenomenon in space
Density
The frequency of occurrence of a phenomenon in space, in relation to its geographic area
Concentration
An aspect of the distribution of a phenomenon within a given area
Pattern
The arrangement of objects within an area
Distance
The extent of space between two objects or places; it can be measured absolutely, in terms of miles or kilometers, or in terms of other units, such as time or cost to cross
Topography
The shape of earth's surface; surface relief
Friction of Distance
The effort, time, or cost necessary to move or transport items
Distance Decay
The diminution of the presence or impact of any cultural attribute away from its hearth area
Diffusion
The process of an item or a feature spreading through time
Hearth
The place where a distinctive culture originated
Relocation Diffusion
Diffusion from one widely separated point to another
Continguous Diffusion
Diffusion that occurs from one place directly to a neighboring place
Hierarchical Diffusion
Diffusion that occurs downward or upward through an organizational hierarchy; when mapped, it shows up as a network of spots
Model
An idealized, simplified representation of reality
System
An interdependent group of items that interact in a regular way to form a unified whole
Atmosphere
A thin layer of gases surrounding Earth
Hydrosphere
The water realm of Earth's surface, including the oceans, surface waters on land (lakes, streams, rivers), groundwater in soil and rock, water vapor in the atmosphere, and ice in glaciers
Lithosphere
The solid Earth, composed of rocks and sediments overlying them
Biosphere
All living organisms on Earth
Equator
Earth's imaginary midline perpendicular to the axis and midway between the poles
Latitude
The location of a place measured as angular distance north and south of the equator [Show Less]