Unit 1
the scientific study of human population, including its size, distribution, composition, and changes over time, such as birth rates, death rates, and migration.
Demography
the number of people living in a given area, usually expressed as the number of people per unit of land area (e.g., per square kilometer or per square mile).
population density
the shared beliefs, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society. It includes elements such as language, religion, ethnicity, traditions, social norms, and material culture, and it shapes how people perceive, interpret, and interact with the world around them.
Culture
A city with a population of over 10 million people, typically characterized by rapid population growth, high density, and diverse social and economic activities.
Megacity
A politically organized territory with a defined boundary, a permanent population, a government, and recognized sovereignty by other states.
State
Refers to the physical characteristics of a place, including its location, climate, topography, and natural resources. It describes the specific attributes of a particular location.
Site
refers to the maximum number of individuals that a given area or environment can support sustainably, considering the availability of resources, such as food, water, and shelter, and the ability to absorb waste and pollution.
Carrying capacity
the spread of cultural traits, ideas, innovations, or behaviors from one culture to another, typically through migration, trade, communication, or other forms of contact. It can result in the adoption, adaptation, or transformation of cultural elements in different societies.
Cultural diffusion
The process of the growth and expansion of urban areas, including the increase in the proportion of a population living in cities and the physical expansion of urban areas.
Urbanization
A group of people who share a common culture, language, history, or identity, often seeking self-determination or statehood.
Nation
a geographic region where a particular culture or civilization originated and from which it spread to other areas. It is often associated with the development of key innovations, ideas, and practices that influence surrounding regions.
refers to the pattern or arrangement of where people live in a given area or region. It can be described in terms of density, concentration, and dispersion, and it is influenced by factors such as physical geography, climate, economic activities, and social and cultural factors.
Population distribution
the visible, physical imprint of human activity on the natural landscape, reflecting the ways in which people have shaped and modified the environment to meet their cultural, economic, and social needs. It includes features such as buildings, roads, agriculture, monuments, and other human-made elements.
Cultural landscape
An area, typically in urban or rural settings, with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, often due to a lack of grocery stores or other fresh food sources.
Food desert
A state whose boundaries largely coincide with the territory occupied by a particular nation, where the majority of the population shares a common culture and identity.
Nation state
an area that shares common characteristics, such as physical features, cultural traits, economic activities, or political boundaries. It can be defined by natural or human-made boundaries and can vary in size and scale.
Region
refers to the historical process of changes in birth rates, death rates, and population growth rates that occur as societies transition from high birth rates and high death rates to low birth rates and low death rates, typically associated with economic and social development.
Demographic transition
the study of the spatial distribution and variation of languages, including how languages change over time, how they are related to one another, and how they are influenced by factors such as migration, trade, colonization, and social and cultural processes.
Linguistic geography
Abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial sites, typically contaminated with hazardous substances, that require environmental cleanup and redevelopment.
Brownfield
A physical, legal, or imaginary line that separates one political entity from another, such as between states or countries.
Boundary
refers to the subjective emotional and cultural attachment that individuals or groups have to a particular location or geographic area. It involves the perception and meaning that people attribute to a place, and it can influence their behaviors, identities, and sense of belonging.
Sense of place
the movement of people from one place to another, typically involving a change in residence for a significant period of time. It can be internal (within a country) or international (between countries) and is driven by various factors, such as economic, social, political, and environmental.
Migration
the idea that different cultures have their own unique perspectives, values, and practices that should be understood and judged within the context of their own cultural norms and standards, rather than being evaluated based on external or universal criteria.
Cultural relatism
Undeveloped land, often located at the outskirts of urban areas, that has not been previously built on or used for urban development.
Greenfield
The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group, often resulting in unfair or unrepresentative electoral outcomes.
Gerrymanduring