The Human WorldChapter 4

• Elements of culture:

–All human groups have a culture. Each culture

has shared and unique sets of behaviors and

attitudes

–Language and religion are a part of culture.

• Cultural Diffusion– The process of spreading knowledge from

one culture to another.

• Cultural Hearth– A site from which basic ideas, materials, &

technology diffuse to many other cultures

• Acculturation– When a society changes because it accepts

an innovation

• Religion– Is a belief in a supernatural power that is

regarded as the creator of the universe

• Monotheism– Is a belief in one God

• Ex: Christianity, Judaism, Islam

• Polytheism– Is a belief in many Gods

• Ex: Hinduism

• Population Geography:

–The world’s population is expanding

rapidly.

–Most of the world’s population lives in the

Northern Hemisphere.

• Birthrate– The number of live births per thousand

• Mortality Rate (Death Rate)– The number of deaths per thousand

• Infant Mortality Rate– The number of deaths per thousand of infants

under the age of 1

• Rate of natural increase (Population growth rate)– The rate at which the population is growing

• Population Pyramid– A graphic device that shows sex and age

distribution of a population

• Push-Pull Factors– Push Factors cause people to leave their

home and migrate to another region

(ex: War, Natural Disasters, Genocide Etc…)– Pull Factors attract people to a location

(ex: job opportunities etc…)

• Population Density– The average number of people who live in an

area (usually a square mile)

• Carrying Capacity– The number of organisms a piece of land can

support

• Political Geography

–Size, shape, and location influence

political geography.

–States of the world have a variety of

political systems.

• State– An independent political unit (a country)

• Nation– A group of people living in a territory and

having a strong sense of unity.

• Nation-State– When a nation and a state occupy the same

territory

• Landlocked– A country surrounded by land with no direct

access to the sea

• Democracy– A political system in which the citizens hold all

the power

• Monarchy– A political system in which a king or queen

holds the power and may or may not share that power with the citizens

• Dictatorship– A political system in which one person or a

small group holds all political power

• Communism– A political system in which the government

controls everything including the economy

• Economic Geography

–Resources, available technology, and

economic systems shape the economy of a

state.

–Economic activities are based on how goods

or services are produced and traded.

• GDP (Gross Domestic Product)–GDP gives the total value of all goods

and services produced within a country in a specific period of time.

• Command Economy– An economic system in which the government

plans and controls the economy.

• Market Economy– An economic system in which consumer

demand controls the market.

• Primary Economic Activities– Involves gathering raw materials

• Secondary Economic Activities– Involves manufacturing products using raw

materials

• Tertiary Economic Activities– Involves providing services

• (Teachers, Doctors etc…)

• Natural Resources– Materials found on or in the Earth (oil, coal

etc…)• Resources can either be Renewable of Non-

Renewable

• Renewable Resources– These can be replaced through natural

processes (ex: trees)

• Non-renewable Resources– These can NOT be replaced through natural

processes (ex: oil, metals, natural gas)

• Urban Geography

-The study of how people use space in cities.

–Urban areas have expanded rapidly and now

are home to about one-half of the world’s

population.

–Functions of cities are similar.

–Land use patterns are unique to a place.

• Cities– Areas with large populations that are also

centers of business and culture.

• Suburbs– The Area directly outside of cities.

• Metropolitan Areas – The cities and the suburbs combined.

• Central Business District (CBD)– The core of a city where commercial activity

takes place.

• Infrastructure– The basic urban necessities such as streets,

electricity, water, sewer, trash etc…

THE END