Human Geography (CH 4) Study Guide
Population:
1. Draw a less developed and more developed pyramid. List 4 factors you can infer just by looking at the pyramid
(use the population vocabulary):
Characteristics of less developed countries: high IMR, high birthrate, low life expectancy, no access to education or
healthcare, low GDP
Characteristics of a more developed country: low IMR, low birthrate, high life expectancy, access to healthcare and
education, high GDP
2. What is population density? The average number of people who live in a measureable area
3. IMR is the number of infants who will die before the age of one. This number can decrease if people have
access to healthcare and nutrition.
4. Carrying capacity is the number of organisms a piece of land can support.
5. The reasons for the migration of people are known as push-pull factors factors.
6. What are some reasons that cause people to move to the cities? Jobs, healthcare and education
Urban Geography:
7. Urban geography is the study of how people use space in cities.
8. What are the four land use patterns found in each city and list what can be found in that pattern
1) Residential: single-family housing and apartment buildings
2) Industrial: manufacturing/factories
3)_Commercial: private business and the buying and selling of retail products
4) Centeral Business District (CBD): Downtown, skyscrapers
9. What is the difference between a city, a suburb and a metropolitan area? Give an example of each.
City: Major population center, Houston
Suburb: A residential area outside of a major city, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland
Metropolitan Area: City and its suburbs
10. Define rural and urban areas.
Urban: city with large population, highways, tall buildings, cultural centers
Rural: countryside, farms, small population
Economic Geography:
11. What are the levels of economic activities and give an example for each level.
1) Primary: raw materials, piece of wood
2) Secondary: add value by changing it, chair
3) Tertiary: involve businesses/stores, sell the chair at Target
4) Quaternary: research, find out about the product
Political Geography:
12. Define each of the following government systems and give an example:
1) Republic: people elect representatives, US
2) Democracy: power is held by the people, US
3) Monarchy: ruled by a king and/or queen, usually follows a family line and they may or may not share power,
United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia
4) Totalitarianism: Absolute control by a person who believes all people should be subjects of the government,
Hitler’s Germany
5) Dictatorship: Rule by one person, usually a military general, North Korea
6) Communism: Government and economic system where the government makes all economic decisions,
China & Cuba
Culture:
13. Version of languages related to class, region or other cultural changes is called dialect
14. Taking existing technology and resources and creating something new to meet a need is innovation.
15. The belief in one god is known as monotheistic. Give examples of monotheistic religions. Judaism, Christianity &
Islam
16. Briefly describe the basic belief of each of the following religions
Monotheistic: belief in one god
Polytheistic: belief in several gods
Animistic: belief in the divine forces in nature
Judaism: oldest of the SW Asian religions believing in God, followers are called Jews, holy book is called the
Torah, and religious center is in Israel
Christianity: monotheistic SW Asian religions believing in God, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, holy book
is the Christian Bible, largest of all religions, major denominations are Roman Catholics, Protestants and Eastern
Orthodox
Islam: Youngest of the three SW Asian religions believing in God, based on the teaching of the Prophet
Muhammad, followers are known as Muslims, holy book is the Qur’an, two major denominations are Sunni and
Shi’ite
Hinduism: Oldest religion, ethnic religion concentrated in India, has a caste system of social classes, believe in
reincarnation
Physical Geography Review:
17. What does a climograph show? The average temperature and precipitation of an area
18. Define the following: renewable, nonrenewable and inexhaustible energy resources:
Renewable: can replace itself naturally
Nonrenewable: once the resource has been extracted they will be gone forever, fossil fuels
Inexhaustible: we will never run out (solar, wind, water and geothermal)
19. What factors affect climate? Wind currents, ocean currents, elevation, landforms, latitude, temperature,
precipitation
AP Human Classes Only:
20. What is the difference between imperialism and colonialism?
Imperialism: policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force
Colonialism: policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with
settlers and exploiting it economically
21. Why did imperialism cause political instability?
When the imperialists granted independence to countries they left them without any organization causing weak
governments and military coups who were unable to maintain control, leaders were corrupt, often disputed and
would squander money
22. What is the “divide and rule” tactic used by Europeans?
Europeans purposely put river groups together within borders of countries so that they would be too busy
fighting each other, they would not join forces against them
23. What is the difference between primate cities and megacities?
Primate City: a city that is vastly larger than all others in a country and in which economic and political activity is
centered
Megacity: areas of continuous urban development of over 10 million people
24. What is a forward capital and why do governments create them?
A forward capital is one that has been moved, usually from coastal areas that were set up by Europeans for
trade purposes, to the interior of the country. This is done to promote growth and development in areas
previously vacant and to relieve the stress put on other cities
25. What is the brain drain and why is it a problem?
Educated people are leaving the continent, they lack human capital, few smart people to fix problems, makes
them dependent on foreigners and higher paying jobs will go to foreigners
26. Why are diseases a problem?
It is impossible to fix other problems without addressing disease concerns, you cannot have economic growth if
you do not have a healthy working class
27. What are some positive results of imperialism?
Some of the infrastructure was developed (railroads, roads and bridges), access to newer technologies
(weapons), some access to medications, jobs
28. Why do we need Africa?
Oil, metals and industrial diamonds, global terrorism and security, growing markets, highly skilled labor and the
US cannot afford for China to have a greater influence on Africa