World Geography Vocabulary Review

The process of spreading new knowledge and skills from one culture to another

CULTURAL DIFFUSION OR CULTURAL CONVERGENCE

The average number of years an individual in a country is expected to live

LIFE EXPECTANCY

The number of deaths per year for every 1,000 people

DEATH RATE

Type of economic system in which the government owns the means of production and makes all economic decisions.

COMMAND ECONOMY

A democratic system of government in which people elect representatives to make decisions.

REPUBLIC

Countries with lower standards of living and less advanced technologies

LESS DEVELOPED NATIONS

The number of infants who die for every 1,000 births

INFANT MORTALITY RATE

The number of births per year for every 1,000 people

BIRTHRATE

The value of goods and services produced in a year in a nation by an average person (average income)

PER CAPITA GDP

The percentage of people who can read and write

LITERACY RATE

Rule by a king or queen

MONARCHY

A system of government in which a single person or small group exercises complete power

DICTATORSHIP

When a culture is restricted from outside influences OR when a culture separates, forming two distinct cultures

CULTURAL DIVERGENCE

A system of government in which authority is based on the will of the people

DEMOCRACY

A type of economic system in which people earn a living the same way as their ancestors, usually producing only enough to survive

TRADITIONAL OR SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY

Countries with advanced economies and high standards of living

MORE DEVELOPED NATIONS

An increasing number of people migrating from rural to urban areas

URBANIZATION

The movement of people into another country or region

IMMIGRATION

Type of economic system in which people choose what to produce with very little government regulation

MARKET ECONOMY

City

URBAN

All of the factors that help a city to function

INFRASTRUCTURE

The movement of people from one country or region to another

EMIGRATION

Outside of the city limits

RURAL

The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement

SETTLEMENT PATTERNS

The average number of people per square mile

POPULATION DENSITY

Countries that are moving from less to more developed economies

NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED OR EMERGING ECONOMIES

A type of dictatorship in which the government closely controls every aspect of a citizen’s life

TOTALITARIANISM

A government run by religious leaders

THEOCRACY