Definitions for geography

Ageing population- The average age of the population is increasing, usually as a result of increasing
life expectancy and a falling birth rate.
Agenda 21- A programme run by the United Nations related to sustainable development. It is a plan
of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organisations of the UN, governments and
major groups in every area in which humans impact on the environment.
Baby boom - Any period of greatly increased birth rate during a certain period, and usually within
certain geographical bound, Persons born during such a period are often called baby boomers.
Carbon sinks reservoirs of carbon dioxide. The main natural sinks are the oceans and plants that
use photosynthesis to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Centrally planned economies a country where (nearly all) all business and industry is controlled by
the state.
Reverse colonialism where companies from previous colonised countries buy up companies in
previous colonial countries e.g. Tata Steel from India taking over the British/Dutch steel company
Corus in 2006.
Connections How places and people are linked together, e.g. by trade, by transport, and
information links, and by political control.
Connected Some countries become more influential and more involved in economic decisionmaking.
Disconnected Some countries become less influential and less involved in economic decisionmaking.
Core and periphery A model of development which tries to represent the emergence of an urban
system in four major stages. In between the affluent core and the deprived periphery are two
transition regions, one upward and the other downward. In international terms, core areas
include North America, Europe and Japan.
Deindustrialisation The decline in manufacturing (secondary) industry, and the growth in tertiary
and quaternary industry.
Digital divide the gap between those with regular, effective access to digital and information
technology, and those without it.
Dynamic system A social or geophysical structure that is constantly changing.
Ecological footprint A measure of the amount of land and water that a population needs in order
to produce the resources that it consumes, and to absorb its waste, with existing technology.
Economic migrants people from a poor area that move to a richer area in search for a better life.

Edge city A city which has grown up on the periphery of an older city, to which new industries and
services have moved, away from the old CBD.
Enclaves groups of people living in a community which is isolated or separated from the rest of the
population.
Ethnic enclave Part of a city in which the population is mainly from one ethnic group, often with
its own religious beliefs and places of worship, together with shops and community centres.
Export processing zones Zones which businesses are free to import raw materials, process and
manufacture them, and re-export without paying duties or tariffs - helping to keep costs down.
Fair Trade An organised social and economic movement with regard to trade between developed
and developing countries which promote the payment of a fair price and higher social and
environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods.
Fertility rate The average number of children born per woman.
First world Western Europe, Japan, Australia and North America. These were the first areas to
industrialise, Also known as the developed world.
Third World Old fashioned term for LEDC (less economically developed countries).
Fortress Europe The term sometimes given to the concept of the EUs efforts to keep non-EU
goods, businesses and nationals out of the Unions 27 member states.
Free trade trade between countries which takes place completely free of restrictions.
Globalisation The process by which people, their cultures, money, goods and information can be
transferred between countries with few or no barriers.
Grey pound A term used in the UK to refer to the economic power of the older, retired people.
Greying A term used to mean the increase in the proportion of older people in population.
Host nations Those where migrants decide to go, or to which they are admitted.
Hyper -urbanisation Where the increase in the urban population is happening so rapidly that the
city cannot cope with the needs of the people.
Illegal immigrant A foreigner who either has illegally crossed an international political border, be it
by land, sea or air, or a foreigner who has entered a country legally but then over stays his/her visa
in order to live and/or work in the country.
IMF (International monetary fund) A global banking organisation based in Washington ( and
largely controlled by the USA), which exists to ensure global banking stability by assisting countries
with investments and debt.
Immigration the inward flow of people into a country.
Informal sector Self-employed work that is irregular and with little security e.g. street trading.

Inputs and outputs

Just-in-time Where companies demand from suppliers on short timescales, rather than producing
and holding large volumes of stock.
Mega city Has a population of over 10 million.
Megalopolis Very large urban area that contains several metropolitan centres.
Immigration The inward flow of people into a country.
Millennium development goals 8 goals that 192 United Nations member states have agreed to try
to achieve by the year 2015 to help raise the development standards.
Modernisation theory The means by which the world would become more economically uniform,
using Western investment aimed at reducing poverty.
Natural increase or decrease The difference between birth rate and death rate in population.
Natural increase/decrease = Birth rate Death rate
Net migration The figure arrived at when natural increase is subtracted from the total change in
population.
Net migration = Natural increase total change in population
New economy Where companies and countries are based more on creativity, in finance, media
and management, rather than on the production of goods.
Outsourcing Employing overseas labour in their home country to do a job under contract to
provide a service for a company in a developed country. Usually associated with IT software
development, banks, and service companies (e.g. call centres).
Periphery The area most remote from the wealthy core of a country or region.
Population structure The proportion of people in each age group compared to other age groups.
Privatisation where government owned businesses are sold to private owners.
Pull factors Benefits that attract migrants to new locations.
Push factors In immigration, any adverse factor which causes movement away from the place of
residence.
Quota A fixed level indicating the maximum amount of imported goods or persons which a state
will allow.
Remittances A sum of money sent
Replacement level The fertility rate needed to maintain population at its existing size by natural
change (without allowing for net migration).
Rural-urban migration Migration from a rural to an urban area.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) An EU scheme allowing people (mostly students
from Eastern European countries) to work in other EU countries for limited periods.
Seasonal workers A worker who is allowed into a country to work only for a limited period, usually
in agriculture.
Sheltered accommodation A term used for self-contained homes specially designed for the elderly.
The aim is to provide independent secure accommodation with additional social and domestic
facilities.
Social cohesion The linking together of people who are tied by one or more types of specific
interdependency, such as values, visions, financial ties friendship and kinship.
Source nations Those from which migrants have come.
Structural adjustment packages
Super city Has a population of over 5 million.
Sustainable development Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Tariff A list of duties or customs to be paid on imports.
Three Ds jobs which are difficult, dirty and dangerous.
Total fertility rate (TFR) the average number of children who would be born per woman if she were
to live to the end of her childbearing years and follow normal patterns of fertility rate.
Tourist enclave An area set aside for tourists where they have little or no contact with the society
they are visiting. It may have no benefit for the local economy as all its goods and services are
brought in from outside.
Trading blocs Countries which are grouped together to improve their economic interests and trade
patterns.
Urbanisation The increase in the percentage of people living in towns and cities.
World Bank A bank that is effectively controlled by subscriptions from rich countries which
provides aid to the developing world.
World city A city of power based on trade, political strength, innovation and communications.