Physical Geography

Mediterranean

An area found in the middle latitudes in land along the western coast of a continent

Panama Canal

A man-made waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

Relative Location

describes a place's location relative to another place. Relative locations can be helpful but require knowledge of the base location in order to understand the direction.

Example.

the library is located across the street from the courthouse

Amazon River

One of two key physical features in South America, it is the second longest river in the world, and discharges more water than any other river.

Gobi Desert

One of the key physical features in Asia, it is the fifth largest desert in the world, and covers northern and northwestern China and southern Mongolia.

Equator

The center line of latitude around the middle of the Earth that divides the globe into a Northern and Southern hemisphere

Plateaus

An area of land that is relatively flat and that is higher than the land surrounding it

Ocean

the largest type of water body; composed of saltwater; divided into the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Southern, and Arctic Oceans

Example.

Atlantic Ocean

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

a system that organizes large quantities of geo-spatial information

Example.

Google maps

Thematic Map

Depicts a particular special topic in an area

Example.

Electoral map showing voter turnout and results

Taiga

An area found in the high latitudes and far from the ocean.

Sahara Desert

The key physical feature in Africa, that is the largest hot desert in the world and covers most of northern Africa.

Place

Refers to the physical and human aspects of a specific area. One of the 5 themes of geography.

Example.

London (has a temperate climate and urban population)

Orographic Lift

A redirection of wind when it is forced upward to travel over the top of the mountain and then down the other side

Mississippi River

A key physical feature of North America that runs from Minnesota into the Gulf of Mexico.

Alps Mountain Range

The key physical feature in Europe, this range runs from Austria to France.

Islands

Small land masses not connected to any continent and surrounded on all sides by water

Example.

Mackinac Island

Global Positioning System (GPS)

a group of navigation satellites used to pinpoint precise locations

Renewable Resources

resources which replenish at the same (or faster) rate than the rate at which they are used

Example.

wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric power

Humid Continental

An area found inland in the middle latitudes. It is marked by four distinct seasons.

Biome

A classification of similar ecosystems. Biomes are classified by their types of plants, animals, soil, temperature, climate, and location.

Example.

grassland

Antarctic

The area south of the Antarctic Circle

Strait of Hormuz

A key physical feature in the Middle East that is a narrow stretch of water between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Marine

An area found in the middle latitudes in areas near or surrounded by water

Maps

a 2-dimensional depiction of a physical area.

Example.

Map of Salt Lake City

Rain Shadow Effect

the phenomenon in which desert-like conditions appear on the leeward side of a mountain or mountain range.

Example.

Death Valley

Acculturation

when one culture takes on some of the cultural traits of another culture

Example.

European countries adopted American trends after watching Hollywood movies.

Human-Environment Interaction

The ways in which people and places interact with and influence each other. One of the 5 themes of geography.

Example.

Early civilizations developed near rivers because of the need for a reliable water supply.

Continents

the world’s major continuous masses of land.

Himalaya Mountains

One of the key physical features in Asia, they are the tallest mountains in the world and are home to ten of the tallest peaks in the world

Erie Canal

A man-made navigable water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean (via New York City's Hudson River)

Suez Canal

A man made navigable water route from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea

Movement

stepwise or by leap

Economic Map / Resource Map

Depicts the distribution of resources

Example.

A map showing oil production of different states

Rocky Mountains

A 3000 mile mountain range stretching from British Columbia in Canada to New Mexico, and are the tallest mountains in North America.

Stream

a natural, flowing waterway; smaller than a river; composed of freshwater

Example.

brook, creek, rivulet; Bird Creek is located in Northeast Oklahoma

Tropics

the region between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude); warm temperatures; high rainfall

Example.

Amazon Rainforest

Appalachian Mountains

A mountain range running vertically in Eastern North America and that serves as one of the key physical features of NA.

Lake

a landlocked basin filled with water; usually freshwater. Can be used for recreation, fishing, hydroelectric power, and/or as a water source

Example.

Lake Baikal

Topographic Map

map that depicts changes in elevation using contour lines, such as mountains and valleys

Sea

typically a coastal branch of the ocean, sometimes landlocked; composed of saltwater

Example.

Mediterranean Sea

Tropical Rainforest

An area with high temperature and precipitation year round. Often has high humidity.

Example.

Amazon Rainforest

Region

A collection of different places that have one or more unifying characteristics. One of the 5 themes of geography.

Example.

The Pacific Northwest (shares similar weather patterns)

Desert

An area with extreme temperatures and little to no precipitation (less than 10 inches of rain a year)

Example.

The Gobi Desert

Ural Mountains

Mountain range that divides continental Europe from Asia.

Gulf Stream

a strong, warm current in the Atlantic Ocean which accelerates as it travels up the East Coast of North America and shoots out into the open ocean towards Europe

Physical Map

A map that depicts the major land formations and bodies of water.

Example.

US map showing major mountains, rivers and the Great Lakes

Temperate Zones

The areas between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn(23.5 degrees N and S) and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (66.5 degrees N and S)

Example.

Pampas

Tundra

An area with cold temperatures and little to no precipitation. Generally found near the poles.

Weather

a measure of an area's short-term atmospheric conditions

Example.

70% chance of rain with a high of 80 degrees today

Plate Tectonics

the large-scale movements of portions of the earth's crust over long periods of time

Globes

a 3-dimensional representation of the Earth.

Example.

Globe of the Earth

Arctic

The area north of the Arctic Circle

River

A large stream that flows over land, usually carrying a large amount of freshwater

Example.

Amazon River

Andes Mountains

One of two key physical features in South America, it is the longest mountain range in the world and the second highest range in the world.

Resource

any physical thing that is valued by people

Example.

coal, wind, diamonds

Climate

a measure of an area's long-term weather patterns

Example.

average temperature range in the Amazon Rainforest is 64 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit

Landforms

Ways in which the terrain of an area is shaped

Example.

Mountain, Plateau, Canyon

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped area from the Mediterranean Sea on the West to the Persian Gulf on the East and that contained extremely fertile soil. Some of the first agricultural communities were settled there and it is sometimes referred to as "The Cradle of Civilization."

Location

The particular position of a place, described as absolute or relative terms. One of the 5 themes of geography.

Example.

Longitude and latitude coordinates (absolute) or north of the river (relative)

Mountains

an area of land that rises abruptly and steeply above the land surrounding it.

Absolute Location

the location of a given point that does not require another frame of reference. Absolute locations include coordinates or addresses while relative locations describe a point's location in relation to another point.

Example.

Absolute Location: The city of london is located at 51.5°N and .13° W

Relative Location: London is in England.

Erosion

the slow wearing away of the surface of the land by wind or water

Example.

wind erosion, water runoff

Pond

small body of still (unmoving) surface water

Example.

Walden Pond

Hills

An area of land that rises higher than the land surrounding it

Savannah

An area marked by seasonal rains

El Niño

A phenomenon in which the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean near the Equator becomes warmer than normal, which changes weather patterns around the world. One major effect is dry weather in Asia when they would normally be in the monsoon season.

Political Map

Depicts the boundaries of countries and the locations of major cities

Example.

Map of Texas showing Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio

Humid Subtropical

An area found in the middle latitudes along the southeastern coast of continents

Climate Map

Depicts changes in temperature based on region

Example.

Weather forecast

Assimilate

When an individual or group replaces most of their home culture with the new culture.

Example.

Immigrants moving to a new country and taking on the new culture.

Plains

An area of land that is flat and lies at a low elevation

Steppes

An area found far from the ocean in the middle latitudes. It is marked by extreme seasons.

Earthquakes

a physical event involving the shaking of the surface of the earth

Example.

Haitian earthquake in 2010

Non-Renewable Resources

resources which will be depleted faster than they can be replenished

Example.

natural gas, petroleum

Elevation

distance above sea leve