Geography (Geography, Culture, and Social Sciences)

Sea

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

Biome

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

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.

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

Site

the physical setting of a settlement

Rain Shadow Effect

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

Marine

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

Elevation

distance above sea level

Mediterranean

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

Appalachian Mountains

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

Pond

small body of still (unmoving) surface water

Stream

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

Mississippi River

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

Situation

how a settlement relates to factors such as available building resources, water supply, food supply, roads, and available natural resources for consumption

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)

Panama Canal

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

Steppes

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

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

Rocky Mountains

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

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.

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.

Islands

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

Plateaus

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

Humid Continental

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

Tropical Rainforest

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

Weather

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

Panama Canal

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

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.

Lake

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

Landforms

Ways in which the terrain of an area is shaped

Earthquakes

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

Erosion

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

Plains

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

Mountains

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

Alps Mountain Range

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

River

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

Humid Subtropical

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

Ocean

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

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."

Suez Canal

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

Savannah

An area marked by seasonal rains

Erie Canal

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

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)

Sahara Desert

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

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

Antarctic

The area south of the Antarctic Circle

Desert

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

Taiga

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

Arctic

The area north of the Arctic Circle

Plate Tectonics

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

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)

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

Tundra

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

Equator

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

Climate

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

Continents

the world’s major continuous masses of land.

Hills

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