Comprehensive Geography and Oceanography: Landforms, Climate, and Map Skills

Oceans

Large bodies of water that cover 71% of the Earth's surface.

Coast

An area of land near the ocean.

Coral Reef

An ocean ridge made up of skeletal remains of tiny sea animals.

Gulf

A deep inlet of the sea almost completely surrounded by land.

Bay

An inlet of the sea that is smaller than a gulf.

River

A natural stream of water flowing in a channel into another body of water.

Delta

Deltas are located at the mouth of a river and are typically fan shaped.

Strait

A narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

Lake

An inland body of water.

Wetland

An area of land covered by shallow water.

Island

An area of land surrounded entirely by water.

Isthmus

A narrow piece of land, bordered by water, that connects two larger land areas.

Forest

An area with many trees.

Plain

A nearly flat area of land.

Hill

A rounded, elevated area of land smaller and less steep than a mountain.

Dune

A hill of sand shaped by wind.

Peninsula

An area of land that sticks out into a lake or ocean, almost completely surrounded by water, usually on three sides.

Sinkhole

A circular depression formed due to erosion

Desert

An extremely dry area with little water and few plants.

Oasis

An area in the desert with a water source.

Plateau

A large, flat, elevated area of land.

Valley

Low-lying areas between mountains or hills, usually U or V shaped.

Canyon

A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, more steep and narrow than a valley.

Mountain

An area of rugged land that generally rises higher than 2,000 feet.

Volcano

An opening in Earth's crust where lava, ash, and gases erupt.

Glacier

A large area of slow-moving ice.

Geography

the study of Earth's physical and cultural features

Landforms

the natural features of the land's surface

Climate

the average weather conditions in a certain area over a long period of time

Environment

all the living and nonliving things that affect life in an area

Region

an area with one or more features that make it different from other surrounding areas

Map Key

box that explains the meaning of different symbols used on the map

Map Scale

tool that measures the relationship between the distance of locations on the map and the distance of locations in real life

Compass Rose

a circle that shows the key directions on a map

Hemispheres

halves of the Earth

Continent

one of seven large landmasses on Earth

Latitude

imaginary horizontal lines that measure distance north and south of the Equator

Parallels

another name for lines of latitude

Arctic Circle

major line of latitude that runs 66° N of the Equator

Tropic of Cancer

major line of latitude that runs 23.5° N of the Equator

Equator

central line of latitude that is measured at 0°

Tropic of Capricorn

major line of latitude that runs 23.5° S of the Equator

Antarctic Circle

major line of latitude that runs 66° S of the Equator

Climate Zones

specific areas of the globe that have consistent weather patterns

Tropical Zone

hot climate zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

Temperate Zones

mild climate zones between the Tropic of Cancer and Arctic Circle in the N. Hemisphere, and the Tropic of Capricorn and Antarctic Circle in the S. Hemisphere

Polar Zones

cold climate zones north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle

Longitude

imaginary vertical lines that measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian

Meridians

another name for lines of longitude

Prime Meridian

the central line of longitude, which is measured at 0° and runs through Greenwich, United Kingdom

Map

illustration of a specific area on Earth that is often portrayed on a flat surface

Physical Map

a type of map that shows the natural landforms and terrain of a location

Political Map

a type of map that identifies cities, states, and countries

Globe

a spherical model that is the most accurate representation of Earth

Distortion

the misrepresentation of Earth's features on a map, such as the area and shape of continents, compared to their actual measurements