Geography

Space

The way things are arranged on the Earth's surface, including location, organization, and spatial distribution.

Place

A part of the Earth's surface that is identified and given meaning by people, with unique characteristics that influence human relationships.

Interconnection

The connections between places and people, both local and global, that affect the environment and the way we live.

Change

The constant transformation of the Earth, whether rapid or gradual, caused by natural forces and human activity.

Environment

The living and non-living components of an area, their organization into a system, and the interaction between people and the environment.

Sustainability

The ongoing capacity of the Earth to support life, achieved through responsible use and management of resources.

Scale

The size of events and efforts, ranging from local to international/global, in improving sustainability.

Border

The boundary that defines the extent of a map or area.

Orientation

The alignment of a map with the cardinal directions.

Legend

The key that explains the symbols and colors used on a map.

Title

The name or description given to a map.

Scale

The ratio or relationship between distances on a map and the corresponding distances on the Earth's surface.

Source

The origin or provider of the information used to create a map.

Natural Features

Features on the Earth's surface that occur naturally and exist without human intervention.

Cultural Features

Features on the Earth's surface that are a result of human interaction and activity.

Topography

The study of physical features in a given area.

Vegetation Changes

Alterations to the natural vegetation caused by human activities such as land clearing, monocropping, and pesticide use.

Water Changes

Modifications to water bodies due to human activities like fertilizer leaching, dam construction, and over-pumping for irrigation.

Desertification

The gradual process of an area becoming drier, losing water bodies, vegetation, and wildlife, primarily caused by overgrazing, farming, and land clearing.

Soil Changes

Human-induced changes to soil, including salinity, degradation, and terracing, resulting from factors such as deforestation, poor irrigation practices, and erosion.

Area Reference

A 4-digit number indicating the general location of something on a map.

Grid Reference

A 6-digit number providing a more specific location of something on a map.

Latitude

Horizontal lines on a map indicating distance from the equator.

Longitude

Vertical lines on a map indicating distance from the Prime Meridian.

Spot Height

The elevation or height of a point on a map.

Height Above Sea Level

The elevation of a point above the average level of the sea.

Contour Lines

Lines on a map that represent different heights or elevations.

Contour Interval

The vertical distance between contour lines on a map.

Terrestrial Biomes

Biomes found on land, such as tundra, boreal forest, temperate forest, mountain vegetation, grasslands, deserts, and tropical forests.

Aquatic Biomes

Biomes found in water, including freshwater, marine and coral.

Coral Reefs

Biomes found in warm waters near land, characterized by coral and supporting diverse aquatic life.

Polar lands

Very cold and dry. They have very little animal life and almost no vegetation. They are located near upwards or the arctic circle and downards on the antarctic circle.

Tundra

Cold, with short growing seasons and no trees. They are located at the top of Europe, Asia and North America (around the arctic circle).

Boreal Forests

Cold, wet and is filled with coniferous trees. They are located underneath tundras and throughout Euroasia and North America.

Temperate Forests

Mild temperatures and wet weather, with lots of trees and animal life. They are mostly located in the bottoms 2/3s of Eurasia and North America and sometimes along the coasts of other continents.

Mountain Vegetation

On cold and windy land, with vegetation that won’t be blown over. Mountain vegetation can be found in the middle of Asia and Africa and along parts of the coast of North and South America.

Grasslands

Mainly grass vegetation that supports many different species of animals. They can be very wet or very dry, depending on the location. They can be found mainly through the middle of Africa, but they are generally found along the equator.

Deserts

Very dry and have almost no plants, they are often located in the centre of continents, away from coasts. They are found around the equator and the tropics of cancer and capricorn.

Tropical Forests

Warm, wet and have lots of plant and animal life. They are found along the equator.

Freshwater Biomes

Low/no levels of salt, they support animals and some aquatic plant life. They are found in the middle of continents.

Marine Biomes

Made up of three zones that get colder and darker as the water gets deeper. Most marine life exists closer to the surface.

Threats to Boreal Forests

Loss of trees for wood and paper, forest clearing for oil and gas, insect plagues, acid rain, bushfires and deforestation. Climate change is also causing forests to spread further north, replacing the tundra in some places. They are located underneath tundras and throughout Euroasia and North America.