Physical Geography Vocabulary

Absolute location

the exact, fixed position of a place on Earth, typically using latitude and longitude coordinates

Biomes

a large geographical area defined by its characteristic climate

Climate

the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period, the weather long time

El niño

the warming of the surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

elevation

the height of a point above a reference level, most commonly mean sea level

equator

an imaginary circle at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South Poles

formal region

an area defined by one or more distinct and consistent characteristics

functional region

a central place and the surrounding territory around it

Leeward

the side of an object, like a mountains or a ship that is sheltered from the wind or facing away from the wind

Orographic Effect

the impact of mountains on weather patterns, specifically on rainfall and temperature

Perceptual region

a geographic area defined by people's subjective perceptions, feelings, and beliefs about a place, rather than by objective, measurable criteria

Place

a specific location on Earth's surface that has unique physical and human characteristics

Rainshadow

a region of low rainfall on the leeward side of a mountain range, due to the mountains blocking the passage of rain-producing weather systems

Region

an area defined by certain characteristics or attributes

Relative Location

a place or object’s position in relation to other features, landmarks, or objects

Weather

the short-term, localized atmospheric conditions at a specific time and place

windward

the side or direction from which the wind is blowing