World Geography terms

river

a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream

tributary

a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake

great lakes

group of five large freshwater bodies in central North America

fall line

a narrow zone that marks the geological boundary between an upland region and a plain, distinguished by the occurrence of falls and rapids where rivers and streams cross it

plateau/altiplano

an area of relatively level high ground

mountain range

a line of mountains connected by high ground

continental divide

a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea

peninsula

a piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water

isthmus

a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land

trench

a long, narrow ditch

bay

a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward

gulf

a deep inlet of the sea almost surrounded by land, with a narrow mouth

sea

the expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface and surrounds its landmasses

glacier

a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles

grasslands

large open area of country covered with grass, especially one used for grazing

volcano

a mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are being or have been erupted from the earth's crust

land bridge

a connection between two landmasses, especially a prehistoric one that allowed humans and animals to colonize new territory before being cut off by the sea

archipelago

a group of islands

Map Projection

the representation on a plane surface of any part of the surface of the earth or a celestial sphere

Absolute Location

the location of a place based on a fixed point on earth

Relative Location

general location

Latitude

an angle which ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles

Longitude

the angular distance of a place east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England, or west of the standard meridian of a celestial object, usually expressed in degrees and minutes.

Elevation/Relief

height above a given level, especially sea level.

Thematic Map

a type of map especially designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area

Functional Region

consist of a central place and the surrounding areas that are dependent upon that place, such as a metropolitan area

Perceptual Region

area defined by subjective perceptions that reflect the feelings & images about key place characteristics; also called vernacular region

Hydrosphere

all the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the earth's surface, such as clouds.

Lithosphere

the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle

Atmosphere

the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet

Biosphere

global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

Core

the central or innermost portion of the Earth

Mantle

a layer between the crust and the outer core

Crust

outermost layer of a planet

Plate Tectonics

a theory explaining the structure of the earth's crust and many associated phenomena as resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates that move slowly over the underlying mantle

Ring of Fire

a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur

Subduction

the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate

Accretion

the process of growth or increase, typically by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter

Spreading

a process in which new ocean floor is created as molten material from the earth's mantle rises in margins between plates or ridges and spreads out

Fold

a bend in the rock strata

Weathering

wear away or change the appearance or texture of (something) by long exposure to the air

Erosion

the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents

Weather vs Climate

conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time vs how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time

Equinox

the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about September 22 and March 20)

Solstice

either of the two times in the year, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days

Midnight Sun

the sun when seen at midnight during the summer in either the Arctic or Antarctic Circle

Current

a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water or air in which there is less movement

Coriolis Effect

most apparent in the path of an object moving longitudinally

Doldrums

a colloquial expression derived from historical maritime usage, which refers to those parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean affected by the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm

Windward

the direction upwind (toward where the wind is coming from) from the point of reference

Leeward

the direction downwind (or downward) from the point of reference

Rain Shadow

a dry region of land on the side of a mountain range that is protected from the prevailing winds

Culture

the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group

Geospatial

relating to or denoting data that is associated with a particular location

Geometric Boundary

boundaries formed by arcs or lines (such as lines of latitude or longitude) regardless of the physical and cultural features of the area

Natural Boundary

a border between states or their subdivisions which is concomitant with natural formations such as rivers, mountain ranges, or deserts

Cultural Boundary

a boundary line that runs along differences in ethnicity, such as language and religion

Ethnic Group

a community or population made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent

Cultural Diffusion

the spreading out of culture, culture traits, or a cultural pattern from a central point

Cultural Hearth

civilizations that have cultural influence around the world

Globalization

a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology

Standard of Living

the degree of wealth and material comfort available to a person or community

Birthrate

the number of live births per thousand of population per year

Death Rate

the number of deaths per thousand of population per year

Migration

movement from one part of something to another

Population Pyramid

a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population (typically that of a country or region of the world)

Population Distribution

the pattern of where people live

Population Density

a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume

Traditional Economy

an original economic system in which traditions, customs, and beliefs help shape the goods and the services the economy produces, as well as the rules and manner of their distribution

Market Economy

an economic system in which economic decisions and the pricing of goods and services are guided solely by the overall

interactions of a country's individual citizens and businesses

Free Enterprise

an economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control

Primary Economic Activity

the sector of an economy making direct use of natural resources

Secondary Economic Activity

the sector of an economy that produces manufactured goods

Tertiary Economic Activity

the sector of an economy that produces services and focuses on commercial services that work to provide support to distribution and production processes such as warehousing, transport services, etc

Quaternary Economic Activity

the sector of an economy that focuses on a knowledge-based part of the economy (i.e. information technology, research, development, and knowledge-based services)

Developed Country

a sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations

Newly Industrialized Country

a country whose level of economic development ranks it somewhere between the developing and first-world classifications

Developing (Less Developed) Country

a poor agricultural country that is seeking to become more advanced economically and socially

Megalopolis

a very large, heavily populated city or urban complex

Maquiladora

a factory in Mexico run by a foreign company and exporting its products to the country of that company

Immigrate

come into another country to live permanently

Emigrate

to leave one's country to live in another

Seismic

of or relating to earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth and its crust

Mestizo

a man of mixed race, especially the offspring of a Spaniard and an American Indian

Cash Crop

a crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower

Megacity

a very large city, typically one with a population of over ten million people

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

the broadest quantitative measure of a nation's total economic activity

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

agreement among the United States, Canada and Mexico designed to remove tariff barriers between the three countries

Conquistador

a conqueror, especially one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century

Deforestation

the clearing of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land

Biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Ecotourism

tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife

Population Pressure

the sum of the factors (as increase in numbers or excessive food consumption) within a population that reduce the ability of an environment to support the population and that therefore tend to result in migration and expansion of range or in extinction or decline of the population

Dialect

a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group

Patois

the dialect of the common people of a region, differing in various respects from the standard language of the rest of the country

Matriarchal

a group or society ran by woman

Patriarchy

a group or society ran by men

Monoculture

the cultivation of a single crop in a given area

Minifundia

a small farm or property in Latin America, especially one that is too small to support a single family

Latifundia

a large landed estate or ranch in ancient Rome or more recently in Spain or Latin America, typically worked by slaves