Asia Unit Geography Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key geographic terms and concepts from the 6th grade Asia Unit lecture notes.

Subcontinent

A large, distinct part of a larger continent.

Alluvial plain

Flat land built from soil and other material left by river floods.

Monsoon

A seasonal wind pattern that changes direction and often brings wet and dry seasons.

Archipelago

A group or chain of islands.

Plateau

A broad, mostly flat area of land raised above the land around it.

Arable

Suitable for growing crops.

Flora

The plant life of an area.

Fauna

The animal life of an area.

Loess

Fine, windblown silt (tiny earth particles) that can form fertile soil.

Endemic

Naturally found in only one particular place or region.

Sparse population

Few people living across a large area.

Natural resources

Materials from nature that people use, such as water, forests, oil, or minerals.

Heavy industry

Work that uses large machines to get or make materials, such as metals and chemicals.

Yurt

A round, portable home with a wooden frame, traditionally covered with a thick fabric called felt.

Outsourcing

Paying an outside company or person to do work for a business.

Insular area

An area made up of islands.

Tectonic plate

A huge, slowly moving piece of Earth's outer shell.

Tsunami

A series of powerful sea waves caused by sudden water movement, often during an undersea earthquake.

Urbanization

The growth of cities as a larger share of people live in them.

Demilitarized zone (DMZ)

An area separating opposing sides where soldiers and weapons are limited.