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absolute location

exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates

relative location

The position of a place in relation to another place

equator

an imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.

prime meridian

the earth's zero of longitude

latitude lines

a set of imaginary lines that run parallel to the EQUATOR

Longitude lines

a set of imaginary lines that go around the earth over the POLES

hemisphere

half of the earth divided north or south

globe

a model of the earth

map projection

a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

topographic map

a map that shows the surface features of Earth

continental drift

the gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface through geological time.

continental shelf

part of a continent that extends out underneath the ocean

drainage basin

the area from which a single stream or river and its tributaries drains all of the water

fault

a break in the earth's crust

rain shadow

A dry area on the downwind side of a mountain.

climate

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

tundra

an extremely cold, dry biome.

deciduous

trees and shrubs that shed their leaves at the end of the growing season

coniferous

trees that produce seed-bearing cones and have thin leaves shaped like needles

savanna

a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.

innovation

an improvement of an existing technological product, system, or method of doing something.

diffusion

the process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

population density

number of individuals per unit area

carrying capacity

the largest population that an area can support

market economy

economic decisions are made by individuals or the open market.

command economy

an economy in which production, investment, prices, and incomes are determined by the government.

permafrost

permanently frozen ground

Beringia

a land bridge from Siberia to Alaska

prevailing westerlies

middle-latitude winds blowing west to east

Representative Democracy

people rule through elected representatives

free enterprise system

Private ownership of capital goods

Colombian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the America and the rest of the world

multinationals

corporations that do business all over the world

"the rust belt"

The manufacturing region in the United States

service industry

produces a service

metropolitan area

large cities and nearby suburbs, towns

first nations

Native Americans

Parliamentary Government

A system where legislative and executive functions are combined in a legislature

Prime Minister

head of government

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

province

a territory governed as a political district of a country or empire

hydroelectric power

Electricity generated by flowing water

push factors

Factors that induce people to leave old residences.

pull factors

Factors that induce people to move to a new location.

pampas

areas of grassland, rich soil, used for cattle and wheat

infrastructure

sewers, transportation,

electricity, housing

varied climate

Mountains, the equator, and ocean currents are three reasons for latin america's

terraced farming

step-like horizontal fields cut into mountain for growing crops on hillsides

Maquiladoras

factories that assemble imported materials

capoeira

Brazilian martial art and dance that originated from Africa

inca

civilization in Peru has many active volcanoes

Spanish Conquest

hornado cortez conquering ofthe Native Americans in 1519

NAFTA

(North American Free Trade Agreement) with U.S., Canada prosperity through trade expected

cultural health

place from which important ideas spread

reggae

A style of music that developed in Jamaica

Uplands

a hill or very low mountain that may also contain mesas and high plateaus.

Black Forest

A tree-covered area in Germany

Zuider Zee

former inlet of the North Sea in the Netherlands

North Atlantic Drift

an ocean current that brings warm

Crusades

A long series of wars between Christians and Muslims in Southwest Asia

Islam

religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed

Ottomans

Turkish empire based in Anatolia

Protestant

Christians who belonged to non-Catholic churches

Reformation

movement that attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church

Renaissance

cultivated a new change in art, knowledge, and culture.

Central Asia

Chernozem

world's most fertile soil, abundant in area

Taiga

largest forest on earth, mostly coniferous

Northern European Plain

extensive lowland area that stretches over 1,000 miles from the western border to the Urals

Aral Sea

lake that has lost 80% of water volume

Russian Far East

Russian region known for mountains and volcanoes

Trans-Siberian Railway

inks Moscow to Pacific port of Vladivostok

Ural Mountains

separate Northern European, West Siberian Plains

Tundra

Mostly in Arctic climate zone; only specific vegetation can survive mosses, lichen, small herbs, low shrubs

Soviet Union

A Communist nation, consisting of Russia and 14 other states, that existed from 1922 to 1991.

Silk Road

trade route from Mediterranean from China

Red Army

the name of the Soviet Union's military

St. Petersburg

provides sea access to Europe

The Great Game

In 1800s, Britain, Russia compete to control area

Russian Revolution

1917 revolt ends reign of the czars-russian monarchy

collective farms

large team of laborers work on farm controlled by government

Nomads

people with no permanent home, few possessions always moving homes

Serengeti

An area of East Africa, containing some of the best grasslands in the world and many grazing animals

sahel

a strip of land that divides the desert from wetter areas

canopy

Dense covering formed by the leafy tops of tall rain forest trees

Aswan High Dam

One of the world's largest dams on the Nile River

rift valleys

a valley formed by the separation of tectonic plates

Aquifer

A body of rock or sediment that stores groundwater

desertification

fertile land becomes desert

oil

A liquid fossil fuel formed from marine organisms

Nile River

longest river in the world

Oasis

A fertile place in a desert where there is water and vegetation

Nelson Mandela

First black president of South Africa

Mobutu Sese Seko

Ruler who took control of the Congo in 1965

stateless society

society that is not governed by a state

Apartheid

Laws in South Africa that physically separated different races into different geographic areas.

pandemic

worldwide epidemic

Berlin Conference

Representatives of European nations hold a meeting to separate africa for themselves

Carthage

An ancient city on the north coast of Africa