GEOGRAPHY🦎

Grid Reference

A system of horizontal (eastings) and vertical (northings) lines used to pinpoint exact locations on a map.

Four-figure grid reference

Identifies a general area on a map, such as 2345 representing a square.

Six-figure grid reference

Provides precise locations on a map, like 234567 pinpoints a specific point within a square.

Cardinal points

The four main directions: North (N), South (S), East (E), and West (W).

Intercardinal points

Directions between cardinal points: Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), Southwest (SW).

Bearings

A precise method of measuring direction using degrees from North (0°–360°).

Scale

Represents the ratio between distances on a map and actual distances on Earth.

Gentle slope

Type of slope with contour lines spaced widely apart, such as plains in Guyana.

Steep slope

Type of slope with closely packed contour lines, as seen in mountains in St. Lucia.

Concave slope

Slope with widely spaced contours at the top and closer at the bottom.

Convex slope

Slope with closely spaced contours at the top and widely spaced at the bottom.

Relief

The variations in elevation and landscape that influence settlement locations.

Settlement factors

Elements like relief, drainage, climate, soil fertility, and economic activities that influence where people choose to live.

Linear settlement

A type of settlement that occurs along roads, rivers, or coastlines.

Nucleated settlement

A type of settlement where buildings cluster together, usually around a resource.

Dispersed settlement

A type of settlement characterized by isolated houses in rural areas.

Weather

Short-term atmospheric conditions, including temperature, humidity, and rainfall.

Climate

Long-term patterns that affect temperature and rainfall.

Physical weathering

The breakdown of rocks due to temperature changes, such as expansion and contraction.

Chemical weathering

The process where rainwater dissolves minerals, like limestone in Jamaica.

Biological weathering

The breakdown of rocks by living organisms, such as plant roots.

Volcanic soils

Fertile soils formed from volcanic ash, supporting agriculture, found in Dominica and Montserrat.

Alluvial soils

Rich, nutrient-filled soils found in floodplains, ideal for farming, such as in the Caroni Plains.

Limestone soils

Less fertile soils typically found in coral islands, as seen in The Bahamas.

Population distribution

The arrangement of people across the landscape, influenced by factors like economic opportunities and climate.

Push factors

Reasons that drive people to leave a place, such as unemployment and natural disasters.

Pull factors

Attractive aspects of a different location that entice people to move there, like job prospects.

Remittances

Money sent back home by migrants, which can boost the economies of their home countries.

Brain drain

The loss of skilled workers from a country as they migrate elsewhere for better opportunities.

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating land, growing crops, and raising livestock.

Plantation farming

Large-scale agricultural operations focused on the production of cash crops for export.

Subsistence farming

Small-scale farming aimed at producing enough food for the farmer's family.

Coral reefs

Underwater structures formed by coral polyps, providing habitat for marine life and protecting coastlines.

Fringing reefs

Coral reefs that are close to shore and attached to the coastline.

Barrier reefs

Coral reefs located offshore, separated from the land by a lagoon.

Atolls

Circular coral reefs surrounding a central lagoon, typically found in deep waters.

Patch reefs

Isolated coral formations scattered throughout the Caribbean Sea.

Biodiversity hotspots

Areas rich in diverse species, including marine life found in coral reefs.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Regulated zones where fishing, pollution, and tourism activities are limited to protect marine ecosystems.

Coral restoration projects

Initiatives aimed at growing and transplanting healthy coral fragments to restore damaged reefs.

Oxybenzone

A harmful chemical in some sunscreens that can cause coral bleaching.

Natural toxins

Defensive chemicals produced by corals to protect against predators.

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃)

The primary component of coral skeletons that provides support to the coral.