EDUC 225 Physical Geography

Sahara Desert

the key physical feature in Africa, that is the largest hot desert in the world and covers most of northern Africa

Tropical Rainforest

an area with high temperature and precipitation year round ; often has high humidity (ex. the amazon)

Confederate States of America

an organization formed when South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas seceded from the Union ; ended after the Civil War

Compass Rose

symbol on a map that indicates the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west, to orient the reader

Taiga

an area found in the high latitudes and far from the ocean

plate tectonics

the large-scale movements of portions of the earth’s crust over long periods of time

weather

a measure of an area’s short-term atmospheric conditions (ex. 70% chance of rain with a high of 80 degrees today)

Gobi Desert

one of the key physical features in Asia, it is the fifth largest desert in the world, and covers northern and northwestern China and southern Mongolia

legend

image that explains any symbols found on the map or globe

Orographic Lift

a redirection of wind when it is forced upward to travel over the top of the mountain and then down the other side

earthquakes

a physical event involving the shaking of the surface of the earth

erosion

the slow wearing away of the surface of the land by wind or water

Gulf Stream

a strong, warm current in the Atlantic Ocean which accelerates as it travels up the East Coast of North America and shoots out into the open ocean towards Europe

Temperate Zones

the areas between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (23.5 degrees N and S) and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (66.5 degrees N and S)

tropics

the region between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude) ; warm temperatures; high rainfall

tundra

an area with cold temperatures and little to no precipitation. Generally found near the poles

Savannah

an area marked by seasonal rains

Steppes

an area found far from the ocean in the middle latitudes ; it is marked by extreme seasons

mediterranean

an area found in the middle latitudes in land along the western coast of a continent

Panama Canal

a man-made waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean

Plateaus

an area of land that is relatively flat and that is higher than the land surrounding it

Mississippi River

a key physical feature of North America that runs from Minnesota into the Gulf of Mexico

Hills

an area of land that rises higher than the land surrounding it

Sierra Nevada

the single largest mountain range in California; serves as a barrier between the Central Valley to the west and the Great Basin to the east

International Date Line

the longitudinal line (180 degrees) that separates two consecutive dates

desert

an area with extreme temperatures and little to no precipitation (less than 10 inches of rain a year)

Andes Mountains

one of the two key physical features in South America, it is the longest mountain range in the world and the second highest range in the world

Himalaya Mountains

one of the key physical features in Asia, they are the tallest mountains in the world and are home to ten of the tallest peaks in the world

Humid Subtropical

an area found in the middle latitudes along the southeaster cost of continents

Great Lakes Region

the geographic region surrounding the Great Lakes

Humid Continental

an area found inland in the middle latitudes ; it is marked by four distinct seasons

Fertile Crescent

a crescent-shaped area from the Mediterranean Sea on the West to the Persian Gulf on the East and that contained extremely fertile soil. Some of the first agricultural communities were settled there and it is sometimes referred to as “The Cradle of Civilization.”

Political Map

depicts the boundaries of countries and the locations of major cities (ex. Map of Texas showing Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio)

mountains

an area of land that rises abruptly and steeply above the land surrounding it

Topographic Map

map that depicts changes in elevation using contour lines, such as mountains and valleys

plains

an area of land that is flat and lies at a low elevation

Thematic Map

depicts a particular special topic in an area (ex. Electoral map showing voter turnout and results)

Appalachian Mountains

a mountain range running vertically in Eastern North America and that serves as one of the key physical features of NA

Rocky Mountains

a 3000 mile mountain range stretching from British Columbian Canada to New Mexico, and are the tallest mountains in North America

Antarctica

the area south of the Antarctic Circle

ocean

the largest type of water body; composed of saltwater; divided into the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Southern, and Arctic Oceans ; ex: Atlantic Ocean

Longitude

the vertical lines of the grid system that converge at both poles and measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian

Landforms

ways in which the terrain of an area is shaped (ex. mountain, plateau, canyon)

Alps Mountain Range

the key physical feature in Europe, this range runs from Austria to France

Islands

small land masses not connected to any continent and surrounded on all sides by water

Erie canal

a man-made navigable water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean (via New York City’s Hudson River)

Rain Shadow Effect

the phenomenon in which desert-like conditions appear on the leeward side of a mountain range (ex. death valley)

Elevation

distance above sea level

Ural Mountains

mountain range that divides continental Europe from Asia

Latitude

the horizontal lines of the grid system that measure distance above and below the equator

Great Plains

Includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Montana ; features: hot summers and fertile prairie grassland ; economic activities: wheat agriculture

Jim Crow Laws

laws written after Reconstruction that enforced segregation in the South ; restricted the civil rights of black citizens, such as voting and educational equalities

New England

a region of the Northeastern U.S. consisting of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Rhode Island, founded by Puritans seeking the freedom to practice and build societies around their Protestant sects

stream

a natural, flowing waterway; smaller than a river; composed of freshwater (ex. brook, creek, rivulet; Bird Creek is located in Northeast Oklahoma)

Absolute Location

the location of a given point that does not require another frame of reference. These include coordinates or addresses while relative location describe a point’s location in relation to another point

Prime Meridian

the center line of longitude that divides the Earth into an eastern and western hemisphere

Physical Map

a map that depicts the major land formations and bodies of water

Strait of Hormuz

a key physical feature in the Middle East that is a narrow stretch of water between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Arctic

the area north of the Arctic circle

lake

a landlocked basin filled with water; usually freshwater. Can be used for recreation, fishing, hydroelectric power, and/or as a water source

El Nino

a phenomenon in which the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean near the Equator becomes warmer than normal, which changes weather patterns around the world. One major effect is dry weather in Asia when they would normally be in the monsoon season

Amazon River

one of the two key physical features in South America, it is the second longest river in the world, and discharges more water than any other river

sea

typically a coastal branch of the ocean, sometimes landlocked ; composed of saltwater

River

a large stream that flows over land, usually carrying a large amount of freshwater

Climate Map

depicts changes in temperature based on region

Grid System

imaginary lines, spaced equally apart, running horizontally and vertically that divide the world for referencing absolute location

equator

the center line of latitude around the middle of the Earth that divides the globe into a Northern and Southern Hemisphere

pond

small body of still (unmoving) surface water

climate

a measure of an area’s long-term weather patterns

marine

an area found in the middle latitudes in areas near or surrounded by water

continents

the world major continuous masses of land

Suez Canal

a man made navigable water route from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea

Economic Map/Resource Map

depicts the distribution of resources (ex. a map showing oil production of different states)

Great Basin

an area of watersheds to the east of California that extends into several other western states