All World geography vocab covered
Industrialization—manufacturing based on machine power and factories becomes widespread in one area.
Mortality Rate--the number of deaths per unit, usually 1000, of population in a given place and time. Also called death rate.
Birth Rate—the number of births per unit, usually 1000, of population in a given place or time. High birth rates usually equal low levels of development.
Population Pyramid—a groovy little map showing the population of females v. males by age group. A population pyramid will show you the development that a country is at.
Developed Countries—Countries with high levels of industrialization and high standards of living. This looks more like a SQUARE or muffin top on a population pyramid.
Developing Countries—countries with less productive economies and low standards of living. This looks like a TRIANGLE on a population pyramid.
GDP—Gross Domestic Product; the total value of goods and services created within a country. If a nation has a HIGH GDP then they are probably a developed nation.
Literacy Rate—Percentage of people who can read and write. A country with a high literacy rate will most likely be a developed country.
Population Density—Average number of people living in a specific area. Think of this as how close people are to one another. China has the highest population in the world, but India has the highest population density—they are closer together there.
10. Infrastructure—systems of roads, ports, and other facilities needed by a modern economy
Demography—statistical study of human populations. If you want to open a business you need to know the demographics—what’s the average age of people in this area? What’s the literacy rate? How much do these people make on average?
Westernization—the influencing of ideas, cultures, and practices of the west, or to become more like us! If tribal people in the Middle East are starting to use social media, stray away from arranged marriages, or dress more like us, then they are becoming westernized.
Arable—soil fit for growing crops.
Subsistence farming—farming in which food is produced by a family for its own needs. This is widely practiced in areas of low development.
Globalization—the process through which connections around the world increase and cultures become more alike. (FACEBOOK!)
Urbanization—growth of the number of people living in cities!
Suburbs-- a district lying immediately outside a city or town, especially a smaller residential community. (PS. Slidell is a suburb!)
Civilization-- an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached. Such a great word.
Colonization—to form a colony--if Britain went to Australia and decided to settle there, that would be colonization. (PS. That really happened even though people already lived there ☹.)
Ethnocentrism-- the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.
Aesthetics-- the nature and appreciation of beauty. The aesthetics of the United States can be seen in our most popular celebrities—what do we find beautiful? This is much different than the aesthetics of Japan.
Anthropology—the study of humans! If we focus on studying a culture then we are focusing on anthropology.
Poverty Cycle—poor and cheap living that is bad conditions for family
Demography—statistical study of human populations. If you want to open a business you need to know the demographics—what’s the average age of people in this area? What’s the literacy rate? How much do these people make on average?
Westernization—the influencing of ideas, cultures, and practices of the west, or to become more like us! If tribal people in the Middle East are starting to use social media, stray away from arranged marriages, or dress more like us, then they are becoming westernized.
Arable—soil fit for growing crops.
Subsistence farming—farming in which food is produced by a family for its own needs. This is widely practiced in areas of low development.
Globalization—the process through which connections around the world increase and cultures become more alike. (FACEBOOK!)
Urbanization—growth of the number of people living in cities!
Suburbs-- a district lying immediately outside a city or town, especially a smaller residential community. (PS. Slidell is a suburb!)
Civilization-- an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached. Such a great word.
Colonization—to form a colony--if Britain went to Australia and decided to settle there, that would be colonization. (PS. That really happened even though people already lived there ☹.)
Ethnocentrism-- the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.
Aesthetics-- the nature and appreciation of beauty. The aesthetics of the United States can be seen in our most popular celebrities—what do we find beautiful? This is much different than the aesthetics of Japan.
Anthropology—the study of humans! If we focus on studying a culture then we are focusing on anthropology.
Poverty Cycle—poor and cheap living that is bad conditions for family
Geography-- the science dealing with the earth's surface including such elements as climate, elevation, population, land use, industries, or states, and of the relationships between each.
Mercator Map—a cylindrical map projection (flat map of a round Earth) which distorts size along higher latitudes--for example, this map might show areas of Africa and South America more accurately than Canada or Russia. It would show Canada as much bigger than it really is. (Sorry Canada!)
Latitude—also called parallels. These lines appear horizontally, and they measure north and south. 0 degrees latitude is the EQUATOR which separates the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Longitude—also called meridians. These lines appear vertically, and they measure east and west. 0 degrees longitude would be the PRIME MERIDIAN (see, it says meridian in it). This separated the Eastern and Western hemispheres, and it runs through England!
Rotation—one complete spin of Earth on its axis.
Revolution—one elliptical orbit of Earth around the sun.
Greenhouse Effect—A term used to describe the heating of the atmosphere owing to the presence of carbon dioxide and other gases. Without the presence of these gases, heat from the sun would return to space in the form of infrared radiation. Carbon dioxide and other gases absorb some of this radiation and prevent its release, thereby warming the Earth.
Global Warming—an increase in the average temperature worldwide believed to be caused by the greenhouse effect. Whether this is a process sped up or caused by humans is a point of debate.
Hurricanes—a center of LOW pressure. This is a tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of or in excess of 72 miles per hour.
Orographic Effect—moisture in the air is heavy and hard to get OVER a mountain so there is a cooling effect on the windward side (side getting all of the win head on) while on the other side it is dry—creating a rain shadow.
Rain shadow—the windward side of a mountain blocks moisture from getting to the other side (the leeward side), and so the climate is dry—thus, a rain shadow.
Humidity—the amount of water vapor in the air.
Tornadoes--a violent storm with winds whirling around a small area of extremely low pressure, usually characterized by a dark funnel-shaped cloud causing damage along its path
Low Pressure—usually accompanied by unstable weather and humidity (moisture LOW in the air.) Hurricanes are centers of LOW pressure.
High Pressure—usually bring stable, clear, DRY weather. Can bring extreme dry heat in summer or bitter cold in winter though. Key is it is DRY.
Solstice--either the shortest day of the year (winter solstice/Dec. 22 ) or the longest day of the year ( summer solstice/June 21 ). This is when Earth’s tilt is the greatest towards or away from the sun.
Equinox--the time when night and day are of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21 (spring equinox) and September 22 (autumn equinox)
Altiplano- the highest tableland on earth