World Geography Unit 1 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Orientation: _________________________________________________________________________
Distortion: __________________________________________________________________________
Map Projection: ______________________________________________________________________
GIS (Geographic Information Systems): ____________________________________________________
Label the following information on the
blank world map.
Latitude, Longitude,
Equator, Prime Meriden,
Scale, Compass
Label the maps below as political, physical, or thematic.
Match the correct definition to the word.
1. Political Map
a. maps that show physical features such as mountains, deserts, and plateaus
2. Physical Map
b. maps that show boundaries of countries and the location of cities
3. Thematic Map
c. maps used to show variety of things, such as population density,
resources, climate, and voting results
Label the correct map projections as Mercator, Robinson, or Polar.
Notes About Maps:
Maps change over time as we gain knowledge, due to political events, and changes in culture and perspective.
 A physical place may have had many different names throughout history
 There are currently several places on Earth that are currently being disputed between two or more
countries.
 Some languages and cultures may refer to a location different from how others may identify it.
 Political boundaries on maps may change due to war, imperialism, and other events.
World Geography Unit 2 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Weather: ____________________________________________________________________________
Climate: ____________________________________________________________________________
Temperature: ________________________________________________________________________
Precipitation: ________________________________________________________________________
Seasons: ____________________________________________________________________________
What are the three characteristics that are used to define climate?
a. ____________________
b. ____________________
c. ____________________
Earth is made of three latitude zones:
a. ____________________
b. ____________________
c. ____________________
Label the latitude zones on the map below:
For each of the climate regions label the latitude zone it is associated with- low, middle, or high.
a. Humid continental: ___________
e. Subartic: ___________
b. Tropical wet/dry: ___________
f. Icecap: ___________
c. Marine west coast: ___________
g. Tundra: ___________
d. Tropical wet: ___________
h. Mediterranean: ___________
Climate Regions:
Define the following terms:
a. Monsoon:___________________________________________________________________________
b. Typhoon: ___________________________________________________________________________
c. Hurricane: __________________________________________________________________________
d. Tornado: ___________________________________________________________________________
e. Earthquake: _________________________________________________________________________
Color code the map based
on where Monsoons,
Typhoons, Hurricanes, and
Tornadoes frequently occur
Human Impact and Technology:
a. ____________________ is when humans contaminate the environment with waste, such as ________
spills. Polluted areas include ___________, ___________, and ___________.
Technology has expanded people’s ability to modify and adapt to their environment.
Dams
Polders
Reservior
Terracing
Give examples of how technology has allowed humans to adapt to their physical environment.
a. Agriculture: fertilizers make soil more plentiful, allowing more crops to be produced. Also mechanization, like
reaping or tilling have made farmers’ jobs easier.
b. Energy Use: _________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
c. Transportation: ______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
d. Automobiles: ________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
e. Airplanes: ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
World Geography Unit 3 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Region: _____________________________________________________________________________
Arid: _______________________________________________________________________________
Ethnicity: ___________________________________________________________________________
Francophone World: __________________________________________________________________
A region can be defined by it physical characteristics, such as __________________, __________________ and
__________________ life. Label the following regions on the world map, Sahara, taiga, rainforests, the Great
Plains, and the Low Countries.
A region may also be defined by it’s cultural characteristics such as __________________, _________________,
and __________________.
Label the following areas on the map of the United States, Sun Belt, Wheat Belt, Rust Belt, and two cities that
have Chinatowns.








Cultural characterisitcs can divide or unify a region. For example, the Arab world is unified by the
____________ language and the religion of _________________, yet they are divided by their difference
in opinions of government.
One important characteristic that unifies most of Hispanic America is the _________________ language.
While Brazil is considered part of Latin America, its official language is _________________ rather than
_________________.
Canada is a bilingual country in which _________________ and _________________ are both official
languages.
_________________ has become so widely spoken that it is considered a world language and is a unifying
characteristic for much of the world.
Cultural differences can lead to violence and genocide. After World War I, several ethnic groups
including Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians were joined to create the country of _________________. Since
then there has been much violence due to the various ethnic groups competing for power and eventually
gaining independence.
In many instances, religion can serve as a unifying force. For example, the majority of Indians are
_________________ and this brings unity to India. North and South America and Europe are
predominantly _________________. The people of these regions are brought together by their shared
religious beliefs.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim the city of _________________ to be important to their religious
heritage and this has led to conflicts over control and access to the city.
The _________________ characteristics of the people in a region will affect the architectural structures
found in the area, including religious buildings, dwellings, statues, and monuments.
Church
Match the type of building with the appropriate religion. Use the references below.
_____ Mosque
a. Judaism
Mosque
_____ Church
b. Islam
_____ Synagogue
c. Hinduism
_____ Pagoda
d. Christianity
_____ Temple
e. Buddhism
Pagoda
Temple
Synagogue
Match the type of dwelling with the appropriate location. Use the references below.
_____ Tiled roofs
a. Pacific Islands
Yurt
_____ Castles
b. Europe
_____ Yurts
c. Switzerland
_____ Chalets
d. Mediterranean region
_____ Thatched roofs
e. Central & SW Asia
Tiled Roof
Chalet
Castle
Thatched Roof
Label where each of the following monuments or statues are located.
Taj Mahal
Kaaba
Western Wall
Dome of
the Rock
Pyramids
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Kremlin
Virginia State Capital Building
Lincoln Memorial
Statue of Liberty
Eiffel
Tower
Washington Monument
White House
World Geography Unit 5 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Arable: _____________________________________________________________________________
Refugee: ____________________________________________________________________________
Hygiene: ____________________________________________________________________________
Migration: ___________________________________________________________________________
Industrialization: ______________________________________________________________________
Population Distribution: _______________________________________________________________
Population is described according to location and ____________________ or the number of people per square
mile or kilometer.
Many human, environmental, economic, and political factors influence population distribution. For each factor
and example, explain why that would determine whether an area is highly populated or not.
Factor
Example
Reason
Natural Resources
Arable Land
People want to live in areas that are fertile for farming
Oil
Water
Climate
Harsh winters
Economic
Development
Job
Opportunities
Government
Policy
One child policy
Rural Settlement
Technology
Urban Settlement
Overpopulation
Capital Resources
Foreign Trade
Conflicts
Genocide
The population of each country or region has certain characteristics. Listed below are characteristics of human
populations. Explain what each of the following characteristics measure.
a. Birth rate: ___________________________________________________________________________
b. Death rate: __________________________________________________________________________
c. Age Distribution: _____________________________________________________________________
d. Male/Female Distribution: ______________________________________________________________
e. Life expectancy: ______________________________________________________________________
f. Infant Mortality: ______________________________________________________________________
g. Urban/Rural: ________________________________________________________________________
h. GDP: ______________________________________________________________________________
i. Ethnicity: ___________________________________________________________________________
j. Language: ___________________________________________________________________________
k. Religion: ____________________________________________________________________________
l. Education: __________________________________________________________________________
Populations grow when the ________________ rate is greater than the ________________ rate. Factors that
influence the growth rate of a population include:
a. Modern ________________ and hygiene enable people to live longer because of immunizations and
antibiotics, etc.
b. ________________ is also an influence because the more schooling a society has, the more likely it is to
control its population.
c. ________________ policy can also affect population growth rates by either promoting growth or
encouraging a limited number of children per family.
d. The role of ________________ in society affects growth rates because in countries where women have
traditional roles, they are most likely to have more children than in countries where women work outside
of the home.
A population pyramid is a special type of graph that is used to show the age and gender distribution of a
population.
Characteristics of Developed and Developing countries:
Developed:
 Equal/Even distribution (middle age)
 Industry Based
 Higher Income
 Slower population growth
Examples: Germany, England, Canada, USA, Japan
Developing:
 High young population
 Agricultural based
 Lower income
 Higher population growth
Examples: Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, India, Brazil
Below are population pyramids for a developed country and a developing country. Choose three characteristics
that describe the differences you see between the two countries.
Japan
1: _______________________________________
2: _______________________________________
3: _______________________________________
Dominican Republic
1: _______________________________________
2: _______________________________________
3: _______________________________________
World Geography Unit 6 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Diffusion: ___________________________________________________________________________
Push Factor: _________________________________________________________________________
Pull Factor: __________________________________________________________________________
Cultural Diffusion: ____________________________________________________________________
People leave areas because of negative situations, yet they also move to areas due to positive factors.
Identify each factor as either a push or pull factor.
Pull or Push?
Description of Factor
Conditions that the number of people in an area are too great to be sustained by available
resources, such as land and water
Freedom to worship
Plentiful job availability
Discrimination of a group of people based on religion
High rate of unemployment
Cheap or abundant acreage
Lack of food or famines
War or invasion
Droughts, floods, volcanic eruptions
The freedom to express views about government
Relatives inhabit the area
Suspension of rights such as free speech, assembly, and religion
Discrimination of a group of people based on differing opinions of the way government
should be run
Land supports agricultural production
Threats to health due to ecological factors (poor air quality, poor water supply)
Label the world map to show migration of people. Draw arrows out of the regions that people are leaving and
other arrows pointing the direction people move to.
Give an example of cultural diffusion between the U.S.A and another country.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Give an example of another culture’s traditions that have become popular in the U.S.A.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
World Geography Unit 7 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a. Fossil Fuel: __________________________________________________________________________
b. Infrastructure: ________________________________________________________________________
1.
2.
3.
4.
A ________________ can be defined as anything that man uses to make his life and work easier.
Natural resources are classified as either ________________ or ________________.
________________ resources can be reused or replenished.
________________ resources occur in a limited quantity. Once they are used up, they cannot be
replaced.
5. In addition to natural resources, there are also ________________ resources. These include education
and skill level of available workers and the abilities of managers.
6. Another important type of resource includes ________________ resources. These include the amount of
________________ available for investment and the current state of the ________________.
Label each resource picture as renewable, non-renewable, human, or capital.
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
7. Today the most widely used energy resource is ________________. Competition for this resource has led
to conflicts between regions. It creates concern over the environment due to ________________ and
accidents involving transporting it.
8. Newer energy resources include ________________ and ________________ power. They are both
environmentally friendly, although not the most cost efficient.
Levels of Economic Activity:
PRIMARY
Link to Natural
Use natural resources
Resources
directly
Examples
 Farming
 Fishing
 Mining
 Forestry
SECONDARY
Process natural resources



Processing flour and wheat
Making lumber from trees
Producing electrical power
TERTIARY
Do not directly gather or
process raw materials
 Doctors
 Salespeople
 Firefighters
 Truck Drivers
World Geography Unit 8 SOL Study Guide
Define the following terms:
a. Economic development: ________________________________________________________________
b. Standard of Living: ____________________________________________________________________
c. Quality of Life: _______________________________________________________________________
Levels of economic development vary between countries and even within countries. Ways to recognize the
economic development of an area are listed below. Describe what you would find in a developed country or
developing country and provide an example.
Indicator
Urban/Rural Ratio
In a developed
country…
More urban areas
than rural
Example
United States of
America
In a developing
country…
More rural areas
than urban
Example
Vietnam
Labor Force
Characteristics
(primary, secondary,
tertiary jobs)
GDP per capita
Educational
Achievement
Listed below are characteristics that determine a country’s standard of living and quality of life. Decide whether
each characteristic would be high, low, or uneven depending on whether the country is developed or developing.
Indicator
Population Growth Rate
Population Age Distribution
Literacy Rate
Life Expectancy
Infant Mortality
% of Urban Population
Developed
Developing
Make a judgment about which kind of country is listed below and explain why you came to that conclusion.
Country #1
Population growth rate: 5.32%
Literacy Rate: 76%
Life Expectancy: 52 years
Birth Rate: 47.76 births/1,000 people
Death Rate: 20.2 deaths/1,000 people
Developed or developing? ______________________ How do you know that? ___________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Country #2
Population growth rate: 0.98%
Literacy Rate: 94%
Life Expectancy: 74.5 years
Birth Rate: 24.4 births/1,000 people
Death Rate: 21.2 deaths/1,000 people
Developed or developing? ______________________ How do you know that? ___________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Color code the map below showing at least eight developing countries and eight developed countries.