Unit 1 Vocabulary
1. geography – study of the earth; use of space, interactions, patterns and connections
2. Themes of Geography (5) – location, place, region, interaction, movement
3. Theme of geography: location – where something is
a. absolute location – exaction place on earth
b. relative location – the location of a place noted by its relationship to other places
4. hemisphere – one half of the sphere of the earth
5. meridians – imaginary grid lines that run from the north pole to the south pole and measure distance from the 0° line
6. parallels – imaginary grid lines that run parallel to each other and measure distance from the 0° line toward the north
pole and toward the south pole
7. longitude - imaginary grid lines run from the north pole to the south pole and measure distance from the 0° line
(meridians of longitude)
8. latitude – imaginary parallel grid lines the measure distance from the 0° line toward the north pole and toward the
south pole (parallels of latitude) – they run east west
9. equator - 0° latitude line that is halfway between the north and south poles; divides the earth into northern and
southern hemispheres
10. prime meridian - 0° meridian that runs through Greenwich, England; divides the earth into eastern and western
hemispheres
11. arctic circle – 66 ½ ° latitude line; will have 24 hours of darkness or 24 hours of daylight depending on the solstice
12. degrees, minutes, seconds – divisions of the earth’s surface to measure exact location
13. time zones – change @ every 15 degrees of longitude; 24 times zones
14. Theme of geography: place – describes the physical and cultural characteristics of a location which are unique to that
location
15. Theme of geography: region – a geographical area with a commonality or connections between places
a. formal region – a region defined by a few characteristics: country, biome
b. functional region – a areas that interact or have connections (a city and its suburbs
c. perceptual region – people perceive, or see, an area in the same way (the South)
16. Theme of geography: movement – ways people, goods, and ideas move from place to place
a. linear distance – how far across the earth something moves
b. time distance – amount of time it takes for something to move
c. psychological distance – how people view distance
17. Theme of geography: interaction – how humans adapt to and/or modify their environment
18. globe - three dimensional representation of the earth
19. map – two dimensional or flat representation of a circular earth
20. cartographer – mapmaker
21. map projection – way of drawing the Earth’s surface by placing a round earth on flat paper
22. physical map – notes landforms
23. political map – notes countries and cities
24. GIS – Global Information System; a database of information that allows users to combine information from a variety of
sources and create visually enhanced maps for the study of an area
25. GPS –Global Positioning System; uses a system of Navstar satellites to determine location
26. core – center of the earth and is made up of iron and nickel
27. mantle – surrounds the core; contains most of the world’s mass; heat and pressure cause the bending of the earth’s
surface
28. magma – molten rock formed in the mantle
29. crust – thin layer of rock at the earth’s surface
30. continental drift theory – that the land was once one continent, called pangaea, that divide and separated
31. tectonic plates – moving pieces of the earth’s lithosphere; moves with the magma
32. converging plates – plates are colliding; land gets pushed up and crumpled or one plate slides under another
(subducting)
33. diverging plates – plates are spreading apart; mid-ocean ridges form; Iceland is an above-the-ocean portion of the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
34. transforming plates – plates are sliding along each other and fault lines are evident; earthquakes occur
35. subduction of plates – one plate is sliding under another plate; earthquake and volcanic activity; trenches form
36. fault – the line at which plates move past each other
37. earthquake – violent movement of the earth because of plate movement
38. seismograph – a special device that measures the size of the earthquake waves
39. epicenter – point directly above the focus of an earthquake
40. Richter Scale – uses the information collected by the seismograph to determine the relative strength of an earthquake
41. tsunami – giant wave caused by an earthquake
42. volcano – magma and gases break through at points in the earth
43. lava – magma that has reached the surface
44. Ring of Fire – area of volcanic and earthquake activity that surrounds the Pacific tectonic plate
45. atmosphere – layer of gases surrounding the earth
46. lithosphere – includes the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle
47. hydrosphere – water elements on the earth; majority in is the ocean
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
biosphere – part of the earth where the plants and animals live
hydrologic cycle – cycle of continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, the oceans, and the earth
drainage basin – an area that drains to fill a large river
ground water – water held in the pores of rock
water table – level at which the rock is saturated
landforms – naturally formed features on the surface of the earth
continental shelf – earth’s surface from the edge of a continent to the deep part of the ocean
relief – the difference in elevation of a landform from its lowest point to its highest point: mountains, hills, plains, and
plateaus
topography – combination of the surface shape and composition of the landforms and their distribution in a region
elevation/altitude – height above sea level
isolines/isobars – shows areas of the earth that are the same; particularly showing contour or elevation
weathering – physical and chemical processes that change the characteristics or rock
sediment – smaller pieces of rock created by weathering ; silt – very fine pieces of rock created by weathering
erosion – occurs when weathered material is moved by the action of wind, water, ice, or gravity; lack of plants allows
erosion to happen
deposition – to leave lying as in sediment
glacier – large, long-lasting mass of ice that moves because of gravity; glaciation – changing of landforms by slowly
moving glaciers
humus – organic matter in soil
solstice – the day on which the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn; that occurrence will
either create the longest daylight or the shortest daylight depending on the season of the year
a. winter solstice – Dec. 21, 22, or 23 (in northern hemisphere); at 90° latitude (North Pole) it is totally dark; the
sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn (23 ½ degrees south latitude) – furthest point south the sun will
be directly overhead
b. summer solstice – June 21 or 22 (in northern hemisphere); the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer (23
½ degrees north latitude) – furthest point north that the sun is directly overhead
equinox – twice a year, once in fall and once in spring, when the days and nights are equal in length; the direct rays of
the sun are over the equator
a. vernal (spring) equinox - @ March 21
b. autumnal equinox - @ Sept. 23
season – long-term weather based on the earth’s tilt and revolution in relation to the sun; a period of time
weather – the condition of the atmosphere at a particular point of time
climate – the condition of the atmosphere over a long period of time; generally determined by: temperature – the
degree of hotness or coldness; and, precipitation – water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail
precipitation – depends on the amount of water vapor in the air and the movement of that air; falls as rain, snow,
sleet, or hail
orographic precipitation – air is pushes up as wind blows against a mountain and the cooler temperatures cause the
air to condense and it rains
leeward – away from the wind; windward – to the wind
sea breezes vs. land breezes – (see explanation of convection currents)
frontal precipitation – caused by the interaction of large air masses of different temperatures and densities
convectional precipitation/ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) – on either side of the equator, the heat leads to
evaporation, which leads to precipitation. Unless there are other factors, it will be very rainy; hot air rises and does not
flow as wind—called the doldrums or horse latitudes, because sail boats can be becalmed there
rain shadow – land on the other side of a mountain away from where the precipitation falls – once the air rises over
the mountain it is cooler and heavier and falls, but it lacks moisture since it rained on the windward side (leeward side
of the mountain = drier)
hurricane – storms that form over warm water in the Atlantic Ocean and gain wind speeds in excess of 110 miles an
hour; typhoon -storms that form over warm water in East Asia over warm Pacific water and gain wind speeds in
excess of 110 miles an hour; cyclone - storms that form over warm water in South Asia over the Indian Ocean and
gain wind speeds in excess of 110 miles an hour
tornado – powerful funnel-shaped column of spiraling air; form quickly
blizzard – a heavy snowstorm with winds of more than 35 miles per hour and reduced visibility
drought – a long period of time with minimal or no precipitation
flood – water spreads over land not normally covered with water
convection – transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air; as sunlight heats the atmosphere, the air
expands, creating a zone of low pressure; cooler denser air in a nearby high-pressure zone rushes into the low
pressure area, causing wind
wind currents
a. westerlies – prevailing winds that blow from the west to the east; located in the temperate zone
b. easterlies – prevailing winds that blow from the east to the west (polar easterlies and trade winds)
jet stream – a high-speed westerly wind located in the upper atmosphere
ocean currents – warm water flows away from the equator toward the poles and cold water flows back toward the
equator; in a clockwise circular motion in the northern hemisphere and in a counterclockwise circular motion in the
southern hemisphere; affects the temperature of the nearby air and precipitation
polar zone of latitude – high zone of latitude
temperate zone of latitude – middle zone of latitude
tropical zone of latitude – low zone of latitude
elevation/altitude – the height of a landform affects temperature; air temperature drops 3.5° F for every 1000 feet.
continentality – the farther you are away from the moderating effects of the ocean, the more extreme the climate
El Nino – a natural change in climate; the warmest section of the Pacific moves toward South America causing warmer
weather in South America and rainier weather in both of the Americas
92. biomes/ecosystem – interdependent community of plants and animals; forest, grassland, desert and tundra
93. deciduous trees – broadleaf trees that generally lose their leaves
94. rainforest – vegetation located in the tropical zone, covered with a heavy concentration of broadleaf trees
95. coniferous trees – needleleaf trees
96. plains/savanna/steppe/prairie/pampas/cerrados/llanos – flat, grassy, mostly treeless area
97. permafrost – a condition where the ground is permanently frozen down at least a hundred feet
98. culture – total of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a specific group
99. society – a group that shares a geographic region, a sense of identity, and a culture
100. ethnic group – a specific group that shares a language, customs, and a common heritage
101. material culture – all the things people use
102. innovation – creating something new to meet a need
103. diffusion – spread of ideas, inventions, or patterns of behavior
104. cultural hearth – site of innovation from which basic ideas, materials, and technology
105. acculturation – when a society changes because it accepts or adopts an innovation
106. religion – a belief system
a. monotheistic – a belief in one god
b. polytheistic – a belief in many gods
c. animistic/traditional – a belief in divine forces in nature
107. secular – non-religious
108. birthrate – number of live births per thousand population
109. fertility rate – average number of children a woman of childbearing years would have in her lifetime
110. mortality rate/death rate – number of deaths per thousand people
111. infant mortality rate – number of deaths among infants under one year of age per thousand live births
112. rate of natural increase/population growth rate – subtract the mortality rate from the birthrate
113. population pyramid – a graphic device that shows sex/gender and age distribution of a population
114. gender imbalance – caused by more males being killed in wars; in developed countries, women tend to live 5 years
longer; in less developed countries women are not valued and taken care of and men are more valued
115. population density – average number of people who live in a measurable area; certain areas may be densely
population, others thinly populated
116. population distribution – shows where large groups of people live
117. carrying capacity – number of organisms a piece of land can support (food, water)
118. Demographic Transition – model that shows that high reproduction rates are replaced by lower reproduction rates as
a country moves from less developed to more developed
119. More Developed Countries/Developed (MDCs) – (see notes)
120. Less Developed Countries/Developing (LDCs) – (see notes)
121. state – an independent unit that occupies a specific territory and has full control of its internal and external affairs
122. nation – a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sent of unity
123. nation-state – when a nation and a state occupy the same territory
124. stateless nation – a nation that does not have a territory/state to call its own
125. democracy – citizens hold political power, either directly or through representatives
126. monarchy – a ruling family headed by a king or queen holds political power and may or may not share power with the
people
127. dictatorship – an individual or group hold complete political power
128. communism – all political power and means of production are controlled by the government
129. cities – centers of business and culture
130. suburbs – built-up area (smaller cities) that touch the border of the central city or touch the border of cities that touch
the border of the central city
131. exurbs – smaller cities with open land between them and the central city
132. metropolitan area – a city its suburbs and exurbs
133. megalopolis – area where metropolitan areas connect
134. urbanization – move to cities and the change in lifestyle that results; the world is 47% urbanized
135. central business district (CBD) – core of a city, usually based on commercial activity
136. economic system – the way people produce and exchange goods and services
a. traditional or economy – goods and services are traded without exchanging money (barter)
b. subsistence economy/agriculture/farming – when a group only makes enough food and goods for
themselves to survive
c. command economy or communism – production of goods and services is determined by a central
government, which usually owns the means of production
d. market economy/capitalism – production of goods and services is determined by the demand of consumers
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
mixed economy – a combination of command and market economies
Free enterprise businesses are privately owned and operate for profit.
Cottage industries exist where people do work at their homes for an employer, especially when a factory is
not available or when machinery was not available to do mass work.
137. infrastructure – the basic support systems needed to keep an economy going (power, communications, water,
transportation, sanitation, education, etc.)
138. per capita income – the average amount of money earned by each person in a political unit
139. gross national product (GNP) – total value of all goods and services produced by a country over a year
140. gross domestic product (GDP) – total value of all goods and services produced within that country only (not around
the world)
141. levels of economic activity
a. primary activities – involve gathering raw materials such as timber, minerals, or crops
b. secondary activities – involve adding value to materials by changing their form: processing or manufacturing
c. tertiary activities – involve providing business or professional services
d. quaternary activities – provides information, management, and research services by highly-trained people
142. formal economy – all aspects of the economy that take place inside official channels
143. informal economy – all aspects of the economy that take place outside of official channels (housework, babysitting,
lawn mowing, illegal drug trade)
144. multinationals – companies with offices or factories in other countries
Landforms – textbook page 34
145. mountain – natural elevation of the earth’s surface with steep sides and greater in height than a hill
146. hill – natural elevation of the earth’s surface smaller in height than a mountain
147. basin – an extended lower area between mountain ranges
148. cliff – almost vertical edge of a hill, mountain, plain, or plateau
149. valley – low land between hills or mountains
150. escarpment – a steep slope with a nearly flat plateau on top
151. source of the river – where the river beings at a higher elevation
152. mouth of the river – the place where a river flows into a lake or an ocean
153. delta – a triangular area of land formed from silt deposits at the mouth of a river; caused by the flattening out of the
land, the river slows and deposits silt until the river seeks a new path
154. estuary – broadened seaward end of a river; where the fresh water and the salt water mix
155. tributary – smaller river that joins a larger river
156. desert – area with very little rainfall
157. oasis – a spot of fertile land in a desert, fed by water from wells or underground springs
158. mesa – a wide, flat-topped mountain with steep sides, larger than a butte
159. butte – a raised, flat area of land with steep cliffs, smaller than a mesa
160. plateau – a broad, flat-topped mountain with steep sides, larger than a butte or mesa
161. marsh – soft, wet, low-lying, grassy land that serves as a transition between water and land
162. swamp – a lowland region that is saturated by water
163. flood plain/alluvial plain – flat land near the edges of rivers formed by mud and silt deposited by floods
164. volcano – an opening in the earth, usually raised, through which gases and lava escape from the earth’s interior
165. island – small piece of land surrounded by water
166. atoll – coral created island, sometimes forming a ring around an island
167. peninsula – piece of land surrounded by water on three sides
168. cape –a piece or hook of land extending into the ocean or a lake
169. plains – a large level area of grassland with few or no trees (prairies, savannas, cerrado, llanos, pampas, steppe)
170. lake – small body of water enclosed by land
171. sea – a small body of water attached to a larger sea or the ocean
172. ocean – large body of saltwater that covers the earth
173. bay – part of an ocean or lake partially enclosed by land
174. harbor – a sheltered area of water deep enough for docking ships
175. strait – narrow strip of water that connects two larger bodies of water
176. canal – manmade waterway
177. channel – wide strip of water that connects two larger bodies of water (separates an island from the mainland)
178. isthmus – narrow strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land
179. cave – sheltered opening in the earth
180. gorge – narrow opening in the land created by the action of a river
181. canyon – large opening in the land created by the action of a river
182. dune – sand piled up by wind
183. continental shelf – the earth’s surface from the edge of a continent into the ocean
184. archipelago – several islands that form a chain
185. gulf – large body of water connected to an ocean
186. glacier – a large mass of ice that moves because of gravity
187. cataract – a step-like series of waterfalls
e.
f.
g.