1. College and Career Readiness Basic Geography Vocabulary Terms

2. Archipelago- island chain

3. Arctic Circle- most northern area; opposite Antarctic Circle

4. Atoll- coral island that partially or completely encircles a lagoon

5. Basin- low area; geological depression where water drains

6. Bay- large body of water connected to an ocean formed by an inlet of land

7. Canyon-gorge; deep ravine between cliffs usually formed by a river or glacier

8. Cape- headland or promontory of large size extending into water

9. Climate- temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and precipitation over a long period in an area

10. Continent- large landmasses

11. Country- region that is legally identified as a district

12. Delta- landform at the mouth of a river usually formed by sedimentation

13. Desert- area with a low amount of precipitation usually less than 16 inches

14. Equator- imaginary line dividing the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres

15. Geography- study of land, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth

16. Glacier- large persistent body of ice

17. Gulf- large bay that is an arm of an ocean or sea

18. Hemisphere- half the globe; northern/southern and eastern/western

19. Hill- landform that extends above surrounding terrain; usually lower and less steep than a mountain

20. Island- sub-continental land surrounded by water

21. Isthmus- narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

22. Lake- relatively still water of considerable size surrounded by land; inland not part of an ocean

23. Mountain- large landform that stretches above surrounding land; usually in the form of a peak

24. Mouth- where a river meets another water form (ocean, river, etc.)

25. Ocean- large body of saline water

26. Peninsula- land bordered on three sides by water but connected to the mainland

27. Plain- low relief that is flat or has gently rolling hills

28. Plateau- high plain or tableland

29. Poles- the northernmost and southernmost point on Earth

30. Prairie- grassland; savanna; moderate rainfall with grasses & shrubs

31. Precipitation- forms of water falling from the sky; rain, sleet, hail, snow, ect.

32. River- water flowing towards and ocean, lake, or sea

33. Savanna- grassland with moderate rainfall characterized by grasses and shrubs

34. Sea- body of saline water partially or fully enclosed by land

35. Steppe- temperate grasslands

36. Strait- narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water

37. Summit- highest point of a mountain or hill

38. Swamp- forested wetland

39. Tributary- stream or river that flows into a main stem of a river or lake NOT an ocean or sea

40. Tundra- biome in which growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons (northern areas)

41. Valley- depression in the land; U or V shaped

42. Volcano- opening in a planets surface which allows hot magma, ash, and gases to escape from below the surface