Geography: Vocabulary Study Guide

geography The study of the relationship between physical features, climate, and people. climate

environment all the surroundings of a place– land, water, weather, plants, and “people stuff”

very dry, barren land without trees desert very dry, barren land without trees

vegetation plant life

a group or chain of islands archipelago a group or chain of islands

a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas isthmus a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

a steep, large waterfall cataract a steep, large waterfall

a triangle-shaped area of land at the mouth of a river delta

non-renewable resource a natural resource that can not be replaced once it is used

a natural resource that can be used again and again renewable resource a natural resource that can be used again and again

any one of four overlapping halves of Earth hemisphere

lines that measure north and south of the equator latitude lines that measure north and south of the equator

divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres Equator 00 latitude: divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres

parallels lines of latitude

lines that measure east and west of the prime meridian longitude lines that measure east and west of the prime meridian

divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres Prime Meridian 00 longitude: divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres

meridian line of longitude

weather conditions over a short period of time 90° sunny winds from the northeast

weather conditions over a long period of time climate weather conditions over a long period of time

Our Climate Temperate Climate warm summers cold winters

a box in which a map’s symbols are explained map key a box in which a map’s symbols are explained

helps you estimate real distances on Earth scale

elevation height above sea level

a pointer for cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) compass rose a pointer for cardinal directions (north, south, east, west)

shows the pattern of something spread out over an area distribution map shows the pattern of something spread out over an area elephant distribution map

shows landforms and bodies of water physical map shows landforms and bodies of water

climate zones

zones north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle polar zones zones north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle

parts of the Earth between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer, and between the Antarctic Circle and the Tropic of Capricorn temperate zones

tropical zone the section of Earth between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

What influences climate???

latitude

ocean currents

elevation