Geographic Terms

Archipelago Chain of islands Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Canal Man-made body of water connecting two larger bodies of water Panama Canal

Cape Point of land sticking out into the water Cape Cod, MA

Delta Triangular area of soil deposited by a river Nile River delta, Egypt

Divide Line on a continent where water (rivers) change direction Continental Divide

Gulf Like a bay; Usually larger than a bay, but smaller than a sea Persian Gulf, Middle East

Island Land surrounded by water on all sides Long Island, NY

Isthmus Narrow piece of land that joins two larger bodies of land Isthmus of Panama

Peninsula Land surrounded by water on 3 sides Florida

Plain A large flat land area Serengeti Plain

Plateau Large high land area that is usually flat Colorado Plateau

Strait Small body of water that connects two larger bodies of water

Tributary A smaller river that flows into a larger one Missouri River

Let’s review some terms…

Archipelago

Delta

Isthmus

Peninsula

Strait

Tributary