| absolute location | exact location of a place on the Earth described by global coordinates |
| basin | area of land drained by a given river and its branches;area of land surrounded by lands or higher elevation |
| bay | bay part of a large body of water that extends into a shoreline, generally smaller then a gulf |
| canyon | deep and narrow valley with steep hills |
| cape | point of land that extends into a river, lake, or ocean |
| channel | wide straight or waterway between two landmasses that lie close to each other;deep part of a river or waterway |
| cliff | steep, high wall of rock, Earth or ice |
| continent | one of seven large landmasses on the Earth |
| delta | flat, low lying land built up from soil carried downstream by a river and deposited at its mouth |
| divide | stretch if high land that seperates river systems |
| downstream | direction from which a river or stream flows from its source to its mouth |
| elevation | height of land above sea level |
| equator | imaginary line that runs around the Earth between the North and South poles;used as the straight starting point to measure degrees of North and South latitude. |
| glacier | large, thick of slowely moving ice |
| gulf | part of a large body of water that extends into a shoreline, generally larger and more intended then a bay |
| harbor | a sheltered place along the shoreline where ships can anchor safely |
| highland | elevated land area such as hill, mountain or plateau |
| hill | elevated land with sloping sides and a summit;generally smaller then a mountain |
| island | land area smaller then a continent, completely surrounded by water |
| isthmus | narrow stretch of land connecting two longer land areas |
| lake | sizable inland of water |
| latitude | distance North or South of the Equator measured in degrees |
| longitude | distance East or West of the Prime Meridian measured in degrees |
| low land | land, usually level, at a low elevation |
| map | drawing of a map shown on a flat surface |