 | Term | Definition |
| |
geography |
the study of the earth’s surface, climate, continents, countries, peoples, industries, and products. |
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Physical geography |
concerned with the locations of such earth features as land, water, and climate; their relationship to one another and to human activities; and the forces that create and change them |
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Human geography |
concentrates on patterns of human activity and on their relationships with the environment. |
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cartography |
the making or study of maps or charts. |
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GPS |
Geographic Positioning System |
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GIS |
Geographic Information System |
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map legend |
lists and explains the symbols and colors used on a map |
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scale |
the mathematical relationship by which distances on a map reduce actual distances on earth. |
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geographic grids |
networks of imaginary lines that help us find and describe places on earth |
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equator |
an imaginary circle around the middle of the earth, halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole |
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compass |
an instrument for showing directions, consisting of a needle or compass card that points to the north magnetic pole, which is near the North Pole. |
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latitude |
distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees |
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longitude |
distance east or west on the earth’s surface, measured in degrees from a certain meridian (line from the North to the South Pole). |
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meridians |
an imaginary circle passing through any place on the earth’s surface and through the North and South poles. |
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prime meridian |
Russia's main independent TV station |
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parallel |
any of the imaginary circles around the earth parallel to the equator, marking degrees of latitude |
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projections |
a number of mathematical methods that cartographers use to produce a flat map of the round earth |
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distortion: |
a distorting; twisting out of shape |
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Mercator |
A Mercator chart represents the meridians and parallels of latitude as straight lines. |
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Peterson |
a type of map projection that depicts the continents' sizes more accurately than Mercator. |
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Mollweide |
a type of homolographic map projection in which the surface of the earth is represented as an ellipse, with the equator and parallels of latitude as straight lines. |
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topography |
the surface features of a place or region. The topography of a region includes hills, valleys, streams, lakes, bridges, tunnels, and roads. |
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contour map |
a map showing heights at regular intervals above sea level by means of contour lines |
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biome |
a natural community of plants and animals, its composition being largely controlled by climatic conditions |
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niche |
the ecological "job and address" of a plant or animal in nature. |
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tundra |
a vast, level, treeless plain in the arctic regions. The ground beneath the surface of the tundras is frozen even in summeril |
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coniferous forests |
forests of trees that bear cones. |
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deciduous forests |
forests of trees that shed leaves each year. |
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grasslands: |
land with grass on it. |
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savannas |
a region of grassland with scattered trees lying between the equatorial forest and the hot deserts in either hemisphere |
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deserts |
a barren region with little or no rainfall, usually sandy and without trees |
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tropical rain forests |
a woodland of tall trees growing in a region of year-round warmth and abundant rainfall |
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organic production |
grown or prepared with natural fertilizers or without the use of insecticides and other chemicals: organic food |
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pesticides |
any one of various substances used to kill harmful insects (insecticide), fungi (fungicide), vermin, or other living organisms that destroy or inhibit plant growth, carry disease, or are otherwise harmful. |
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recycle |
to put wastes, garbage, or the like, through a cycle of purification and conversion to useful products |
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renewable resources |
a resource that can be renewed, solar, wind |
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stewardship |
to keep up or keep going, as an action or process. |
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consumerism |
concentration on producing and distributing goods for a market which must constantly be enlarged |
