Geography Vocab

Geograpy

the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments

Absolute location

exact spot where something is located

Relative location

place where something is located in relation to other places or landmarks

Hemisphere

half of the earth

equator

0 degrees latitudeAn imaginary circle around the middle of the earth

Prime Meridian

0 degrees longitude

Globe

a round model of the Earth

Maps

an illustration of land or other geografic, political, or historical features

Cartographer

a person who makes maps

Map projection

a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

Topographical map

a map that shows elevation or shape of the land's surface by the use of contour lines

Longitude

Runs north to south measures east to west

Latitude

runs east to west measures north to south

Weather

the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.

Climate

The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time

Elevation

height above sea level

Culture

Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.

Society

large community, linked through similarities or relationships

ethnic group

people sharing genetic characteristics, culture, language, religion, or history

population density

Number of individuals per unit area

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

push-pull factors

Conditions that draw people to another location (pull factors) or cause people to leave their homelands and migrate to another region (push factors)

Land locked

a country that is completely surrounded by land, and has no access to the ocean

Functional Region

An area organized around a central hub and are connected by transportation, commerce, etc.

Vernacular/Perceptual Region

areas people see as connected by certain characteristics, but boundaries are fuzzy

formal region

area that has officially recognized borders

Tropic of Cancer

a line of latitude about 23 degrees North of the equator

Tropic of Capricorn

a line of latitude about 23 degrees South of the equator

cultural landscape

human imprint on the physical environment