Glossary of geography terms

Glossary of Geography Terms

This glossary provides definitions and explanations of terms commonly used in the field of geography. Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.

A

Archipelago

An archipelago is a chain or cluster of islands. Examples include the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines.

Atoll

An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets. Atolls are formed from the growth of coral reefs around the rim of a submerged volcanic island.

B

Bay

A bay is a body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea. Examples include the Bay of Bengal and San Francisco Bay.

Biome

A biome is a large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Biomes are defined by their climate and dominant vegetation, such as tundra, desert, and rainforest.

C

Cartography

Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. It combines science, aesthetics, and technique to communicate spatial information effectively.

Continent

A continent is one of Earth's seven main divisions of land. The continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

D

Delta

A delta is a landform at the mouth of a river where it deposits sediment as it flows into another body of water, such as an ocean or a lake. The Nile Delta is a well-known example.

Desert

A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs, and consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. Examples include the Sahara Desert and the Gobi Desert.

E

Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.

Estuary

An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries are often associated with high biological productivity.

F

Fjord

A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs or steep slopes, created by a glacier. Notable fjords can be found in Norway and New Zealand.

Floodplain

A floodplain is an area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding.

G

Glacier

A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. It forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries.

Gulf

A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay. The Gulf of Mexico is a prominent example.

H

Hemisphere

A hemisphere is half of the Earth, usually divided into northern and southern halves by the equator, or into western and eastern halves by an imaginary line passing through the poles.

Hydrosphere

The hydrosphere encompasses all water found on, under, and over the surface of a planet. It includes oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and vapor in the atmosphere.

I

Island

An island is a piece of land surrounded by water. Islands can be found in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers.

Isthmus

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land. The Isthmus of Panama is a well-known example.

J

Jungle

A jungle is a dense, tropical forest, often teeming with wildlife and characterized by a tangled mass of vegetation.

K

Karst

Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves.

L

Lagoon

A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs.

Latitude

Latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees.

M

Mountain

A mountain is a large landform that rises prominently above its surroundings, generally exhibiting steep slopes, a confined summit area, and considerable local relief.

Monsoon

A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing rain, or from the northeast between October and April.

N

Natural Resource

A natural resource is a material or substance such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occurs in nature and can be used for economic gain.

Neolithic

The Neolithic is the later part of the Stone Age, when ground or polished stone weapons and implements prevailed.

O

Ocean

An ocean is a vast body of saline water that covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface. The major oceans are the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.

Oasis

An oasis is a fertile spot in a desert where water is found.

P

Peninsula

A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on the majority of its border while being connected to a mainland. The Iberian Peninsula is an example.

Plateau

A plateau is an area of relatively level high ground.

Q

Quaternary

The Quaternary is the current geological period, spanning the last 2.6 million years, and is characterized by the development of humans and the presence of glaciers.

R

Rainforest

A rainforest is a dense forest rich in biodiversity, found typically in tropical areas with consistently heavy rainfall.

River

A river is a large, natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.

S

Savanna

A savanna is a mixed woodland-grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close.

Strait

A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water.

T

Tundra

A tundra is a type of biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons.

Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake.

U

Urbanization

Urbanization is the process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more people begin living and working in central areas.

V

Valley

A valley is a low area between hills or mountains, typically with a river running through it.

Volcano

A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.

W

Watershed

A watershed is an area of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.

Wetland

A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where oxygen-free processes prevail.

X

Xerophyte

A xerophyte is a species of plant that has adapted to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert or an ice- or snow-covered region.

Y

Yurt

A yurt is a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.

Z

Zenith

The zenith is the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer.

Zone

A zone is an area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose, or use, or subject to particular restrictions.