Challenge A-Geography Terms

Dam

a bank or wall built across a stream to hold back water

Mountain Chain

a chain of mountains

Cinder Cone

a cone-shaped mass of material made by volcanic eruption

Canal

a constructed channel filled with water used for navigation, irrigation, or drainage

Cave

a deep, hollowed-out area under the earth's surface

Fjord

a deep, narrow inlet of the sea between high, steep banks

Canyon

a deep,narrow valley having high, steep slopes

Delta

a deposit, usually triangular in shape, of sand and soil that forms at the mouth of a river

Oasis

a fertile spot within a desert watered by underground springs or by irrigation

Mesa

a flat-topped, rocky hill with steeply sloping sides

Grove

a group of trees smaller than a forest, generally without undergrowth

Archipelago

a group or chain of many islands in a sea (usually shaped like an arch)

Headland

a high area of land with a steep slope, projecting into a body of water

Foothill

a hill at the base of a mountain

Dune

a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind

Iceberg

a huge block of floating ice broken from a glacier, found in the most northerly and southerly areas of the world's oceans

Forest

a large area of land covered with trees

Desert

a large area of land with little or no moisture or vegetation

Cavern

a large cave of room size or larger

Glacier

a large sheet or stream of ice formed in an area, usually at high elevations, where the temperature remains below or near freezing and more snow accumulates in winter than melts in summer

Mountain

a lofty elevation on the earth's surface

Basin

a low place in the surface of the land, usually with a body of water occupying the lowest part

Estuary

a narrow arm of the sea at the mouth of a river where the ocean tide meets the river current

Gorge

a narrow passage between steep mountains or hills

Isthmus

a narrow piece of land joining two larger bodies of land, or joining a peninsula with a mainland

Cape

a narrow piece of land projecting into the sea

Channel

a narrow strip of water

Gulch

a narrow, rocky valley or gorge; a ravine

Country

a nation or area of land that is politically controlled by one government

Creek

a natural stream of running water larger than a brook but smaller than a river

Brook

a natural stream of running water smaller than a river or a creek

Plain

a nearly level area of land usually of considerable size

Latitude

a north-south measurement of position on the Earth

Peninsula

a piece of land nearly surrounded by water and attached to a larger area of land or the mainland by an isthmus

Mine

a pit from which coal, minerals, or precious stones are taken by digging

Lagoon

a pool of shallow water connected to the sea by an inlet

Crag

a projecting point of rock, usually perpendicular or nearly so

Ledge

a projection of rock having the appearance of a shelf

Mountain Range

a series of connecting mountains

Ford

a shallow place where a stream or body of water may be crossed by wading or driving through the water

Harbor

a sheltered body of water where ships anchor and are protected from storms

Bayou

a slow, sluggish stream; usually used to decribe inlets from the Gulf of Mexico or from the Mississippi River

Hill

a small area of land that is higher than the land around it

Atoll

a small island the shape of a ring or horseshoe formed by deposits of coral sea animals

Inlet

a small opening between a small and a larger body of water

Branch

a small stream or creek emptying into a larger stream

Dale

a small valley

Glen

a small valley usually long, narrow, and with steep sides

Knoll

a small, round hill or mound

Cove

a small, sheltered inlet from any body of water

Dell

a small, sheltered valley or ravine

Knob

a smooth, rounded hill

Bluff

a steep, high bank beside a body of water

Pier

a structure projecting into the water and used as a docking or loading place for ships

Divide

a water parting or watershed that separates two drainage areas

Longitude

a west-east measurement of position on the earth

Field

an area of clear land, often bounded by fences

Island

an area of land surrounded by water

Meadow

an area of level land where grass is grown and usually cut for hay

Marsh

an area of low, wet, poorly drained land

Moor

an area of open wasteland, often swampy

Gulf

an area of water bordering on, and lying within, a curved coastline

Piedmont

an area or rolling land along the foot of a mountain range

Levee

an embankment beside a stream which prevents overflow

Chasm

an empty, deep gap in the surface of the earth

Locks

an enclosure with gates built in a canal or river so that ships can be raised or lowered by changing the water level

Lake

an inland body of water usually of considerable size

Arm

an inlet from the sea or other body of water

Keys

an island or reef that does not stick up very far above the water

Pass

an opening through hills or mountains used as a route for higways or railroads

Bay

any inlet of the ocean or part of the ocean bordering on land and partly surrounded by land

Continent

any one of the seven largest areas of land on the earth's surface

Ocean

any one, or all, of the four largest connecting bodies of salt water on the earth's surface

Dike

earth or other material built up along a river or ocean to keep the water from overflowing onto land

Altitude

elevation or height above sea level

Mouth

end of a stream; point at which a stream enters a lake, sea, or ocean

Elevation

height or distance above sea level

Coast

land along the sea

Cultivated land

land that is plowed or spaded and used for growing crops

Irrigated Land

land watered by artificial means through the use of small canals or ditches

Pasture

land where grass and other plants grow and where cattle, sheep, etc. can graze

Natural Resource

supplies of materials found in nature, such as minerals, water, or coal

Drainage Basin

the area from which a single stream or river and its tributaries drains all of the water

Left Bank

the bank of a stream which lies on the left side as one goes with the current

Crater

the bowl-shaped opening at the top of a volcano

Downstream

the direction in which a stream is flowing

Fall Line

the line connecting the places where streams emerge from the uplands onto lowlands usually marked by waterfalls or rapids

Horizon

the line where the earth's surface and the sky seem to meet

Junction

the meeting point of two streams, roads, or railroads

Beach

the pebbly or sandy shore of the sea or of a lake that is washed by the waves

Earth

the planet on which people live

Peak

the pointed top of a hill or mountain

Land

the portion of the earth's surface above the level of the sea or ocean

Continental Shelf

the shallow sea area bordering the continents

Bank

the steep or sloping border of any stream

Cliff

the steep, rocky face of a bluff

Current

the swiftly moving part of a stream

Brink

the very edge at the top of a bluff, cliff, or precipice

Bog

very wet, spongy ground not able to support much weight, usually made up of decayed plants

Breakers

waves breaking into foam as they approach or dash against the shore