Geography Definitions
Dam
A barrier constructed across a waterway to control the flow or raise the level of water.
Current
A body of water moving in a certain direction.
Bay
A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea.
Crater
A bowl-shaped depression in a surface made by an explosion or the impact (ex. of a meteoroid)
Mesa
A broad, flat-topped rocky hill with steeply sloping sides.
Field
A broad, level, open expanse of land. A cultivated expanse of land, especially one devoted to a particular crop
Fjord
A coastal valley which was sculpted by glacial action.
Canyon
A deep valley with very steep sides-often carved from the earth by a river.
Gorge
A deep, narrow passage with steep rocky sides; a ravine.
Chasm
A deep, steep-sided opening in the earth's surface; an abyss or gorge. A sudden interruption of continuity; a gap.
Forest
A dense growth of trees, plants, and underbrush covering a large area.
Desert
A dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparce vegetation. A barren or desolate area. A region of permanent cold that is largely or entirely devoid of life.
Oasis
A fertile or green spot in a desert or wasteland, made so by the presence of water.
Archipelago
A group of islands A sea or stretch of water containing many islands
Foothill
A hill near the base of a mountain or mountain range.
Dune
A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand.
Glacier
A huge mass of ice slowly flowing over a land mass, formed from compacted snow in an area where snow accumulation exceeds melting and sublimation.
Gulf
A large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land.
Cave
A large hole in the ground or in the side of a hill or mountain.
Cavern
A large underground chamber, as in a cave.
Meadow
A level area of land that grows grass, usually cut for hay.
Fall Line
A line connecting the waterfalls of nearly parallel rivers that marks a drop in land level.
Canal
A man-made waterway used for transportation or irrigation.
Iceberg
A massive floating body of ice in an ocean broken away from a glacier.
Headland
A narrow area of land jutting out into a sea, lake, ect.
Channel
A narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water and is also a part of a river or harbor that is deep enough to let ships sail through.
Arm
A narrow extension, inlet, or smaller reach of water from a much larger body of water, like an ocean, sea, or lake.
Gulch
A narrow ravine cut by a fast stream.
Isthmus
A narrow strip of land joining two larger masses of land.
Branch
A natural stream of water running from another body of water and may or may not rejoin it. A branch of a river is made by the water flowing from the main stream only when the water level is high.
Mountain
A natural, lofty elevation of the earth's surface.
Peninsula
A piece of land nearly surrounded by water and attached to a larger area of land or the mainland by an isthmus.
Junction
A place where 2 things meet such as streams, roads, or railroads.
Cape
A pointed piece of land that sticks out into a sea, ocean, lake, or river.
Lagoon
A pool of shallow water connected to the sea by an inlet.
Moor
A poorly-drained area of land; often swampy.
Ledge
A projection of rock having the appearance of a shelf.
Elevation
A raised area; height.
Atoll
A ringlike coral island and reef that nearly or entirely encloses a lagoon.
Mountain Range
A series of connecting mountains.
Mountain Chain
A series of mountains not connecting.
Ford
A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle.
Harbor
A sheltered part of a body of water deep enough to provide anchorage for ships and boats.
Bayou
A sluggish stream that meanders through lowlands, marshes, or plantation grounds.
Dell
A small secluded wooded valley.
Creek
A small stream, often a shallow tributary to a river.
Brook
A small stream.
Grove
A small wood or stand of trees lacking dense undergroth.
Cove
A small, horseshoe-shaped body of water along the coast, surrounded by land formed of soft rock.
Knoll
A small, rounded hill or mound.
Glen
A small, secluded valley.
Knob
A smooth, rounded hill.
Cliff
A steep face of rock and soil.
Bluff
A steep riverbank or cliff Having a broad, steep front
Cinder Cone
A steep, conical hill consisting of glassy volcanic fragments that accumulate around and downwind from a volcanic vent. Cinder cones range in size from tens to hundreds of meters tall.
Crag
A steep, rugged mass of rock, projecting upward or outward.
Inlet
A stream or bay leading inland; an estuary.
Continental Shelf
A submerged border of a continent that slopes gradually and extends to a point of steeper descent to the ocean bottom.
Delta
A usually triangular deposit at the mouth of a river.
Hill
A well-defined natural elevation smaller than a mountain.
Drainage Basin
An area drained by a river system.
Island
An area of land surrounded by water.
Divide
An area of relatively high ground seperating drainage basins.
Piedmont
An area of rolling land along the foot of a mountain range.
Bog
An area of soft, naturally woterlogged ground.
Marsh
An area of soft, wet, poorly-drained land.
Country
An area or expanse outside cities and towns; a rural area.
Estuary
An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.
Basin
An artificially enclosed area of a river or harbor designed so that the water level remains unaffected by tidal changes.
Dike
An embankment of earth and rock built to prevent floods. A low wall, often of sod, dividing or enclosing lands.
Levee
An embankment raised to prevent a river from overflowing.
Locks
An enclosure with gates built in a canal or river so that ships can be raised or lowered by changing the water level.
Mine
An excavation in the earth from which coal, minerals, and precious stones are taken by digging.
Lake
An inland body of water usually of conciderable size.
Keys
An island or reef that does not stick up very far above the water.
Dale
An open valley, usually in an area of low hills.
Cultivated Land
Arable land that is worked by plowing and sowing and raising crops.
25,000 miles
Earth's circumference =
8000 miles
Earth's diameter =
Mouth
End of a stream; point at which a stream enters an ocean, sea, or lake.
Pasture
Ground on which such vegetation grows, especially that which is set aside for use by domestic grazing animals.
Downstream
In or towards the lower part of a stream; with the current.
Continent
One of the seven great landmasses on earth: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
Natural Resources
Something, such as a forest, a mineral deposit, or fresh water, that is found in nature and it useful to humans.
Left Bank
The bank of a stream that lies on the left side as one goes with the current.
Ocean
The entire body of salt water that covers more than 70% of the earth's surface.
Altitude
The height of anything above a given planetary refrence plane, especially above sea level on earth. Extent or distance upward;height.
Coast
The line or zone where the land meets the sea or some other large expanse of water.
Pass
The location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks.
Latitude
The north/south measurement of position on earth.
Peak
The pointed summit of a mountain.
Land
The portion of the earth's surface above the sea or ocean level.
Beach
The shore of a body or water, especially when sandy or pebbly The zone above that water line at a shore of a body of water, marked by an accumulation of sand, stone, or gravel, that has been deposited by the tides or waves.
Bank
The slope of a land adjoining a river, lake, or channel A steep natural incline
Earth
The third planet from the sun and the densest planet in the solar system.
Brink
The upper edge of a steep or vertical slope.
Horizon
The visible intersection of the earth and the sky.
Longitude
The west/east measurement of position on earth.
Irrigated Land
To supply (dry land) with water by means of ditches, pipes, or streams.
Breakers
Waves that crest or breaks into foam, as against a shoreline.
