Geography Terminology – Flashcards
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archipelago
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Either a group of islands or a body of water that has many islands in it. The Hawaiian Islands; the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece.
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atoll
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A circular coral island that encloses a lagoon. Atolls are usually formed on top of submerged volcanoes. Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean, a US atomic test site.
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bay
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A body of water that penetrates a coastline. It is generally wider in the middle. It is usually smaller than a gulf, but larger than a cove. Delawared and Chaseapeake Bays.
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canyon
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A deep, narrow depression in the earth's surface, often having a river running through it. Canyons are also known as gorges. Ravines are not quite as deep. The Grand Canyon in Northwest Arizona.
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cape
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A point of land extending into the sea. It is ususally smaller than a peninsula. A mountainous cape is called a promotory or a headland. The Cape of Good Hope off the South African coast.
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continental divide
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The highest point of a continent, from which the direction of river flow is determined. The Great Divide is the name given to the crest of the Rocky Mountains, which sends rivers east and west.
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delta
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The triangular-shaped land found at the mouth of some large rivers. So much soil is ransported by the river that the coastal waters cannot washi ti all away. The Nile Delta on the Mediterranean Sea.
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estuary
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An ocean inlet that merges with the mouth of a river. The estuary's salinity varies accourding to river flwo and ocean tides. The Rio de la Plata separating Argentina from Uruguay.
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fjord
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A narrow winding ocean inlet that penetrates a coastal mountain range. The steep cliffs that line its route make a fjord (fiord) one of nature's grandest sights. Norway's Sogne Fjord is the world's longest.
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glacier
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A river of ice, moving slowly down a mountain sloped or outward from its central mass. It stops where the leading edge melts faster than the forward rate of movement. Vatnajökull in Iceland is Europe's largest.
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gulf
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A part of an ocean or sea that is partially enclosed by a curving coastline. A more fully enclosed body of salt water could be called a sea. The Gulf of Mexico.
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headwaters
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Upper river springs, streams, and tributaries. Headwaters can refer to continental divides or watersheds. Watershed also describes a region drained by a river. The Alps have been called the headwaters of Europe.
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island
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A body of land completely surrounded by water. It is smaller than a continent but larger than a cay, a key, or certainly a large rock. Greenland is the world's largest island.
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lagoon
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A small body of water separated from the larger sea by a barrier of sand or coral reefs. It can either be adjacent to a coastline or surrounded by an atoll. Mirim Lagoon off the coast of Brazil.
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isthmus
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A narrow strip of land, with water on both sides, that connects two larger land masses. The Isthmus of Panama connects Central America and South America.
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mesa
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A tall, flat-topped mountain with steep verticle sides. Erosion-resistant mesas are left standing after all else has gone. Buttes are small mesas. Monument Valley in Utah has 1,000 ft. (305m) mesas.
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ocean currents
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Ocean stream that are propelled by prevailing winds and earth rotation. They flow clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise below the equator. The Atlantic's Gulf Steam.
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peninsula
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A mass of land almost entirely surrounded by water. It is usually connected to the mainland by a narrow neck. The Iberian Peninsula in Europe, home to Spain and Portugal.
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plateau
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A broad expanse of generally high and flat land, also called tableland. Plateaus can rise up from a lower area, or can be level regions within a mountain range. Most of Spain is the Meseta Plateau.
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reef
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A narrow, low ridge of rock, or more commonly coral, that is connected to a coast (fringing reef) or lise off a cosat (barrier reef). The Great Barrier Reef, off the northeast coast of Australia.
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strait
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A narrow passage of water connecting two larger bodies of water. A channel is wider than a strait. If it is shallow, it is called a sound. The English Channel becomes narrower at the Strait of Dover.
