Geographic Terms

1) Archipelago1) Archipelago

• A large group of islands. A large group of islands. Example is the Florida Keys. Example is the Florida Keys.

2) Badlands2) Badlands• Deeply eroded barren land. Deeply eroded barren land.

Examples are southwestern South Examples are southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska Dakota and northwestern Nebraska

3) Bay• a body of water forming an indentation of the

shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf. Example is the Hudson Bay (Canada).

4) Butte4) Butte• An isolated hill or mountain rising An isolated hill or mountain rising

abruptly above the surrounding land.abruptly above the surrounding land.

5) Canal• An artificial waterway for

navigation, irrigation. Example is the Panama Canal

6) Canyon• A deep valley with steep sides,

often with a stream flowing through it. Example is the Grand Canyon.

7) Cape• A piece of land jutting into the sea

or some other large body of water. Example is Cape Cod.

8) Delta8) Delta• Landforms created by the deposits of Landforms created by the deposits of

sediment at the mouth of rivers. sediment at the mouth of rivers. Example is where the Mississippi Example is where the Mississippi meets the Gulf of Mexico. meets the Gulf of Mexico.

9) Geysers9) Geysers• Springs that shoots hot water and Springs that shoots hot water and

steam into the air. Example is Old steam into the air. Example is Old Faithful. Faithful.

10) Glacier• Large, slow-moving sheets or river

of ice.

11) Gulf11) Gulf• A portion of an ocean or sea partly A portion of an ocean or sea partly

enclosed by land. Example is the Gulf enclosed by land. Example is the Gulf of Mexico. of Mexico.

12) Isthmus12) Isthmus• A neck of land connecting two larger A neck of land connecting two larger

land areas. Example is Central land areas. Example is Central America America

13) Jungle13) Jungle• A wild land overgrown with dense vegetation, A wild land overgrown with dense vegetation,

often nearly impenetrable, esp. tropical often nearly impenetrable, esp. tropical vegetation or a tropical rain forest. Example is vegetation or a tropical rain forest. Example is the Amazon Jungle. the Amazon Jungle.

14) Lagoon14) Lagoon• An area of shallow water An area of shallow water

separated from the sea by low separated from the sea by low sandy dunes.sandy dunes.

15) Lake15) Lake• A large body of fresh or salt water A large body of fresh or salt water

surrounded by land. Example is surrounded by land. Example is the Great Lakes. the Great Lakes.

16) Mesa• A land formation, smaller than a plateau,

has steep walls and relatively flat top. Example is the Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

17) Ocean17) Ocean• A vast body of salt water that A vast body of salt water that

covers almost three quarters of the covers almost three quarters of the Earth’s surface. Example is the Earth’s surface. Example is the Atlantic Ocean.Atlantic Ocean.

18) Plain18) Plain• An area that is relatively flat. The An area that is relatively flat. The

elevation for the highest to lowest elevation for the highest to lowest points is less than 500 ft. Example is points is less than 500 ft. Example is the Great Plains in the Midwest. the Great Plains in the Midwest.

19) Peninsula• A land bordered by water on three

sides. Example is the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt

20) River20) River• A large natural stream of fresh water A large natural stream of fresh water

flowing along a definite course, usually into flowing along a definite course, usually into the sea. Example is the Mississippi Riverthe sea. Example is the Mississippi River. .

21) Sea21) Sea• A body of water, of considerable extent, A body of water, of considerable extent,

more or less definitely marked off by land more or less definitely marked off by land boundaries. Example is the Caribbean Sea boundaries. Example is the Caribbean Sea

22) Sound22) Sound• A relatively narrow passage of water A relatively narrow passage of water

between larger bodies of water or between larger bodies of water or between the mainland and an island. between the mainland and an island. Example is the Nantucket Sound. Example is the Nantucket Sound.

23) Swamp23) Swamp• a tract of wet, spongy land, often having a tract of wet, spongy land, often having

a growth of certain types of trees and a growth of certain types of trees and other vegetation, but unfit for farming. other vegetation, but unfit for farming.

24) Tundra24) Tundra• A vast, nearly level, treeless plain A vast, nearly level, treeless plain

of the arctic region. Example is the of the arctic region. Example is the tundra in Alaska. tundra in Alaska.

25) Valley25) Valley• An elongated low point between An elongated low point between

uplands, hills, or mountains. uplands, hills, or mountains. Example is Death Valley. Example is Death Valley.

Any Questions…?Any Questions…?