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Physical Geography
20 Physical Geography Vocabulary Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Archipelago | a chain of islands in the ocean (Hawaii, Japan, Indonesia, and Philippines) |
Basin | a natural depression or dent in the earth's surface that drains to a particular river (Amazon River Basin) |
Bay | a body of water enclosed by land but having a wide outlet to the sea. (Chesapeake Bay) |
Canyon | a deep narrow valley with steep rocky walls carved by a river running along the bottom. (The Grand Canyon) |
Desert | arid (Dry), barren land (Sahara Desert) |
Fjord | a deep valley created by a glacier that is flooded by seawater |
Gulf | a part of the ocean extending into land (Gulf of Mexico) |
Island | a piece of land completely surrounded by water (Fiji) |
Isthmus | a narrow piece of land that connect two larger pieces of land (Isthmus of Panama) |
Lagoon | an area of shallow water separated from the sea by low sandy dunes or a sand bar |
Lake | a body of water surrounded by land on all sides usually fresh water ( Lake Erie, Lake Victoria, Lake Titicaca) |
Mountain | area of raised land higher than a hill often having steep rocky sides (Mt. Everest, Mt. Denali) |
Mountain Range | a chain of mountains ( Rocky Mtns, Andes Mtns, Appalachian Mtns) |
Ocean | large body of water separating the continents (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, Southern) |
Peninsula | a piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides (Florida, Baja Peninsula, Yucatan Peninsula, Iberian Peninsula) |
Plain | a broad area of mostly flat land (Great Plains) |
Plateau | broad are of mostly flat land at a high elevation (Altiplano, Deccan Plateua, Colorado Plateau) |
River | a large stream of water that runs into another river, a lake, or the ocean (Potomac, Mississippi, Nile, or the Amazon rivers) |
River Delta | area where a river breaks up into smaller streams before emptying into the ocean (Potomac, Mississippi, Nile, or the Amazon rivers) |
Sea | large body of water partly or partially surrounded by land. It is usually larger than a lake and has salt water ( Caribbean, Mediterranean Seas) |
Tributary | a stream or river that flows into a larger river |
Valley | area of low lying land between mountains or hills. (Death Valley, Indus River Valley, Hudson River Valley) |
Volcano | opening in a mountain that may erupt or has erupted with gases, lava, and ash. (Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Etna, Krakatoa, Mana Loa) |