Geography is the study of the Earth, including its physical features, atmosphere and resources.
Geography Terms
- Antipodes – Two points that are on the exact opposite sides of the earth, for example, the North and South Poles.
- Archipelago – A group of islands, for example, the Bahamas.
- Atoll – A ring of coral that makes an island, for example, Lighthouse Reef near Belize.
- Basin – A section of land eroded by water, causing it to be lower than the surrounding land.
- Bay – A small body of water enclosed partially by land, for example, Hudson Bay in Canada.
- Butte – A hill with a flat top and steep sides, for example, Merrick’s Butte in Arizona.
- Canal – A waterway made by man for irrigation or easier transportation, for example, the Suez Canal.
- Canyon – A valley that is deep and has steep sides, for example, the Grand Canyon.
- Cape – A section of land that juts out into the water, for example, Cape Cod.
- Cave – A large open area in the ground or in the side of a mountain or hill, for example, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
- Channel – A narrow stretch of water between to larger bodies of water, for example, the English Channel.
- Cliff – A step rock face many times found by the ocean, for example, the White Cliffs of Dover.
- Continent – A large land mass, for example, Africa.
- Cove – A small bay that is sheltered and shaped like a horseshoe, for example, Coron Island Cove in the Philippines.
- Delta – The area at the mouth of a river formed with deposits brought down the river, for example, the Ganges Delta in India.
- Desert – An area with little rainfall and sparse vegetation, for example, the Sahara Desert.
- Dune – A hill made of sand, for example, the White Sands in New Mexico.
- Estuary – The area where the fresh water from a river meets the salt water from an ocean, for example, the Amazon Estuary.
- Fjord – A long narrow inlet between steep cliffs, for example, the Lysefjord in Norway.
- Geyser – A hot spring that occasionally send up a column of water and steam, for example, Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park.
- Glacier – A large mass of ice that moves slowly, for example, the Easton Glacier on Mount Baker.
- Gulf – An area of ocean partially surrounded by land, for example, the Gulf of Alaska.
- Hill – A raised mound of land, for example, the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines.
- Ice shelf – A platform of ice floating near the coast, for example, the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.
- Island – A piece of land totally surrounded by water, for example, Crete in Greece.
- Isthmus – A narrow strip of land that connects two larger land masses, for example, the Isthmus of Panama.
- Lagoon – A body of water that is not very deep with a sandbank or strip of land separating it from the ocean, for example, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
- Lake – A large body of water totally surrounded by land, for example, Lake Titicaca in the Andes.
- Marsh – A wetland near lakes and streams, for example, the Macoun marsh in Ontario, Canada.
- Mesa – A large land formation that is flat on top and has steep sides, for example, Tucumcari Mountain in New Mexico.
- Mountain – A very tall landform, for example, Mt. Everest in the Himalayas.
- Oasis – An area in a desert that has water and vegetation, for example, the Siwa Oasis in Egypt.
- Ocean – A very large body of salt water, for example, the Atlantic Ocean.
- Peninsula – An area of land surrounded on about three side with water, for example, Italy.
- Plain – Flat areas of land, for example, the Great Plains in North America.
- Plateau – A tableland that is fairly flat, for example, the Tibetan Plateau.
- Pond – A small body of water surrounded by land, for example, Walden Pond in Massachusetts.
- Prairie – A large flat area with grasses and few trees, for example, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in the United States.
- Range – A series of mountains, for example, the Appalachian Mountain Range.
- Reef – A growth of coral under the sea and near the surface, for example, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
- River – A large body of water that flows, for example, the Nile River.
- Sea – A large body of salt water, for example, the Black Sea in Europe.
- Strait – A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water, for example, the Strait of Gibraltar.
- Swamp – A freshwater wetland with muddy land, for example, the Amazon River floodplain.
- Tributary – A river that flows into a larger river, for example, the Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River.
- Tundra – A flat, treeless area where the soil if permanently frozen, for example, the Greenland Tundra.
- Valley – The low area between mountains, for example, the Rio Grande Valley.
- Volcano – A mountain with a vent where lava, steam, and ash comes out, sometimes violently, for example, St. Helen’s.
- Waterfall – Water falling from a height, usually off a cliff or side of a mountain, for example, Niagara Falls.
All of these terms show different examples of geography.
