Geography
Dictionary
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Information
Gathering Techniques
Processing Techniques
Physical Geography
Weather
Climatic Regions
The physical environment and its effect on human
activities
Competition between land uses in the countryside
Environmental Issues
Characteristics of Settlements
Recent Changes In Towns and Cities
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Agriculture
Industry
Economic Change
Population Distribution
Population Characteristics
Population Change
International relations
International Trade
International Aid and Self Help
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Exam words
Information
Gathering Techniques
Gathering techniques
are ways of finding out different information. The following is a list
of different techniques that you could be asked about in Geography.
Fieldsketching
- drawing a sketch of the site of a
settlement, river landforms.
observing
and recording - the age and use of buildings,
land use and land use changes, environmental quality,
traffic, cloud cover, cloud type, wind speed and
visibility.
Extracting
information from maps - on height, slope, aspect, farming, forestry,
landforms and population indicators; old maps for former industries
and land uses.
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Extracting
information from other sources - for example
T.V., newspapers, Meteorological Office, satellite photographs, radar
images, climate graphs, census data.
traffic, building types, land uses, environmental quality
Questionnaires
- using one with shoppers to find out
sphere of influences, the effect of change in industry,land use conflicts,
views on trade and aid.
Interviewing
- shopkeepers for sphere of influences, local people about urban decay,
industrial change, land use changes, the weather; views on trade, aid
and
European issues.
Processing
Techniques
Processing techniques
are used to change findings into a different form that is more easily
used and understood. The information will be changed into tables, maps,
graphs or diagrams. Examples of processing techniques you will be expected
to know about in Geography are:
Bar graphs
- used to compare amount of several different items.
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Divided bar
graph - used to show different information.
Population
pyramid - a double bar graph used to show the structure of the population.
Scattergraph
- used to show if there is a relationship between two sets of figures.
Pie-Graph
- used to show how one total is divided up.
Tabulating
- making up a table to compare two or more places.
Anotating
diagrams - putting labels on maps, graphs and fieldsketches. This
gives more detail and helps understanding.
Line graph
- shows how one quantity changes over distance or time.
Multiple
line graph - shows changes in two or more items over distance or
time.
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Rose diagram
- compares the amount of something in different compass directions e.g.
wind direction.
Climate graph
- shows temperature and rainfall and helps compare two or more places.
It is a combined bar and line graph.
Cross-sections
- a side on view of the landscape which shows the shape of the land.
Transects
- this is a cross-sections on which features of the human or physical
landscape are noted. It is used to show the relationship between relief
and land use.
Recording
information on maps - namely land use, population distribution,
migrations, movement of goods and location maps.
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Physical
Geography
abrasion
- the way rocks in rivers or glaciers scrape and erode the rocks they
are moving over
alluvium - material deposited by a river
arete - the ridge between two corries
attrition - the way that rocks in rivers are worn down by rubbing
against each other
boulder clay - rocks, sands and gravels deposited by melting
ice; also known as till
braiding - the spitting of a river into different channels
corrosion - the way which rivers use the rocks that they carry
to batter the land
corrie - a large hollow near the top of a mountain, caused by
glacial erosion
crag and tail - a hill with one very steep side and a gentle
slope on the other side caused by ice flowing around it
delta - an area of alluvium at the mouth of a river when it has
split up into distributaries
deposition - the dropping of rocks and other materials by e.g.
glaciers and rivers
distributary - a branch of a river which flows out from the river
drumlin - a smooth, half egg-shaped hill formed beneath an ice
sheet
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erosion - the wearing away of soil and rocks by e.g. rivers and
glaciers
erratic - a rock transported by ice and dropped in a different
area
esker - a winding ridge of sand and gravel, deposited by a river
under the ice
estuary - the tidal mouth of a river
fiord - a U shaped valley drowned by the sea to become a long,
narrow, steep-sided sea inlet
flood plain - a wide valley, usually in the lower course of a
river
freeze-thaw action - the weathering process that breaks up rocks
by the repeated freezing and thawing of water in cracks
glacier - a mass of ice flowing down a valley
hanging valley - a smaller valley which hangs above the main
U shaped valley in a glaciated region
Ice age - the long, cold period when ice and snow covered most
of northern Europe
ice sheet - a large body of moving ice, usually in a lowland
area
landform - a feature made by natural processes
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lateral moraine - material found at the sides of glaciers
lower course - the end part of a river
meander - a large bend in a river
middle course - the middle part of a river
moraine - material deposited by glaciers
mouth - the end point of a river where it reaches the sea or
a lake
outwash plain - the plain made up of material washed out of a
melting glacier or ice-sheet
ox-bow lake - a former meander of a river
physical landscape - the natural scenery of an area
plucking - the way by which moving ice pulls away rocks onto
which it has frozen
pyramidal peak - a pyramid shaped peak made by glacial erosion
river beach - a build up of material deposited in the inside
bend of a river
river cliff - the steep bank made by erosion on the outside bend
of a river
river terrace - a flat bench lying on each side of a river valley
roche moutonee - a large rock smoothed by ice on its upstream
side, jagged on its downstream side
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scree - a pile of loose jagged rocks made by freeze-thaw
source - the start of a river
spur - a ridge of rock which juts down into a valley
terminal moraine - moraine deposited at the end of a glacier
transportation - the carrying of rock particles
tributary - a smaller river which flows into a larger one
truncated spur - a spur that has been truncated, or cut off,
by
moving ice
upper course of a river - the first part of a river
U-shaped valley - one that has steep sides and a flat bottom
and has been overdeepend by a glacier
V-shaped valley - a valley that has been eroded by a river
weathering - the process by which rocks are worn away but not
transported away
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Weather
air pressure
- the force exerted by air on the earth's surface
air stream - a moving current of air
anemometer - an instrument for measuring wind speed
anticyclone - a high pressure system that brings settled weather
barometer - an instrument for measuring air pressure
barograph - an instrument for recording air pressure
Beaufort scale - a scale of wind speed
cold front - the boundary in front of cold air
depression - a low pressure system that brings unsettled weather
humidity - the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere
isobar - a line joining places with equal air pressure
millibar - is a unit of pressure used in recording air pressure;
also known as hectopascals
occluded front - where a cold front overtakes a warm front in
a depression
okta - an eighth of the sky covered in cloud
precipitation - moisture from the atmosphere in the form of rain,
sleet, hail, snow and dew
radiosonde - an instrument carried by a balloon which measures
elements of the weather in the upper atmosphere
rain gauge - the instrument for measuring precipitation
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Stevenson screen - a white wooden box on legs which holds weather
instruments
sunshine recorder - the instrument for measuring sunshine
synoptic chart - a map which shows weather conditions
temperature - how hot or cold it is
warm front - the boundary in front of warm air
warm sector - the wedge of warm air in a depression
weather station - is a site where different elements of the weather
are measured and recorded
weather station symbol - is a series of symbols which
show
the weather at one particular spot
wind vane - an instrument for measuring wind direction
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Climatic
Regions
altitude
- the height above sea level
climate - the average of the weather conditions, usually measured
over 30 years
desert - an area with very low rainfall, usually less than 250
nun a year drought - a long period of dry weather
equatorial climate - a hot and wet climate found in many places
near the equator
extreme climate - a climate with a large range of temperature
between the hottest and coldest months
hot desert climate - a hot, dry climate which is generally experienced
on the western sides of continents around 30 north and south of the
equator
Mediterranean climate - a warm climate with dry sununers
rainfall pattern - the distribution of rainfall throughout a
year
seasonal rainfall - is rainfall which occurs mostly during one
part of a year
temperature range - the difference between the highest and lowest
temperatures
Tundra climate - a cold and dry climate found in the north of
Canada and Russia
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The
physical environment and its
effect on human activities
drainage
- removing water from the land
Forestry Commission - the organisation that plants and looks
after forests in the UK.
irrigation - putting extra water onto farmland
landuse - the way people use the land e.g. farming, forestry,settlement
National Park - a large area of countryside whose outstanding
scenery is protected for the public
recreation - an activity undertaken for pleasure
rural - the countryside
terraces - steps cut into the sides of hills to make extra flat
land for farming
urban - cities, built up areas
country park - a small area of countryside near a city set aside
for recreation
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Competition
between land uses In the countryside
conflict
- disagreement between different land users
conservation - is maintaining or increasing the attractiveness
of an area
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Environmental
Issues
afforestation
- the planting of trees
deforestation - the cutting down of trees
global warming - the gradual increase in temperatures world-wide
greenhouse effect - the gradual rise in temperatures due to an
increase in carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere
overpopulation - where too many people live in an area for the
resources available, resulting in a low standard of living
ozone layer - a belt in the atmosphere which absorbs most of
the harmful ultra-violet rays from the sun
pollution - damage to the environment caused by people
shelter belt - a line of trees which reduces wind speed and thereby
protects the crops and soil behind it
Characteristics
of settlements
accessibility
- how easy it is to get to a settlement
central businessdistrict (CBD) - the centre of a city which usually
has departmental stores, offices, main bus and railway stations and
entertainments
commuter village - a village next to a city; many people travel,
or commute, from the village to work in the city
conurbation - a very large built up area formed when towns and
cities join together
dispersed - a scattered pattern of settlements
function - the main purpose of a settlement, e.g. port, market
town or route centre
high order services - services that are rarely used by most people
and are only found in the larger towns and cities e.g. major football
stadium, international airport.
land use zones - are the areas of housing, industry and commerce
(shops, offices etc.)in a town.
industrial estate - an area of modem factories
Infrastructure - the framework of roads, railways, power supplies
land use zones - areas in a town with the same kind of land use
linear settlement - settlement with a long, narrow shape
low order services - those used frequently by most people, found
in villages as well as towns e.g. post office, general shop
market town - a town surrounded by farmland which provides services
for farmers
nucleated - a settlement with the buildings clustered together
residential area - housing area
site - the land on which a settlement is built
situation - the position of a settlement in relation to other
settlements
sphere of Influence - the area around a settlement within which
people use that settlement for their services
urban areas - towns and cities
urban model - a diagram showing a simplified pattern of land
use in a town or city
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Recent
Changes In Towns and Cities
commuter
- someone who travels to work
congestion - too much traffic on roads
derelict land - disused land
dormitory settlement - a settlement near a larger town in which
most people have jobs in the larger town
green belt - an area of protected countryside around towns and
cities
Inner city - the old, central area of a town or city,
often areas of redevelopment
new town - a planned town, such as Milton Keynes, which offers
new housing and jobs
overspill - population forced to move out of an area because
of a
urban renewal scheme
park and ride - a scheme where car parks are set up at the edge
of a town and people travel to work by car or train
renovation - the modernisation of buildings
suburbs - the outskirts of a town
urban decay - the poor condition of part of a town
urban fringe - where the town meets the countryside
urban regeneration - improvements to housing, jobs, leisure and
the environment in a town
urban renewal - a scheme to improve the condition of a
town
urban sprawl - the spreading of towns into the countryside
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Farming
agribusiness
- the organisation of a farm as a business
arable farm - one that grows crops
cash crop - a crop that is grown for sale cereal crop - grain
crop eg wheat
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - the European Union's farming
policy that looks after the farmers in Europe
crofting - part time farming found in the north of Scotland
crop rotation - the swapping around of crops to help look after
the soil
diversification - branching out into a different way of earning
money
extensive farm - one that has few inputs for its area -eg hill
sheep farming
factory farming - the very intensive rearing of animals, often
indoors eg chickens
fodder crops - crops that are grown for animals to eat
horticulture - is growing flowers, fruit and vegetables
inputs - these are needed in order to farm eg land, workers,
equipment
Intensive farm - one that has high inputs for its area eg a market
garden
market gardening - a small farm in which the produce is sent
directly to market eg flowers, vegetables
mixed farm - one that grows crops and keeps animals
organic farming - one that does not use artificial chemicals
outputs - what the farmer produces eg wheat, potatoes, milk
pastoral land - land that is left as grass for the animal to
eat
permanent pasture - land that is always used as pasture
rough grazing - poor quality grazing land
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Key
Idea 10 Industry
assisted
area - an area that receives government help to attract
industry
capital intensive - an industry that spends
a lot of money on equipment and machinery, and employs few workers
enterprise zone - a small area that receives special government
help to attract industry eg Clydebank
extractive industry - quarrying and mining
footloose Industry - one that is not tied to a particular location
greenfield site - land that has not previously been built on
heavy Industry - making large, heavy goods using raw materials
such as coal and iron eg shipbuilding
high tech Industry - one that uses advanced equipment to make
goods e.g computer chips
industrial estate - a planned industrial area, often with ready
made factory units
industrial Inertia - when an industry stays in an area after
the reasons for it being there have gone
labour intensive - an industry that requires a lot of workers
light industry - making small goods with small amounts of raw
materials eg jewellery
primary industry - one which collects resources provided by nature
eg farming, forestry, fishing and mining (Take)
quaternary industry - one which provides information and advice
eg research laboratory
raw materials - items used to make another product
secondary Industry - a manufacturing industry (make)
service industry - provides a service to people or other industries
eg transport, retail. Also known as tertiary industry (serve)
sunrise industry - a new, growing industry eg electronics
sunset industry - an old, declining industry eg shipbuilding
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Economic
Change
economic
effects - the financial effects on jobs and income (money)
environmentaleffects - the effects on the landscape and the environment
multipliereffect - the 'knock-on' effect of an industry opening
or closing on other industries or services
restoredland - derelict land that has been made useful again
eg by landscaping or renovating buildings
social effects - the effects on the quality of life of the people
eg....
standard ofliving, services, community spirit
Population
Distribution
economic
factors - factors connected with jobs and money
empty lands - areas with low population density
environmental factors - factors connected to the natural environment
eg climate, relief, soil
political factors - factors to do with the government and the
European Union
population density - the number of people per square kilometre
of land
population distribution - the way in which a population is spread
throughout a country or region
population pyramid - a bar graph which shows the age and sex
composition of a population
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Population
Characteristics
birth rate
- the number of births per 1000 people
census - a count of the number of people living in a country
death rate - the number of deaths per 1000 people
developed countries - ones with high living standards. Also known
as the 'North'
developing countries - ones with low living standards. Also known
as the 'South'
gross domestic product (GDP) - the value of all the goods and
services produced by a country in a year
gross national product (GNP) - the GDP plus the value of services
earned abroad
indicators of development - statistics that help indicate a countries
standard of living
infant mortality - the number of infant deaths to every 1000
live births
life expectancy - the average age to which people are expected
to live in a country
literacy rate - the percentage of people in a country who can
read and write
standard of living - how well off the people in a country are
third world - another name for the countries of the developing world
vital registrations - events such as births, deaths, marriages
and divorces
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Population
Change
active population
- the number of people in a country of working age, usually 15'to 60
years
dependent population - the number of people in a country who
are not working, i.e. children and elderly
guest workers - people allowed to live and work in a country
for a short period of time
migration - the movement of people from one area to an other
natural Increase - the number of extra people in a country each
year caused by the extra number of births than deaths
overpopulation - too many people living in an area for the available
resources, resulting in a low standard of living
pull factor - a reason that attracts people to live in an other
area e.g. higher standard of living
push factor - a reason why people move away from an area eg poor
housing
refugees - people forced to move from their home area due to
eg war
shanty town - an area in a town or city where people have built
their own poor quality houses; often lacking in services eg electricity,
sewers
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International
Relations
European
Union - a trade and social alliance of European countries
quota - a limit on the number of goods a country is allowed to
export to another country
selling alliance - a group of countries that agree a price at
which they will sell a particular product eg oil
social alliance - a group of countries which cooperate with each
other in a number of ways eg sport, defence, aid, inunigration -
a tax on goods imported into one country from another trade alliance
- a group of countries between which free trade can take place
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International
Trade
consumer
- a person, country or industry that uses a product
exports - goods sold to another country
imports - goods bought from another country
multinational company - a very large company that has operations
in many countries eg IBM, General Motors
overproduction - more of something is produces than can be sold,
causing the price to fall
trade balance - the difference between the value
of a countries exports and imports
trade barrier - something that makes it more difficult to export
goods eg tariffs and quotas
trade deficit - the amount by which the value of the,imports
exceeds the value of the exports
trade surplus - the amount by which the value of the exports
exceeds the value of the imports
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International
Aid and Self Help
aid
- help
appropriate technology - using equipment that is best suited
to the skills and finances of a country
barefoot doctor - a local person trained to treat the conunon
local diseases and offer health advice
bilateral aid - aid from one country to another
high technology - advanced equipment, usually costing a lot of
money.
intermediate technology - middle level technology, often the
right level to be used in the development of a country
long-term aid - aid that usually takes years before it is of
benefit to a country eg improved education or a tree planting scheme
lowtechnology - primitive techniques and equipments
multilateral aid - aid from a group of countries to an agency
that then distributes it to other countries
project aid - aid used for a large project eg a hospital or a
hydro electric dam
self help scheme - a scheme, usually small scale, which uses
the skills of the local people to improve the local conditions
short term aid - emergency aid, needed after natural disasters
such as floods and earthquakes
tied aid - aid with conditions attached eg the money must be
spent on goods from the country giving the aid United Nations
- a world-wide organisation set up to improve the conditions in every
country
voluntary aid - aid collected by charities such as Oxfam or Action
Aid and then distributed to those that need the help
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Exam
words
compare
- outline the similarities or differences
conflict - an argument or difference of opinion
describe - oudine the main features or characteristics
distribution - the spread throughout a country or region
economic - to do with money and wages
explain - give reasons
gathering technique - a way of collecting information
hierarchy - a list in order of size or importance
identify - point out and name
illustrate - give an example of
justify - give a good reason for
land use - the way the land is used
location - where something is
model - a simplified version of some feature, e.g. a city, in
the real world
outline - describe the main features or characteristics
processing technique - reorganising information so it is more
easily understood
questionnaire - a list of questions which have been devised to
obtain information, opinions and/or ideas.
rank - put in order of size
relationships - links
sampling - taking a representative selection of measurements
state - name or give
suggest - put forward ideas or give an opinion
technique - a way of collecting or processing information
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