Geographic Terms

Continent- Very large land mass, 7 on the planet

Island- Land surrounded by water on all sides

Archipelago Large group or chain of islands

Hill- Rounded, raised landform

Mountain- High rounded or pointed landform with steep sides, higher than a hill

Glacier- Large ice mass that moves slowly down a mountain or over land

Canyon- A deep narrow valley with steep sides

Valley- Low land area between mountains or hills

Cape- Pointed piece of land extending into an ocean or large body of water

Peninsula- Body of land surrounded by water on three sides

Plateau/Mesa- Broad, flat area of land higher than surrounding land, mesa is smaller than a plateau

Plain- Large area of flat or nearly flat land

Erosion- The process of wearing away land by wind or water

Desert- A very dry area where few plants grow, does not have to be hot--Antarctica

Ocean- Largest bodies of water on the planet, saltwater, interconnected

Lake- Body of water surrounded by land

Source of a River- Place where a river begins, often in mountains or from an underground spring

Mouth of a River- Place where a river empties into a larger body of water

Tributary- River or stream that flows into a larger river or stream

Delta- Triangular area at the mouth of a river formed from sand, dirt, and rocks

Strait- Narrow strip of water connecting two large bodies of water

Canal- Man-made narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water

Isthmus- Narrow strip of land connecting two large landmasses

Port/Harbor- Place on a coastline where ships can dock and unload goods, deep water

Gulf/Bay- Part of an ocean or lake extending into the land, gulf is larger than a bay

Currents- Steady flow of ocean water in one direction, linked to winds and lunar gravity