Principles of Geography and Basic Terms

Geography

 Geography
Greek word Geographia or the earth description The science that studies the lands,the features, the inhabitants and the phenomena of the earth.

 Hemisphere
Division of the Earth

SEASONS:
Northern Hemisphere
Month of January WINTER SEASON Month of July SUMMER

Southern Hemisphere
Month of January SUMMER Month of July WINTER SEASON

 Equator
Is the imaginary line that encircles the middle (waist) of the Earth It is the horizontal equivalent of the vertical combination of Prime/First Meridian and the International Date Line

Prime Meridian
The first longitude (0 degrees) Imaginary line from North Pole to South Pole Also referred as the Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT)

 Degrees
Is the unit that measures distance between latitude or Longitudes.

Zones
Is the area between two Longitudes Time Zones (is the area between 0 degrees + 15 degrees until it reaches + 180 degrees) (0 degrees 15 degrees until it reaches to -180 degrees.)

 Longitude/Meridian
Are imaginary lines that stretching from the North Pole to the South Pole. These Lines are not straight but follow the boundaries that separate the different countries.

Latitude
Are imaginary lines that stretching from the Prime Meridian East up to the International date line and vice versa; means from East and from the Prime Meridian West up to the International date line.

 International Date Line

Is the last Meridian or where (+)180 degrees and (-) 180 degrees meet. When the area west of International date line is Monday, the East area is Sunday. East is one day earlier than in the West side East is 12 hours ahead of Greenwich mean time 180 degrees, and West is 12 hours behind.

 Cardinal Points
Four cardinal points in a compass.
North 12 oclock East 3 oclock South 6 oclock West 9 oclock

 Circumference of the Earth (360 degrees)

The longitude and latitude are separated by 15 degrees.

Seasons
Northern Hemisphere
January is winter season July is summer season

Southern Hemisphere
July is winter season January is summer

Tropics of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

Tropic of Cancer
An imaginary line 23 degrees north of the equator that encircles the earth

Tropic of Capricorn
An imaginary line 23 degrees south of the equator that encircles the earth

 North Pole
Is the top of the earth, where the Arctic is located

Magnetic North
Is the direction of all compasses points to

South Pole
The bottom of the earth where the Antarctic is located

Winds
Temperate Zone
Areas between the North Pole and the Tropic of Cancer and the areas between the Tropic of Capricorn and the South Pole The wind here normally blows from West to East it is called Temperate Winds

Winds
Tropical Zone
Areas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator in the north and between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south The wind here normally blows from East to West and called Trade Winds

Forms of Land
Continent
Large mass of land
Other forms of land

Archipelago
A number of islands surrounded by water

Cape
A projection of land into water

Forms of land
Elevation
The height of land above the sea level

Island
A form of land surrounded by water

Isthmus
A narrow strip of land between two large bodies of water

Mountains
Elevated terrestrial masses that are peaked

Forms of Land
Plateau
Elevated terrestrial masses that is flat

Peninsula
Large projection of land into water

Volcano
Elevated terrestrial masses that has lava

Bodies of Water
Ocean large bodies of water
Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Arctic Ocean

Other bodies of water

Bay
Body of water that sticks out into land

Gulf
Large bodies of water that sticks out into land

Fjords
Narrow inlets of sea between cliffs or steep slopes

Lakes
Bodies of water surrounded by land

Other bodies of water

Rivers
Streams of water that empty into the seas or oceans

Seas
Next large body of water next to ocean Some large lakes are also called seas