Glossary

Terms and Definitions

Aborigine

the earliest inhabitants of a land or country; typically used to refer to the indigenous people of Australia

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acid rain

precipitation with a high level of acidity that environmentally harmful and caused by atmospheric pollution

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age distribution

the percentage of a total population at different age levels

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agricultural terracing

the practice of altering sloped land to create flat steps used for farming

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alluvial soil

fertile soil and sediment that is deposited by a flowing river

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Alps

a major mountain range located on the European continent

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Altiplano

a highland plateau located at the widest point of the Andes Mountains of South America; second-largest highland plateau in the world

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ancestor worship

a cultural practice in which prayer, sacrifice, or other rituals and behaviors are intended to honor deceased ancestors

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Andes

a mountain range and physical region in western South America; the world’s longest above-water mountain range

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apartheid

a system of laws in South Africa that segregated the population based on race

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Appalachians

a mountain range and physical region in eastern North America; the Appalachians mark the Eastern Continental Divide of North America

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archipelago

a chain or group of islands

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Atacama

the driest desert in the world; located on the western coast of South America

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atoll

an island of coral that partially or completely surrounds a lagoon

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Australasia

a sub-region of Oceania that includes Australia and smaller nearby islands

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Aztec

a Mesoamerican civilization located in the Valley of Mexico in central Mexico

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Balkanization

the breakup of a state into smaller nations or territories; political divisions based on ethnic, religious, or cultural identity

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basin

a large, low depression of land

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batik

a technique used to dye fabrics commonly practiced in Southeast Asia; the practice originated in Indonesia

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bazaar

a traditional marketplace found in North Africa and Southwest Asia; generally contains a variety of shops, vendors, and entertainers; also known as a souk (suq)

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Berber

an ethnic group and language that is indigenous to North Africa

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birth rate

the average number of people born in a population per year; represented as a number per 1,000 people

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Buddhism

a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha; addresses suffering through the Four Noble Truths and sets forth the Eightfold Path as the way to overcome desire and end suffering

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calligraphy

ornate lettering that is written by hand for decorative purposes

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calypso

a Caribbean musical genre that blends African and French influences; roots can be traced back to slave communities in Trinidad and Tobago

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Canadian Shield

a landform region that covers much of eastern and central Canada; characterized by taiga forests and ancient bedrock that is rich with mineral deposits

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canal

a man-made waterway built for transportation or irrigation

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capital resources

goods that are used to produce other goods and services; includes tools, equipment, machines, technology, and infrastructure

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cartography

the practice of making maps

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cataract

a type of waterfall that is very large and powerful

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Caucasus

a mountain range located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea

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channel

a body of water that connects two larger bodies of water; wider than a strait

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chernozem

a dark, fertile type of soil found in Russia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe; means "black earth" in Russian

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Christianity

a monotheistic religion that was developed out of Judaism; based on the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth and scripture from the Bible

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church

a Christian place of worship

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climate

the average weather conditions of an area over a period of time; characteristics include features like humidity, rainfall, wind, and temperature

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coastal plain

a flat, low-lying area of land that is located next to an ocean or large body of water and separated from the interior by mountains or other landforms

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Cold War

a period of political hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union; neither side ever officially declared war or attacked

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command economy

an economic system in which production, prices, and other aspects of the economy are centrally controlled by the government

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communism

a political system in which all property is publically owned; based on the ideas of Karl Marx

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comparative advantage

a nation or region’s ability to produce goods and services at a lower relative cost than other nations or regions

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confluence

the location where two or more bodies of water meet, like where a tributary combines with a river

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Confucianism

a system of ethics based on the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius; main tenets include belief that humans are good, respect for elders, politeness, right relationships, emphasis on education, and ancestor worship

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continental divide

an elevated terrain that forms a boundary separating river systems that flow to different sides of a continent

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coral reef

a rocky underwater ridge comprised of organic materials and coral

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cultural diffusion

the spread of cultural characteristics, shared beliefs, and social activities from one group of people to another

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cultural landscape

a geographic area modified by humans that reflects aspects of their culture; the result of a human population’s interaction with the physical environment

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cultural mosaic

a term used to describe a place where people from different cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds are encouraged to maintain their cultural identity, rather than blend in with society

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culture

characteristics of a group of people related to language, ethnicity, and religion, that make them unique from other groups of people

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dam

barrier used to restrict the flow of water and raise its level, providing a water supply for consumption, irrigation, hydroelectric power, etc.

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death rate

the average number of deaths in a population per year; represented as a number per 1,000 people

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deforestation

the permanent clearing of a forest or trees; also called forest clearance

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delta

a landform created at the mouth of a river from deposited sediment

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Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

a buffer area at the thirty-eighth parallel between North Korea and South Korea where neither country is allowed to have a military presence

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demographics

statistical data related to different population characteristics

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deposition

the process of sediment being deposited or added to a landform

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desalination

process of removing dissolved minerals and salt from saltwater to produce freshwater that can be used for consumption or agriculture

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desert

a vegetation region with such a small amount of precipitation that little to no vegetation survives

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desert pavement

stony desert made up of a combination of densely packed gravel and sand; known as serir in the eastern Sahara and reg in the western Sahara

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desertification

the transition of fertile land to a desert

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developed nation

a country with a stronger economy, better infrastructure, and more advanced technology as compared to developing nations

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developing nation

a country with a weaker economy, worse infrastructure, and less advanced technology as compared to developed nations

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dike

a barrier or embankment used to control and prevent flooding

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earthquake

the sudden shaking of the ground caused by the Earth’s crust breaking along a fault; this releases energy in the form of seismic waves

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Eastern Ghats

a mountain range in India that runs parallel to the coast of the Bay of Bengal and is along the Deccan plateau

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emigrant

a person who leaves their home country to permanently live in a different country

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emir

a high title given to leaders in Arab countries that is similar to general, commander, or lord

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emirate

a territory or state that is run by an emir

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environmental degradation

deterioration or destruction of an environment’s air, water, soil, vegetation, or wildlife though excessive pollution and resource depletion; may result in the destruction of animal habitats, the contamination of resources, and severe health problems

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erg

sandy desert with dunes made of loose sand; the sand dunes shift when the wind blows

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erosion

sand, soil, and rock being gradually worn away by forces like wind, water, or glaciers

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escarpment

a cliff with steep slopes that form where highland plateaus meet lowland plains

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estuary

a partially enclosed coastal body of water fed by one or more rivers

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ethnic cleansing

the elimination of an ethnic, religious, or cultural group through killing or forced migration

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ethnicity

shared characteristics of a particular culture including ancestry, art, customs, food, history, language, nationality, and religion

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eucalyptus

a type of evergreen tree native to Australia; its leaves are used in medicinal oils and its trunk is used for timber

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Eurasia

a landmass formed by the continents of Europe and Asia; it extends from the Baltic and Black Seas in the west, and stretches east across northern Asia to the Pacific Ocean

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Eurasian Steppe

a vast grassland region that spans the Eurasian landmass from the Black Sea to Northern China

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Fabergé egg

ornate Easter eggs made of valuable metals and gemstones; created by the Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé

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fall line

an area where an upland region meets a lowland plain; rivers in these areas contain rapids or waterfalls

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Fertile Triangle

the region in European Russia that contains rich chernozem soil; Russian agriculture and industry is concentrated here

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fjord

a long and narrow inlet by the coast with steep sides; usually created by a glacier

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Francophone

French-speaking

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Gandhi, Mohandas

a political and spiritual leader during India’s struggle with Great Britain for independence; he led a campaign through civil disobedience

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gauchos

cattle ranchers from the Pampas grasslands of South America

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gender distribution

the percentages of a population that are male and female

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genocide

the calculated extermination of a large group of people from a specific nation or race

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geographic information systems (GIS)

an abbreviation for geographic information systems; uses computers, satellites, and other technology to obtain, store, display, and analyze various kinds of geographic data

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glacier

a mass of ice that was developed from the accumulation of snow over many years, prompting the mass to slowly move

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Great Lakes

a group of five freshwater lakes located in North America, between the United States and Canada; the collective name of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario

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Great Plains

a broad, flat physical region in North America characterized by vast areas of grassland vegetation

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Great Rift Valley

a system of faults in East Africa formed by the separation of the African plate

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Greater Antilles

a large archipelago in the northwestern Caribbean; includes the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico

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Green Revolution

a period of agricultural advancement that occurred in South Asia and other developing countries during the mid-twentieth century; during this period the production of crops greatly increased

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griot

a traditional African storyteller who maintains oral traditions and history

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gross domestic product (GDP)

the value of the total amount of goods and services produced by a country annually

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guest workers

temporary laborers from a foreign country that live and work in a host country for a set period of time

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hacienda

the Spanish name for a large estate or plantation house

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Himalayas

a massive mountain range that separates South Asia from the rest of the Asian continent

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Hindu Kush

a major mountain range that divides Southwest Asia from South Asia

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Hinduism

an ethnic religion rooted in India, with roughly 97% of its followers residing there; there are many gods in the Hindu faith, but these gods are believed to be different representations of Brahman, the one supreme god present in all things

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human resources

the size and skill of a labor force or workforce in a particular region, sector, or company

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hurricane

tropical cyclones that occur in either the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean; these storms are characterized by strong winds and heavy rain; they generally occur between late summer and early autumn

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icon

a painting, mosaic, or similar artwork that depicts a religious subject; part of the religious culture of Orthodox and Catholic Christianity

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ideogram

a graphic symbol that stands for a word or idea, rather than a single sound

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immigrant

a person who comes from a foreign country to live permanently in another country

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Inca

an indigenous South American civilization located in the Andes Mountain region

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infant mortality rate

the average number of children under one year old who die in a given year; represented as the number of deaths per 1,000 live births

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infrastructure

the system of buildings, roads, and utilities that provide transportation, power, and communication

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interdependence

the dependence of two or more nations on each other

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Inuit

the indigenous people from parts of northern Canada, Alaska, and Greenland

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invasive species

a non-native species that dominates an environment by replacing native species; generally have a negative impact on the environment

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irrigation

a system used to dictate how much water gets to a particular location; supports crop production

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Islam

a monotheistic Abrahamic religion, meaning it also traces its lineage back to the prophet Abraham; based on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, and focuses on the Five Pillars of Islam, which include the profession of faith, prayer, fasting, charity for the poor, and pilgrimage to the city of Mecca

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island

a piece of land surrounded by water

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isolationism

a foreign policy focused on remaining uninvolved in the political affairs of other countries

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Judaism

a monotheistic religion that began with the teachings of Abraham, the founder of the Israelites; the laws and teachings of Judaism are based on the first five books of the Jewish Bible, called the Torah

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lagoon

a shallow body of water separated from an ocean or sea by coral reefs or a barrier island

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landlocked

describes a country or region that is entirely surrounded by land and lacks coastal access or a navigable water route

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Lesser Antilles

an archipelago of small islands located in the southeastern part of the Caribbean

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life expectancy

the average number of years a person in a given area is expected to live

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literacy rate

the percentage of a population that is able to read and write by a specified age

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Llanos

a savannah grassland region in northern South America

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loess

a dusty and loose type of soil that is fertile and yellowish-gray in color

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Lucayan Archipelago

a group of small islands located north of the Greater Antilles; also called the Bahama Archipelago

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Mandarin

the official language spoken in China; also known as Standard Chinese

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Maori

the indigenous people of New Zealand

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market economy

an economic system in which production, prices, and other aspects of the economy are determined by competition between privately-owned businesses

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marsupial

mammals that are born incompletely developed and are carried and nourished in the mother’s abdominal pouch; includes kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and opossums

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Matryoshka doll

hollow wooden dolls that decrease in size and nest inside one another; commonly known as Russian nesting dolls

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Maya

indigenous Mesoamerican civilization located on the Yucatán Peninsula

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Melanesia

an island sub-region of Oceania that is located south of the equator and northeast of Australia

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melting pot

a term used to describe a place where people from different cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds are blended together as one

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Micronesia

a sub-region of Oceania that is made up of thousands of small islands in the Pacific Ocean; located north of the equator and east of the Philippines

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monotheism

the belief that there is only one God

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monsoon

seasonal winds patterns that blow through Southern Asia, bringing heavy rains in the summer and cool dry air in the winter

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mosque

an Islamic place of worship

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Mount Kilimanjaro

the highest mountain peak in Africa; located in Tanzania

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natural resources

materials that occur naturally in the environment and can be used for economic gain, like fossil fuels, minerals, fresh water, and fertile land

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nomad

person or group that has no permanent settlement and continually moves from place to place; movements typically follow food, water, and other resources

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nonrenewable resources

natural resources that replenish at an extremely slow rate and cannot be easily replace once consumed; includes resources like oil, coal, natural gas, gold, iron, copper, and bauxite

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North Atlantic Drift

an ocean current that extends from the Gulf Stream and carries warm water across the Atlantic to northwestern Europe

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oasis

a fertile area in the desert that has available water

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Oceania

an island region located in the Central and South Pacific Ocean, includes Australasia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia

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oral tradition

cultural and historical traditions in a community that are passed down through word of mouth

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Outback

the remote areas of Australia that are sparsely inhabited

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overpopulation

a situation in which the number of people in a region is larger than the local environment is able to support

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pagoda

a temple, funerary monument, or sacred building found in east Asia or India

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Pampas

a fertile grassland region located in the southern part of South America, particularly in Argentina

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pastoralism

a type of agriculture based on raising grazing livestock

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Patagonia

a region in the southern part of South America with barren plateaus that shift between semiarid steppe and arid desert

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peninsula

a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides

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per capita GDP

the gross domestic product (GDP) of a country divided by the total population of the country

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permafrost

the permanently frozen layer of soil that prevents most vegetation from growing; typically found in tundra climate regions

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Piedmont

a plateau region located between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain in North America

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plain

a large, flat area of land

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plate tectonics

the concept that the Earth's crust consists of a number of rigid plates whose relative positions slowly alter over the time

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plateau

a high plain with relatively flat terrain; often has one or more steep sides

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polder

a stretch of low land reclaimed from the sea and enclosed by dikes

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pollution

releasing damaging or toxic substances into the environment

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Polynesia

the sub-region of Oceania that is made up of over one thousand islands; located in the Central Pacific Ocean, east of Melanesia and Micronesia

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population growth rate

the percentage of annual growth in the total population of a country

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precipitation

water in the atmosphere that falls to the surface as rain, snow, or hail

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prevailing westerlies

powerful winds that blow from west to east in the middle latitudes

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primary economic activity

economic activity that deals directly with the extraction of natural resources and raw materials from the Earth; includes industries like farming, fishing, forestry, logging, and mining

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pull factor

the positive aspects of an area that encourage people to move or migrate there

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push factor

the negative aspects of an area that force people to move or migrate to a different area

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Pyrenees

a mountain range that separates the Iberian Peninsula from continental Europe; forms a natural border between Spain and France

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quality of life

the health, happiness, and comfort of a population

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quarternary economic activity

economic activity that is focused on collecting, processing, and manipulating information and capital; includes industries like administration, education, finance, insurance, legal services, and scientific research

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rainforest

a vegetation region characterized by dense tropical evergreen trees and regular heavy rainfall

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reg

the term used to describe desert pavement or stony desert in the western Sahara

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reggae

a Caribbean musical genre influenced by calypso, Jamaican folk music, American jazz, and rhythm and blues; originated in Jamaica during the 1960s

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renewable resource

a natural resource that is able to replenish quickly and naturally; includes resources like water, soil, forests, wind, and sunlight

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reservoir

an artificial lake where water is stored for consumption, irrigation, or power generation

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Ring of Fire

a continuous chain of oceanic trenches, island arcs, and active volcanoes that surround the Pacific Ocean

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Rockies

a mountain range and physical region in western North America; mark the Great Continental Divide of North America

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romance language

a language that is originally derived from Latin

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rural

related to or classified as the countryside, rather than the city

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Sahel

a semiarid region that serves as a buffer between the arid climate of the Sahara and the tropical wet and dry climate of the African savanna

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savanna

a vegetation region characterized by tropical grasslands, scattered trees, and wet and dry seasons

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secondary economic activity

economic activity that manufactures or processes goods from the raw material and natural resources extracted by the primary sector; includes industries like automobile factories, construction, engineering, saw mills, and steel mills

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serir

term used to describes desert pavement or stony desert in the eastern Sahara

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Shintoism

an ethnic religion of Japan; followers practice ancestor worship and believe in a sacred essence that exist throughout nature

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Siberia

large region of Asian Russia located east of the Ural Mountains; translates to “the sleeping land”

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Sierra Madres

a collection of three different Mexican and Central American mountain ranges including the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental, and the Sierra Madre del Sur; the Sierra Madres are part of the Great Continental Divide and connect the Rocky Mountains of North America with the Andes Mountains of South America

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site

the actual location of a city; based on local physical characteristics of where a city is located

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situation

the relative location of a city; based on where a city is in relation to something else, like geographic features, regions, resources, or transport routes

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slash-and-burn agriculture

the practice of cutting down and burning forest and natural vegetation to create farmland

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souk (suq)

traditional marketplace found in North Africa and Southwest Asia; generally contains a variety of shops, vendors, and entertainers; also known as a bazaar

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sovereignty

the authority of a state to act independently and make its own laws without outside interference

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squatter settlement

poor housing built illegally on land owned by another party; also called slums, shanty towns, and favelas

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standard of living

the average level of material benefits of a society

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steppe

a vegetation region characterized by large treeless areas of flat grassland; typically found in humid continental and semiarid climates

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strait

a narrow channel of water that connects two larger bodies of water

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Strait of Gibraltar

a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea

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stupa

a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine

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subcontinent

a large landmass that is joined to a larger continent

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subsistence farming

farming livestock and crops in a capacity that supports the farmer and his/her family rather than providing a surplus for sale and profit

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synagogue

a Jewish house of worship

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taiga

a vegetation region characterized by vast coniferous evergreen forests; typically found in subarctic climate regions

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Taoism

a Chinese philosophical system based on the writings of Lao Tzu; teaches that peace, harmony, and health can be achieved by following the Dao, which means “the way”

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temperature

the coldness or warmth of an object or substance based on a measurement scale such as Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin

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tertiary economic activity

economic activity that sells goods and services to businesses and the public; includes industries like retail trade, transportation, healthcare, media, and information technology services

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tierra caliente

a vertical zone in Latin America with a tropical climate; located just above sea level

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tierra fria

a vertical zone in Latin America with a cool climate; located above the tierra templada

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tierra helada

a vertical zone in Latin America with a cold climate, grass, and no trees; located above the tierra fría

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tierra nevada

a vertical zone in Latin America with a freezing climate, snow, and ice; located above the tierra helada

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tierra templada

a vertical zone in Latin America with a warm climate; located above the tierra caliente

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tornado

a destructive swirling windstorm over land that is characterized by its funnel-shape

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Trans-Siberian Railway

an expansive railway network that spans Russia and connects Moscow with the eastern part of the country

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tsar

an emperor of Russia; also spelled tzar and czar

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tsunami

a tidal wave caused by an underwater earthquake or eruption that occurred under the ocean

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tundra

a vegetation region characterized by consistently cold temperatures, a lack of trees, and permafrost

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typhoon

a tropical cyclone that develops in the Western Pacific Ocean

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Urals

a mountain range in Russia that divides Europe and Asia

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urban

related to or classified as the city, rather than the countryside

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urban sprawl

the expansion of a city into the surrounding area, which results in the conversion of agricultural land to urban use; characterized by poor planning, low-density housing, and a reliance on automobiles for transportation

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vertical zonation

agricultural zones in a highland region that vary based on elevation

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volcano

a vent in the earth’s crust out of which lava, rock, ash, and gas pass through

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wadi

a dry valley or riverbed that is fills with water during the rainy season

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wat

a Buddhist religious complex

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weather

the short-term temperature and precipitation of a location

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Western Ghats

a mountain range in southern India that borders the Arabian Sea, and is along the Deccan plateau

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yurt

a circular tent covered in felt or hides; traditionally used by nomadic people in Central Asia

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