Glossary of Geography Terms & Definitions
Contained in this glossary of geography terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in geography, the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments.
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- equator - The Equator is Zero degrees (0°) latitude. The Sun is directly overhead the equator at noon on the two equinoxes (March and Sept. 20 or…
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- hemisphere - A hemisphere is half the Earth’s surface. The four hemispheres are the Northern and Southern hemispheres, divided by the equator (0° latitude), and the Eastern…
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- International Date Line - Located at 180° longitude (180° E and 180° W are the same meridian). Regions to the east of the International Date Line are counted as…
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- landscape - A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in…
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- prime meridian - The prime meridian is Zero degrees (0°) longitude. The prime meridian runs through the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich, England (the location was established in…
- protolith - Protolith is the original, un-metamorphosed rock from which a given metamorphic rock is formed. For example, the protolith of a slate is a shale or…
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- topography - Topography can be defined as the study of the shape and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area refers to the surface shapes…
- Tropic of Cancer - This line of latitude is located 23°30′ north of the equator. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer on the summer solstice in…
- Tropic of Capricorn - This is a line of latitude located at 23°30′ south. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn on the summer solstice in the…