Term | Definition |
Sahel | The region in Africa just south of the Sahara. |
Colonialism | The system by which countries set up colonies to secure sources of raw materials and markets for their products. |
Plateaus | An area of high, flat land. |
Escarpment | A steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations. |
Chaparral | A type of natural vegetation that is adapted to Mediterranean climates; small evergreen trees and low bushes, or scrub. |
Savanna | A tropical grassland with scattered trees, located in the warm lands near the Equator |
Oral History | History passed down by word of mouth. |
Nomadic Herding | The practice of moving flocks to different pastures throughout the year. |
Leaching | The dissolving and washing away of nutrients in the soil. |
Land Degradation | Reduction in the productive potential of the land. |
Population Density | The average number of people living in a given area. |
Delta | the land that forms at the mouth of some rivers by soil that is dropped as the river slows and enters the sea |
Fallaheen | egyptian peasants |
Sandstorm | a windstorm that blows hot air, dust, and grit |
Bazaar | a open air market; a street lined with shops and stalls |
Basin Irrigation | in egypt, a system by which water and silt was controlled by embankments and time released to irrigate farmlands |
Reservoir | a natural or artificial lake used to collect water for human needs |
Perennial Irrigation | an irrigation system that provides necessary water to the land throughout the year |
Capital | wealth in the form of money or property owned or used for business |
Wadi | a usually dry riverbed or gully that temporarily holds water from sudden downpour |
Caravan | a large group of merchants who join together to travel in safety |
Medina | the old section of north african city, usually centered around a mosque |
Souk | a market in an arab community |
Shifting Agriculture | the practice of farming a site until the soil is exhausted, then moving on to a new site |
Forage | food for grazing animals |
Deforestation | the process of stripping the land of its trees |
Desertification | the transformation of arable land into desert either naturally or through human intervention |
Refugee | a person who flees his or her country to escape danger or unfair treatment |
Landlocked | almost or entirely surrounded by land; cut off from the sea |
Inland Delta | an area of lakes, creeks, and swamps away from the ocean |
Coup | the sudden ofa ruler or government, often involving violent force or the threat of force |
Ancestor Worship | the belief that respecting and honoring one's ancestors will cause them to live on in the spirit world after death |
Animism | the religious belief that such things as the sky, rivers, and trees contain gods or spirits |
World Bank | an agency of the united nations that provides loans to countries for development projects |
International Monetary Fund | an agency of the united nations that provides loans to countries for development projects |
Structural Adjustment Program | a program to reform the structure of an economy |
Watershed | a dividing ridge between two basins |
Mercenary | a professional soldier hired by a foreign country |
Barter | the exchange of goods without money |
Harambee | a policy of cooperation adopted in Kenya after independence to encourage economic growth |
Pyrethrum | a pesticide produced from certain flowers |
Malnutrition | disease caused by a lack of food or and unbalanced diet |
Strategic Value | importance of a place or thing for nations planning military actions |
Ethnocracy | a system of government in which one ethnic group rules over others |
Villagization | a political movement by which rural people are forced to move to towns and work on collective farms |
Apartheid | formerly in the republic of south africa, the policy of strict racial segregation |
Segregation | the separation of races |
Sanction | an action taken by the international community to punish a country for unacceptable behaviors |
Enclave | a country completely surrounded by another country |
White Flight | the departure of white people from a region |
Land Redistribution | a policy by which land is taken from those who own large amounts and redistributed to those who have little or none |