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Ch. 24-27
Ch. 24 - 27
| 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 |
| escarpments | a steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations |
| chaparral | a type of natural vegetation that is adapted to Mediterranean climates |
| Savanna | a tropical grassland with scattered trees, located in the warm lands nearest 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 |
| fellaheen | Egyptian peasants |
| sandstorm | a windstorm that blows hot air, dust, and grit |
| bazaar | an 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 in 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 a 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 |
| inland delta | an area of lakes, creeks, and swamps away from the ocean |
| coup | the sudden overthrow of a ruler or government, often involving violent force or the threat of force |
| ancestor worship | the belief that respecting and honoring one's ancestor 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 loan to countries for development projects |
| international monetary fund | an agency of the united nations that provides loans to countries to 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 |
| pyrethrum | a pesticide produced from certain flowers |
| malnutrition | disease caused by a lack of food or an 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 b 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 |