Term | Definition |
Aborigine | An original inhabitant one of the original inhabitants of Australia. |
Lagoon | A shallow body of water separated from the sea by coral reefs or sandbars. |
Cyclone | A violent rotating windstorm. |
Outback | Remote sparsely settled arid rural country especially the central and western plains and plateaus of Australia. |
Artesian well | A well that is drilled deep enough to tap a layer of porous material filled with ground water. |
Atoll | A ring shaped coral island surrounding a lagoon. |
Geyser | A natural hot spring that shoots a column of water and steam into the air. |
Trust territory | A dependent colony or territory supervised by another country by commission of the United Nations. |
Crevasse | A deep crack in glacial ice. |
Ice shelf | A massive extension of glacial ice over the sea often protruding hundreds of miles. |
Pack ice | Floating sea ice formed by a mix of icebergs with other ice formed in super-chilled ocean waters. |
Convergence zone | An area of severe storms where the frigid waters circulating around Antarctica meet the warmer waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. |
Krill | Small shrimp like creatures; food for whales or fish. |
Sultanate | A state ruled by a sultan. |
Nonaligned nation | A nation that adopted neutrality during the cold war. |
Subcontinent | A large landmass forming a distinct part of a continent. |
Alluvial plain | A broad expanse of land along river banks consisting of rich fertile soil left by floods. |
Monsoon | A seasonal shift in the prevailing winds that influences large climate regions. |
Nationalism | Pride in ones nation; the desire of a cultural group to rule themselves as a separate nation. |
Nonviolent resistance | A natural resource that cannot be replaced once it is used. |
Boycott | To refuse to purchase or use a product or service as an expression of disapproval. |
Partition | A division into different parts. |
Reincarnation | The belief that the soul of a human being or animal goes through a series of births deaths and rebirths. |
Caste system | A social hierarchy in which a person possesses a distinct rank in society that is determined by birth. |
Charpoy | A wooden bed frame with knotted string in place of a mattress. |
Sari | A brightly colored cloth worn by many Indian women that is draped over the body like a long dress. |
Purdah | The practice of Hindu and Muslim women of covering the face with a veil when outside the home. |
Joint family system | In India the custom of housing all members of an extended family together. |
Cottage industry | A small scale manufacturing operation using little technology often located in or near peoples home. |
Hydroelectric power | Electricity that is generated by moving water. |
Irrigate | The watering of farmland with water drawn from reservoirs or rivers. |
Embankment dam | A wall of soil and rock to hold back water. |
Buffer state | A country that separates two hostile countries. |
Malnutrition | Disease caused by a lack of food or an unbalanced diet. |
Deforestation | The process of stripping of land of its trees. |