Question | Answer |
study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on the Earth | Geography |
describes a place in relation to other places around it | Relative Location |
the exact place on earth where a geographic feature is found. | Absolute Location |
set of imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator, and that are used in locating places north or south. The equator is labeled the zero-degree line for latitude. | Latitude |
set of imaginary lines that go around the earth over the poles, dividing it east and west. The prime meridian is labled the zero-degree line for longitude | Longitude |
the imaginary line that encircles the globe, dividing the earth into northern and southern halves | Equator |
the imaginary line at zero meridian used to measure longitude east to west, and dividing the earth's east and west halves; also called the Greenwich Meridian because it passes through Greenwich, England | Prime Meridian |
measures absolute location by using two coordinates, latitude and longitude | Grid System |
each half of the globe | Hemisphere |
a landmass above water on the earth | Continent |
the making of maps | Cartography |
technology that uses digital map information to create a databank; different "data layers" can be combined to produce specialized maps. GIS allows geographers to analyze different aspects of a specific place to solve problems. | Geographic information Systems |
areas grouped together based on similar characteristics | Region |
Defined by a small number of related characteristics (ie., U.S., Canada, Latin America, etc.) | Formal regions |
Organized around the interactions and connections of different places (ie., Houston and it's suburbs) | Functional regions |
People perceive the characteristics of the region in the same way | Perceptual regions |