Geography 101

Mrs. Dillard

• Name the continent the United States is located on.

• What ocean borders the US on the EAST coast?

• What ocean borders the US on the WEST coast?

• What country is located directly NORTH of the US & borders the US?

• What country is located directly SOUTH of the US & borders the US?

Geography Quiz

North America

Atlantic Ocean

Canada

Pacific Ocean

Mexico

Geographical Features• Bay: Part of a large body of water that extends

into a shoreline• Beach: The shore of a body of water, usually

sandy or pebbly.• Canyon: A deep valley with steep sides

between hills or mountains may have a stream or river.

• Cape: A piece of land extending into the water, smaller than a peninsula

• Cave: A hollow beneath the earth’s surface, often having an opening in the side of a hill or cliff.

Geographical Features• Channel/Strait: A narrow waterway that

connects 2 larger bodies of water.• Coast: Land along a sea or ocean• Delta: Land that is formed by mud, silt,

and sand deposited at the mouth of a river. Usually 3 sided, triangle.

• Desert: Dry, barren land• Forest: Dense growth of trees and

underbrush

Geographical Features• Gulf: Large area of sea or ocean,

partially enclosed by land, larger than a bay

• Headlands: Point of land, usually high and with a sheer drop, extending out into a body of water

• Hill: A well-defined elevated area of land, smaller than a mountain

• Island: A body of land complete surrounded by water

Geographical Features• Isthmus: Narrow strip of land connecting

two larger bodies of land• Lake: Body of water complete

surrounded by land, usually freshwater• Meadow: Tract of grassland• Mountain: Land with steep sides that

rise steeply from the land around it• Peninsula: Piece of land almost

surrounded by water and connected to a larger body of land

Geographical Features• Plain: An almost level area of land that

stretches for miles• Plateau: A elevated plain raised sharply

above the surround land, at least on one side• River: A natural stream of water that

empties into an ocean or lake, usually fed along its course by tributaries

• Swamp: Low land region saturated by water• Valley: Low land between hills or

mountains

Continents or Countries?• Africa• North America• Antarctica• United Kingdom• Ireland• Europe• Asia• China

Where in the WORLD?• Where is the equator?

• Zero degrees latitude

• Where is the Prime Meridian?• Zero degrees longitude

• Where is the International Date Line?• 180 degree longitude

• What is longitude?• LONG, lines run North to South

• What is latitude?• Ladder, lines run East to West

Latitude• Measure of distance

North to South of the Equator (0 degrees)

• Also called parallels• The equator divides

the world into Northern and Southern hemispheres

• Latitude lines are 30 degrees apart

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Longitude• Measured in distance

east or west of the Prime Meridian (0 degrees)

• Prime Meridian passes through Greenwich, England

• International Date Line: 180 degrees

• Divides the world into Eastern & Western hemispheres

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What’s the difference??• Continent: large land mass,

separated from others by water.• 7 continents: Asia, Antarctica, Africa,

North America, South America, Australia, and Europe

• Country: Extended expanse of land• Around 195 countries, currently• Examples?