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Land and Water Terms

Geography

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a group of many islands archipelago

Basin an area of land largely enclosed by higher land.

Bay

part of a body of salt water that reaches into the land; usually smaller than a gulf

{A deep valley with very steep sides, often carved from the Earth by a river.

Canyon

Cape a curved or hooked piece of land extending into a body of water

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A large hole in the ground or in the side of a hill or mountain.

Cave

Channel a narrow deep waterway connecting two larger bodies of water; the deepest part of the waterway.

Cliff a high, steep slope of rock or soil

Coastland along the sea or ocean

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plateau of land surface into the ocean but underwater

continental shelf

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land built up by deposits of sand and silt at the mouth of some rivers

delta

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A very dry area

Desert

Divide the highest ridge of land separating river basins

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a fracture in the rocks along which there has been movement

fault 

Fjord

a narrow inlet of the sea between high banks or cliffs created by glaciers

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a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush extensive wooded area

Forest

Glacier

A slowly moving river of ice.

Gulf

part of a sea or ocean that reaches into land; usually larger than a bay

Harbor a sheltered area of water where ships may anchor safely

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an area of hills, plateaus, and mountains

highlands

{a raised part of the earth's surface with sloping sides; old mountain which because of erosion has become rounder and shorter

Hill

Iceberg

a large mass of floating ice that has broken off from a glacier, most of this is underwater

Inlet a small part of a body of water that reaches into a coast

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an area of land completely surrounded by water

island

Isthmusnarrow strip of land with water on both sides connecting two larger pieces of land

Mesa a land formation having a relatively flat top and steep rock walls

Mountain high, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a pointed or rounded top, higher than a hill

mouth (of a river)place where a river empties into a larger body of water; the end of a river

Pass A low place

through mountains that allows for passage of people, cars, etc.

Peak The pointed top of a

mountain

Peninsula

A body of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.

Plateau A large, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding land.

Plain Flat lands that have only

small changes in elevation.

Prairie

A wide, relatively flat area of land that has grasses and only a few trees.

Pond

A small body of water surrounded by land.

Usually smaller than a lake.

Rapidsa part of a river, generally shallow, where the currents move swiftly over rocks

Reef a ridge of rock or sand at or near the surface of the water

Reservoir  a lake where water is

collected and stored for future use

River

A large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a sea or ocean.

Savanna

Regions of tall grasses with a few trees. Wet and dry seasons

Scrubland

Land area with desert like conditions, few plants, and hills

Sea a large body of water, usually salt water, partly or completely surrounded by land

Sound

A wide inlet of the sea or ocean that is parallel to the coastline.It often separates a coastline from a nearby island.

Strait

A narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water.

Swamp

A type of freshwater wetland that has spongy, muddy land and a lot of water.Many trees and shrubs grow in swamps.

Tidewater

Areas that are directly effected by the tides of the oceans. Some marshes, swamps, a rocky areas along the coast are included.

TributarySometimes called a branch. A stream or river that flows into a larger river.

Tundra

A cold, treeless area, usually found at high elevations or at the poles.

Valley

A low place between mountains

VolcanoA mountainous vent in the earths crust.When a volcano erupts it spews out hot lava, ashes, and hot gasses from deep inside the earth.

Waterfall

When water in a river suddenly falls off over a steep place.

Wetlands

• An area of land that is often wet

• The soil is often low in oxygen.

• Areas include swamps, sloughs, fens, bogs, marshes, etc.

1. Make your table with 2 columns and 52 rows 2 In column #1 write the landform term and the

definition 3. In the row across from it, add a pictures of

that landform. 4. When you are done, upload the table to

Moodle. 5. PRINT OUT THE TABLE 6. Cut it out in rows so that the picture folds

behind the term and definition. 7. Use them as flashcards to study for the quiz!

Make a table on a Pages Document