Geography Landforms and Water Terms

Desert – a very dry area where very few

Continent – very large land masses, 7 on
plants grow, does not have to hot –
the planet (know them?)
Antarctica

Island – land surrounded by water on all Ocean – largest bodies of water, four –
sides know them, all interconnected

Archipelago – large group or chain of

Lake – body of water surrounded by land
islands

Rainforest -- Forest that receives 98-177 in

Source of a river – place where a river
of rainfall per year.
begins, often in mountains or from a spring
Arranged in canopies

Mountain – high rounded or pointed Mouth of a river – place where a river

landform with steep sides, higher than a empties into a larger body of water
hill
Glacier – large ice mass that moves slowly
Tributary – river or stream that flows into a
down a mountain or landform
larger river or stream
Delta – triangular area at the mouth of a
Canyon – a deep, narrow valley with steep
river formed from deposits of sand, silt,
sides
pebbles
Valley – low land area between two
Strait – narrow strip of water connecting
mountains or hills
two large bodies of water
Canal – man made narrow waterway to
Cape – pointed piece of land extending into
connect to large bodies of water
an ocean or other large body of water
Peninsula – body of land surrounded by
Isthmus – narrow strip of land connecting
water on three sides
two large bodies of land
Plateau/Mesa – broad, flat area of land
Port – place on a coastline where ships can
higher than the surrounding land, mesa is
unload goods
smaller than a plateau
Gulf/Bay – part of an ocean or lake
Plain – large area of flat or nearly flat land extending into the land, gulf is larger than a
bay
Currents – steady flow of ocean water in
Erosion – the process of wearing away the
one direction, linked to winds and lunar
land by water or wind.
gravity