Download Fall Final Exam Review

World Geography Exam Review
You are responsible for the locations of major physical features (the ones we have tested on) and also for the
location of the major culture regions.
1. Land & Water – know names and locations
Continents – 7 - Africa, Asia, Antarctica, North America, South America, Europe, and Australia
Oceans – 5 - Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, Southern, and Indian
2. Types of maps – be able to identify
physical, political, satellite, economic activity map, population density, special purpose maps
3. Define relative and absolute location.
Relative – where a place is located in relationship to another place. (ex. – my house is north of the school or Grand
Junction, CO is 38 miles east of Utah)
Absolute – exact location on the earth’s surface (ex. The school address is 4015 Woodland Hills Dr. or 40N, 30W)
4. Geographic vocabulary – you have a vocabulary word list from the start of the year (plateau, glacier,
escarpment, canyon, peninsula, isthmus, etc.)
5. Define geography. What are the branches?
Definition: The relationship between humans and their physical environment.
Branches – physical and human
6. Distinguish between types of regions.
Formal – region where all the parts of the region have something in common (examples – the Gulf Coast Region – all on the
Gulf of Mexico, Corn Belt – all grow corn)
Functional – center point and all the places dependant on it that surround it (usually a large city)
Perceptual – region that is defined by how others feel about the region – (“the South”, “the Middle East”)
7. land & water
70% water and 30% land
8. Define ecosystem, biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Ecosystem – community of plants and animals
Biosphere – the part of the earth where life exists
Lithosphere- all the land on earth including the land under the ocean
Hydrosphere – all the water on earth
Atmosphere – the gasses that surround the earth
Make up of the atmosphere - 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other
9. Define the internal forces of change:.
Accretion – when a sea plate slowly slides beneath a continental plate
Subduction: When a sea plate dives beneath a continental plate.
Spreading – when two plates pull apart and magma fills up the space
Faulting – cracks in plates
Folding – bending of plates
Ring of Fire – Active volcano and earthquake zone area around the Pacific Ocean where there are many convergent and
divergent tectonic plates.
10. Define the external forces of change
Weathering – the breaking down of rocks
Chemical - changes the composition (make-up) of rocks
physical processes such as freezing, that break down rocks
Erosion – the wearing away of the earth’s surface by wind, running water, and glaciers.
Topsoil – good soil for growing crops - made up of decaying organic matter (humus)
11. Apple Earth
World is 70% water - fresh water – 3%, but only 1% available for drinking. 30% land. Arable land is only 1/32 of the
earth’s surface. Photic Zone is the top 100 meters of the ocean where light exists.
12. Describe the low, middle, and high latitudes.
Low latitudes – 0 to 23 ½ degrees – also called the Tropics. It is hot and humid.
Middle latitudes – 23 ½ to 66 ½ degrees – also called the Temperate zone. Where the majority of the people live. The
closer to the Tropics – more moist, and warm….toward the poles – more dry and cool.
High latitudes – 66 ½ to 90 degrees – also called the Polar. It is cold and dry.
13. Names for 0, 23½, 66½, and 90° (North and South)
0 latitude – Equator. Longitude – Prime Meridian. 23 ½ degrees North – Tropic of Cancer South – Topic of Capricorn.
661/2 degrees North – Arctic Circle South – Antarctic Circle. 90 degrees North – North Pole South – South Pole.
14. Earth – Sun relationship:
15.
Revolution – the earth’s orbit around the sun. Takes 365 ¼ days. Creates the seasons.
Rotation – the earth’s spin on its axis. Takes 24 hours, and creates night and day.
Equinox – when the direct rays of the sun are on the Equator and the days and night are equal in length. (Spring and
fall)
Solstice – when the direct rays of the sun are on the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn and the days and nights
are not equal in length (winter and summer)
Remember that the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere.
16. What are the factors that affect climate? (LACEMOPS)
Latitude – as one moves away from the equator it becomes drier and cooler.
Air masses – cold air comes from the poles and warm air comes from the equator.
Continentality – as one moves inland it gets hotter in the summer and colder in the winter.
Elevation – as one goes up 1,000 feet, the temperature drops 3.5 degrees.
Mountains – mountains block storms. The windward side of a mountain (the side that faces the ocean winds) has an
abundance of precipitation and lush vegetation. The leeward side of a mountain is usually a desert – very dry.
Ocean currents – cold currents are cool and dry and warm currents are warm and moist.
The West Coast of North and South America is mostly on a cold current. The Gulf of Mexico is warm. The warm
waters of the Gulf Stream (Gulf of Mexico) becomes the North Atlantic Drift and runs past the west coast of Europe and
Britain making it warmer than other areas at the same latitude.
Pressure – high pressure is dry and cooler (relatively – if it is usually 110 it will be 105). low pressure is wet and warm.
Low pressure is usually stormy.
Prevailing winds - Along the equator are the doldrums. It is an area of calm. From 30 degrees north and 30 degrees
south blowing toward the equator is the trade winds - blow from the east to the west, but they do not reach the equator.
From 30 to 60 degrees north and south are the Westerlies – they blow from west to east. Between the Westerlies and
the trade winds are the horse latitudes. The horse latitudes are areas of calm where the Westerlies and Trade winds
blow away from each other. From the Poles to 60 degrees north and south are the Polar Easterlies. They are cold
winds, and where they meet the Westerlies there are thunderstorms
Storms – cyclones in the northern hemisphere spin counter - clockwise and in the southern hemisphere they spin
clockwise
17. Describe mountain climate (include formula for elevation change, leeward, windward)
Mountain climates vary by elevation - Orographic effect - Windward side has lush vegetation due to abundant water.
The leeward side of the mountain is dry because the moisture full clouds can not make it over the mountains
(rainshadow). The formula for elevation change is that for every 1,000 feet a person goes up a mountain, the
temperature will drop 3.5 degrees.
18. Name and describe the climate (precipitation & temperature) regions. Biomes (plants and animals) are in
all CAPS
High latitude climates – Icecap, Tundra, Subarctic.
Icecap – has no vegetation because the average temperature does not get above freezing. NONE
Subarctic – largest range of temperature change between summer and winter. Needle leaved evergreens grow
here. TAIGA
Tundra – bitterly cold high-latitude where mosses and lichen grow in the short summer when it is 24 hours of
daylight. TUNDRA
Mid latitude climates – Mediterranean, Marine, Humid Subtropical, Humid Continental
Humid continental – located in the northern hemisphere with cold winters and hot summers. The farther north – the
longer the winter. GRASSLAND & DECIDUOUS FOREST
Humid subtropical - southeastern side of mid-latitude continents with grassland and mixed forests (this climate
experiences cyclones) DECIDUOUS FOREST
Mediterranean – rainy winter and hot, sunny summer where chaparral vegetation of short and woody bushes and
trees are grown. CHAPARRAL
Marine - in the northern hemisphere they are found on the west coast of continents. Deciduous trees and cool
summers and damp winters. Influenced by the ocean. DECIDUOUS FOREST
Dry Climates (both low and mid latitudes) – desert and steppe
Steppe – hot and dry (10 – 20 inches) patches of short grass and bushes – usually borders the desert.
GRASSLAND /DESERT SCRUB
Desert – less than 10 inches of rainfall a year. Vegetation is mostly cactus and scrub bushes. DESERT SCRUB /
DESERT
Low latitude climates – Tropical Rainforest and Tropical Savanna
Tropical savanna – has a dry season in the winter and wet season in the summer. Some coarse grass and small
trees can survive the dry season. SAVANNA
Tropical rainforest – lush vegetation of tall trees that form a canopy, has an average daily temperature around 80
and rains almost every day. RAINFOREST
Mountain – climate and vegetation changes with elevation – up 1,000feet temperature down 3.5 degrees
Describe the Tierra caliente, Tierra fria, Tierra templada (elevation, what grows there, cities in this region)
Tierra caliente – hot land. Lowest elevations between 0 – 2,500 feet. Grow bananas, cacao, sugarcane, and rice. Rio
de Janeiro is in this climate zone.
Tierra templada – temperate land. 2,500 – 6,500 feet. Grow coffee, corn, citrus, fruit. Caracas is in this climate zone.
Tierra Fria – cold land. 6,500 or higher. Grow potatoes, wheat, and apples. Mexico City is in this climate zone.
19. climograph – line graph is temperature and bar graph is precipitation. Shows climate (not weather)
Weather – the condition of the atmosphere (temperature and precipitation)
Climate – the average weather conditions in a place usually averaged over 30 years.
El Nino & La Nina – the reversal of normal ocean currents and wind patterns in the Pacific. El Nino – warm. La Nina cold
20. Define life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy rate, zero population growth, and natural increase.
Demographics – the study of human population statistics
Birth rates – the number of births per 1,000 people
Death rates – the number of deaths per 1,000 people
Life expectancy – average amount of time a person born today in an area can expect to live.
Infant mortality – the average number of babies out of 1,000 that are born alive that die before the age of one.
Literacy rate – the average number of people that can read and write in an area.
ZPG Zero population growth – when the birth rate and the death rate are equal.
Negative population growth – when the death rate exceeds the birth rate
Natural increase – growth rate of a population. Difference between birth and death rates
Doubling time – the amount of time it will take for a population to double in size.
Rural – lives in the country.
Carrying capacity – the amount of animals that an area of land can support
Fertility rate – the average number of children an average woman in an area will have in her lifetime
Natural resource - Substance from nature that is not made by man, but can be used by them. They are not evenly
distributed around the world, so people have to trade.
Renewable resource – a substance from nature used by man that can be replaced, recycled, or re-grown. Trees are an
example.
Non-renewable resource – a substance from nature used by man that can not be replaced, recycled, or re-grown.
Fossil fuels (petroleum) are an example.
Urban – lives in a city or town. (Usually over 2,000 people)
Population density – average amount of people living in a given area.
Population distribution – how the population of an area is spread out. The world’s population is not evenly spread out.
People like to live in areas with temperate climates and available natural resources.
21. population pyramids – women are usually on the right hand side of a population pyramid. Population pyramids
that are triangular in shape usually represent a rapid population growth, poor country, that is developing. The US is
NOT developing – it is developed and will have a bulge in the middle (working group – Baby Boomers – getting
older).
22. Define culture hearth, culture region, cultural diffusion, ethnic group, and migration.
Culture hearth – center where cultures developed and from which ideas and traditions spread outward.
Culture region – division of the earth based on cultural factors like government, economic systems, language, and
religion. YOU NEED TO KNOW THE CULTURE REGIONS – YOU HAVE A HANDOUT ON THESE. WHAT MAKES
EACH A REGION – COMMON THEMES
Cultural divergence – when two cultures meet they do not mix. Cultures are kept from practicing their customs.
Censorship occurs, closed to outsiders
Cultural Convergence – when two cultures meet they take on characteristics of each other. Diffusion is an example.
Cultural diffusion – spread of new knowledge and skills from one culture to another.
American Pop Culture – The image of the US. Fast food restaurants, cell phones, Hollywood, fashion, and music.
Especially popular top 40 type music.
Ethnic group – group of people that share a common ancestry, language, religion, customs, or combination of these
things.
Columbian Exchange – after Columbus – spread of ideas, food, slaves, animals, diseases, etc. between the old and
new worlds.
Institutions – organizations that societies make in order to help organize society (education, religion, government,
military)
Migration – the movement of people from place to place. Usually a permanent move.
Push factors – things that make a person want to leave a place – drought, war, famine
Pull factors – things that draw a person to a new place – jobs, family, freedoms
23. culture hearth – where a culture begins and then spreads to surrounding areas
civilization – highly organized, city-based society with an advanced knowledge of farming, trade, government, art and
science
Yellow River Valley – Shang – China
Nile River Valley – Egypt
Mesopotamia – Iraq – between Tigris & Euphrates
Indus – Pakistan
24. Describe / Define the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution, and information revolution.
Agricultural revolution (Neolithic) – move from hunting and gathering to farming.
Industrial revolution – move from human power to machine power. Started in the late 1700’s in Britain.
Information Revolution – move to computer power that started in the late 1900’s
25. Belief Systems. You have a cheat sheet on belief systems.
26. Name and explain the parts of the water cycle
Starts in a water source that is heated. Evaporation – liquid water turns to gas. Condensation – water vapor (gas) in
clouds is squeezed together. Precipitation – gas turns to liquid and falls to the earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or
hail. Runoff – water returns to water source.
27. Name and explain the parts of the river
start – source. End – mouth (two types – delta (where deposits of soil and other materials from the river are deposited
– usually triangular in shape) and estuary – where there is a deep trough where the river meets a larger body of water).
Tributary – branch of a river. Confluence – where two rivers meet and join together. Meander – where rivers run back
and forth. Wetland – swampy area where rivers slow. Flood plain – where rivers flood land (good for farming). Water
always runs downstream…..
28. What are the characteristics of a developed nation MDC? LDC? NIC
MDC - Low birth rates, low death rates, low infant mortality rates, high per capita GDP, high literacy rates, urban,
majority of people work in manufacturing and service, concern for environment, high level of communication and
transportation What are the characteristics of a developing nation (LDC)?
LDC - High birth rates, high death rates, high infant mortality rates, low per capita GDP, low literacy rates, rural or
urban slums, majority of the people work in agriculture, concern for the environment is not a major issue, low levels of
communication and transportation.
NICS are in the middle. The characteristics vary depending on which infrastructure products the government decides
are most important. Typically countries that invest in education make advancements in the other categories faster than
those that focus on other projects. NICS have most of their workers working in Secondary production – manufacturing,
and mostly for export.
HDI – Human Development Index – The categorization of countries by levels of development. The 4 categories are –
Very High (US & Canada, Australia, and Western Europe) High – (Eastern Europe, Some areas of South America),
Medium – (parts of North Africa, South Asia, & East Asia) and Low – (Africa South of the Sahara, some parts of Asia)
29. Define primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary production and give examples of each.
Primary – farming, ranching, and mining (milking cow) – main economic activity of LDCs
Secondary - manufacturing (turning milk into cheese) – main economic activity of NICs
Tertiary – service (transporting cheese to market) – Main economic activity of MDCs
Quaternary – based on knowledge and skills (scientist that checks cheese for bacteria) – More quaternary usually
shows more development.
30. Compare and contrast Free - enterprise, socialist, traditional, and communist economies.
Free-enterprise / Market / Capitalist / Demand economy – individuals and private groups make decisions about what to
produce. Goal - Profit
Socialist / Mixed economy – government supports and regulates free enterprise through decisions in the marketplace.
Government owns some industries and makes some economic decisions.
Traditional economy – habit and custom determine the rules for all economic activity. Family makes decisions.
Communist / Command – the government owns or directs the means of production – land, labor, capital, and business
managers. It controls distribution of goods. Goal – classless society (Marxism)
Import – to buy (bring in)
Export – to sell (send out)
Capital – money needed to start businesses, etc. (seed money)
Exchange rate – the rate that the currency in one nation is worth in another nation) (ex. You will get $0.50 for every
dollar you take to Britain, but $1 in Mexico is worth 9.6 pesos.
Inflation – the general rise in the cost of items.
Literacy rate – the average number of people over the age of 15 that can read and write in the native language.
Per capita income – average amount of money that a person in a given area will make in a year
Developed & developing nations – see #26
Sustainable development – development that does not use up the human and natural resources of a given area.
Arable – land that is suitable for farming
Plantation Agriculture - large estate or farm where usually a single crop (such as cotton, tobacco, or sugar) is grown.
Plantation systems involve a large labor force. (labor intensive)
You also need to be familiar with these words – cash crop, commercial farming, sedentary farming, shifting farming,
mixed farming, and pastoralism, cottage industry, high-tech industry, (These words were on the industry and farming
vocabulary sheet if you did it)!
Subsistence farming – growing enough food for daily life.
Commercial agriculture – growing crops for sale.
Light industry – industrial products that are made for consumers (average person) – jeans, cars, pots and pans.
Heavy industry – industrial products for mines and industrial growth.
Slash and burn agriculture – cutting down forest, using ash for fertilizer, growing crops, and then moving on in a couple
of years when the land becomes infertile
31. Define autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy, monarchy, theocracy, dictatorship – give real world examples
of each.
Autocracy – government where a single person has the authority to rule. Types – absolute monarchy, dictatorship,
totalitarian dictatorship
Absolute Monarchy –usually inherited from a family member. Controls all economic and government decisions.
Dictatorship – decisions of s single leader determine government policies. Usually aided by the media and military.
Totalitarian - Controls all aspects of social and economic life. Institutions (schools and religious centers) as well as
the media and military keep the dictator in power.
Oligarchy – small group holds the power to rule. Types – one-party rule, aristocracy, military junta, and theocracy (can
also be an autocracy)
Military junta – a group of military leaders keeps the populace in place with force from the military.
Aristocracy – a family or group of families make the economic and political decisions for the populace. Usually
power comes from wealth.
One Party Rule – only one political party is allowed on the ballot for voting. All members of the government are
from the same political party. No opposition is allowed.
Theocracy – religious leaders rule the country (sometimes an autocracy – when only one religious leader), but
usually some kind of council “advises” the head guy. Citizens are censored, repressed, and are subject to religious
law.
Democracy – leaders rule with the consent of the people. – Types – direct democracy, representative democracy,
parliamentary democracy, republic, constitutional monarchy
Direct democracy – citizens vote on each issue.
Representative democracy – citizens elect representatives to vote in their place.
Parliamentary democracy – citizens elect the legislature and the legislature elects the head office
Republic – citizens elect all offices including the top office
Constitutional Monarchy – citizens elect the legislative branch. There is a monarch with limited power.
32. Compare unitary, confederation and federal government systems
Unitary – government in which all the key powers are given to a national or central government
Confederation – states have the key powers. States are united with a weak central government for economic and
military support.
Federal – government in which the key powers are divided between a central or national government and state or
provincial governments.
33. TRADE VOCABULARY
nationalize – to take an industry from public control and place under government control.
Privatize – to take from government control and place in private control.
Why people trade- world’s resources are not evenly distributed. Countries like Japan that have few natural resources
will have to trade what they have (technology)for natural resources.
Free trade – absence of trade barriers so goods can flow freely between countries.
Trade barriers - a restriction on trade. (Quota – amount of an item that can be brought in), (tariff – tax on imports),
(embargo – trade is restricted between countries)
Trade surplus – when a country exports more than it imports
Trade deficit – when a country imports more than it exports
Sustainable development – development that does not use up the human and natural resources of a given area.
SOME OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
34. Describe the world population and how it is distributed.
7.1 billion people. Not evenly distributed around the world. Most people live in the temperate zone (middle latitudes) on
flat land (plains) near water.
35. What are problems caused by rapid population growth?
Majority of people are under the age of 15, population growth will use up natural resources quicker, it is hard for
governments to keep up with food production, housing, and sanitation.
36. What are GNP and GDP?
GNP - The value of all goods and services created by a country’s citizens or companies in a year. This includes
companies operating overseas.
GDP - The value of all goods and services created within a country’s borders in a year. This does not include
companies operating overseas.
37. Define push factor and pull factor. Give examples of each.
Push factor – something that makes a person want to leave his or her living place – war, poverty
Pull factor – something that makes a person want to move to a new place – offer of job, school
38. Where people live - Humans like to live on flat, arable land, near a water source, in the mid-latitudes. People also
choose to live in urban and manufacturing areas. People do not usually choose to live in really hot, cold, rocky, or
dry places. People who live in desert areas will choose to live by water.
39. US Population – 319 million. World Population – 7.1 billion. In 2025 – 9 billion in 2050 – 12 billion
40. Globalization - the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free
flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets
41. Problems with Globalization – pandemics (rapid spread of uncontrollable disease), loss of culture, and increased
pollution.
42. Adaptations – we just finished a unit on how humans adapt to the environment. You need to study these.
43. Urbanization – people moving from rural to urban areas. Most MDCs are urban and NICs are moving to urban
areas rapidly.