The World of Geography Terms – Study Sheet
1. cardinal direction —one of four compass points: north, south, east, and west
2. compass rose —a map feature that usually shows the four cardinal directions
3. degree —a unit of measure used to determine absolute location
4. distortion —in maps, a misrepresentation of the original shape
5. Equator —an imaginary line that circles the globe at its widest point
6. geography —the study of the Earth’s surface, the connections between places, and the relationships between people and their environment
7. globe —a round model of the Earth
8. key —the section of a map that explains the map symbols
9. latitude lines —a series of imaginary lines that circle the Earth parallel to the Equator; also called parallels
10. longitude lines —a series of imaginary lines that run north and south from one pole to the other; also called meridians
11. meridian —a line that circles the globe from north to south and runs through both the North and the South poles
12. parallel —any of the imaginary lines that circle the Earth parallel to the Equator; a latitude line
13. Prime Meridian —the meridian, or longitude line, that runs through Greenwich , England
14. projection —a representation of the Earth’s rounded surface on a flat piece of paper
15. scale —the size or proportion of something on a map as compared to its actual size
16. absolute location — the exact spot on the planet where something resides.
17. relative location — where something is in relation to something else
Return to 7100 Support Team Home Page