Name ______Date ______Period _____

Semester 1 Study Guide

Geography 2014-2015

  1. Know your maps! You should be able to formulate pretty good “mental maps” of the world by now. For the final, you should be able to identify the following:
  • All of the continents(N. America, S. America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Antarctica)
  • Major bodies of water(Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of California, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Great Lakes…HOMES!!!!!!!)
  • Major rivers(Mississippi, Colorado, Rio Grande, Colombia, Missouri, St. Lawrence, Amazon, Nile, Congo, Niger, Indus, Ganges, Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, Darling)
  • The Equator
  • The Prime Meridian
  • Major mountain ranges(Rocky, Appalachian, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre Occidental, Andes, Himalayas, Atlas, Ural, Alps, Great Dividing Range)
  • Major deserts (Sonoran, Atacama, Sahara, Kalahari, Arabian, Gobi)
  • United States - 50 states, major cities, regions, physical features, and the main climate regions.
  • Canada – main cities, physical features, and the main climate regions.
  • Caribbean - Countries, major cities, physical features, and the main climate regions.
  • Latin America - Countries, major cities, physical features, and the main climate regions.

Geography trivia you should know

  1. What’s the world’s longest river?
  2. Biggest river by sheer volume?
  3. Longest mountain chain?
  4. Highest mountain range?
  5. Biggest desert?
  6. Driest desert?
  7. Biggest rainforest?
  8. Largest countries in terms of area (top 5)?
  9. Most populated countries (top 5)?

Important Concepts and Vocabulary Terms

  1. What’s the difference between climate and weather?
  2. What is longitude?
  3. What is latitude?
  4. Which has a bigger impact on weather and climate, latitude or longitude? Why?
  5. How does the Prime Meridian and the Equator relate to latitude and longitude?
  6. Why do we use them? Be able to find the latitude and longitude of a given location.
  7. What’s the difference between a political and physical map?
  8. What is the difference between absolute and relative location?
  9. What are the 5 themes of geography? Know examples for each theme.
  10. What are push and pull factors? Be able to list examples of push and pull factors.
  11. Know the biomes (tropical rainforest, desert, chaparral, coniferous forest, etc.). Be able to identify the biome by looking at an image.
  12. What are characteristics of culture?
  13. What is cultural convergence? Be able to provide an example of cultural convergence.
  14. What does zero population growth mean?
  15. What is urbanization? What does the term rural mean?
  16. Know current population statistics, historic and current population trends, including population distribution. You know, why do people live where they live?
  17. Where does the vast majority of Canada’s population live? Why?
  18. In what region of Mexico do most people live? Why?
  19. In what region of Brazil does roughly 40% of the population live? Hint: This region contains Rio de Janiero and Sao Paolo.
  20. What is population density?
  21. What are some of the most densely populated cities and regions on earth?
  22. What regions of the world have experienced tremendous population growth in the past 60 years? Developed or developing countries? What are some reasons for this trend?
  23. What’s the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources? Know examples, as well as the pros and cons, of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources.