| A | B |
|---|
| acid rain | Rain polluted by gases released into the air by the burning of fossil fuels like coal or oil |
| ally | A country or person that has joined with another for a special purpose |
| autocracy | A government system where one leader holds complete power |
| capital resources | Man-made things we use to help us work, like factories, machines, and technology |
| colony | A group of people who settle far away from their homeland but still have ties with it |
| confederation | A loose alliance of countries, states, and other political units |
| contaminated | Something impure or unclean |
| credit | Receiving a good or service now and paying for it later |
| currency | Something used to buy goods and services |
| democracy | A type of government where the people in the country hold the supreme power |
| dictator | A ruler with absolute power and authority |
| diversity | Being different; having a variety of cultures |
| economy | The wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services |
| embargo | An official ban on trade with a particular country |
| emissions | Any pollution or waste released into the air (often by cars) |
| empire | An extensive group of countries under a single ruling country |
| entrepreneur | Someone who has an idea for a good or service and takes the risks to produce it |
| epidemic | A widespread outbreak of infectious disease |
| ethnic group | A group of people who have the same language, culture, or religion |
| euro | The single currency, or money, of the European Union |
| fascism | A political philosophy in which total power is given to a dictator and individual freedoms are denied |
| federal | A type of government where a group of states give certain power and authority to a central government; power is SHARED |
| figurehead | A leader who represents a country but does not have many duties in the government |
| GDP (gross domestic product) | The total market value of the goods and services produced by that country in a specific year |
| globalization | The linking of nations through trade, information, technologies, and communication |
| guerrilla | A member of a small group of soldiers that attacks suddenly and disappears into hiding |
| Holocaust | An act of mass destruction and loss of life |
| hydroelectricity | The use of water to generate electricity |
| imperialism | The policy of obtaining and occupying land to form an empire |
| indigenous | Native to a particular area or region |
| inflation | When prices increase over time |
| interdependent | When two or more things depend on each other for survival |
| invest | To commit money to hope to gain a financial return |
| liberate | To give freedom |
| literacy | The ability to read and write |
| monarchy | A government headed by a king or queen |
| natural resources | Materials that come directly from nature |
| oligarchy | A political system where control rests with a small group of people with wealth or power |
| parliamentary democracy | A democratic form of government where the legislature (Parliament) controls the power |
| petroleum | A thick, dark oil found under the earth's surface |
| population density | The number of people living in a specific area |
| quota | An example of a trade barrier that sets a limit on the number of a good that can be imported |
| reform | To make something better, as opposed to a revolution, which means a complete and radical change |
| republic | A system of government where decisions are made by elected officials who represent the people |
| revenue | Income a business makes from the sale of goods and services |
| separatist | A person who moves away from an established church or religion |
| smog | The brownish haze that is caused by the action of sunlight on polluted air |
| specialization | Being really good at making one or more things |
| tariff | A tax on imported and exported goods |
| unitary | A government system that gives all power to the central government |
