| A | B |
|---|
| latitude | lines run from east to west, measure distance north and south of equator |
| longitude | lines run north to south, measure distances east and west of Prime Meridian |
| Prime Meridian | 0 degrees longitude |
| equator | 0 degrees latitude |
| Pacific Coast | highest, most rugged part of N.America, found along the west coast |
| Intermountain Region | rugged region of mountain peaks, plateaus, canyons, deserts |
| Rocky Mountains | run from Alaska to Mexico - peaks as high as 14,000 feet |
| Interior Plains | lowland area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mts. |
| Appalachian Mountains | found in eastern N. America |
| Canadian Shield | lowland area, lies mostly in eastern Canada, extends into northern U.S. |
| Atlantic Coastal Plains | lie between Atlantic Ocean and foothills of Appalachian Mts. |
| Hawaiian Islands | 8 large islands located 2400 miles west of California |
| climate | pattern of weather in an area over 20-30 years |
| coastal plain | lowland area lying along the ocean |
| delta | fan shaped land area formed by soil deposited at the mouth (end) of a river |
| gulf | area of ocean or sea that is partly enclosed by land |
| island | land area surrounded by water on all sides |
| isthmus | narrow strip of land joining two large land masses |
| lake | body of water completely surrounded by land |
| mountain | high, steep, rugged land that rises sharply above the land around it |
| ocean | largest body of water on earth |
| peninsula | piece of land surrounded by water on three sides |
| plateau | large area of high, flat land |
| river | large stream of water that empties into an ocean or lake |
| strait | narrow channel that connects two larger bodies of water |
| valley | land that lies between hills or mountains |
| Marine Climate | mild, moist - warm summers, cool winters |
| Mediterranean Climate | found in California - mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers |
| Highland Climate | cooler temperatures - temps vary according to altitude |
| Desert / Steppe Climate | found in southwest U.S., region with little or no rainfall - hot days, cold nights |
| Humid Continental Climate | found in central plains of northeast U.S., mild summers, cold winters |
| Tropical and Humid Subtropical Climate | flat area found in Hawaii, near equator - hot,humid conditions, high precipitation |
| Tundra and Subarctic Climate | found in Alaska and Canada, cold all year round, little or no growing season |
