Map Skills
What does a compass rose show?
A compass rose shows direction (North, South, East, West, and intermediate directions).
Which theme tells us where a place is on Earth?
Location tells where a place is on Earth.
How many continents are there?
7 continents.
What is a large area of flat land with few trees called?
A plain
What line is 0° latitude?
0° latitude is the Equator.
What’s the difference between a political map and a physical map?
A political map shows borders and cities; a physical map shows landforms, rivers, and elevation.
Which theme explains how people depend on, adapt to, and change the environment?
Human-Environment Interaction explains how people depend on, adapt to, or change the environment.
Which is the smallest continent?
Australia is the smallest continent.
Which landform is higher than a plateau and usually has a peak?
A mountain
What line is 0° longitude?
0° longitude is the Prime Meridian.
What does the scale on a map help you measure?
The scale helps you measure distance on a map compared to real life.
A new highway is built connecting Houston and Dallas. Which theme is this?
Building a highway is an example of Movement (or Human-Environment Interaction if focusing on how humans change the land).
Which two continents are entirely in the Southern Hemisphere?
Australia and Antarctica are entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
Which mountain range runs along the border between the U.S. and Canada?
The Rocky Mountains run along the U.S.-Canada border.
What hemispheres is the United States located in?
The U.S. is in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.
If you’re traveling east from South America, which continent will you reach?
Traveling east from South America, you would reach Africa.
Give one example of how the Nile River connects to two different themes of geography.
Place: Physical feature (river, valley)
Human-Environment Interaction: Humans farm and build along it.
Which ocean borders the eastern United States?
The Atlantic Ocean borders the eastern U.S.
Which river is the longest in the world?
The Nile River is the longest river in the world.
A location at 35°S, 58°W is on which continent?
South America
You’re given a thematic map showing population density. What two clues could you use to figure out what the map represents
On a thematic population map, you can use color/shading patterns and the legend to figure out what it represents.
A geographer is studying how cell phones spread culture worldwide. Explain which theme this is and how it applies
Studying how cell phones spread culture is Movement, because it shows how ideas travel from place to place.
What is the only continent without a permanent human population?
Antarctica
What is the difference between a gulf and a bay?
A gulf is larger, deeper, and more enclosed by land, while a bay is smaller and less enclosed.
The coordinates 30°N, 31°E are located near which country?
Egypt