Key Terms
what is the height of land above sea level?
Altitude
what is an area of land surrounded by water on all sides?
Island
what tropic is 23 1/2 degrees North?
Tropic of Cancer
what are the hieroglyphics?
The ancient picture writings that represent sounds and words.
What is the largest continent on Earth?
Asia
what is the symbol printed on a chart or map that shows direction?
Compass Rose
what is a government in which a king or queen rules?
Monarchy
what tropic is 23 1/2 degrees South?
Tropic of Capricorn
what is the most common language spoken by most South Africans?
Afrikaans
Describe a physical map
A physical map is a map that shows geographical features on Earth's surface.
what is the pattern of lines that cross each other to find an exact location on a map?
Geographic Grid
what are the lines on a map that run east to west, parallel to the equator?
Latitude
what is an area of land surrounded by water on three of its sides
Peninsula
which country/ethnic group created the hieroglyphics?
Ancient Egyptians
Describe a political map
A political map is a map that shows boundaries of countries and cities.
Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest
what are the lines on a map that run north to south, parallel to the Prime Meridian?
Longitude
what is the process by which grasslands turn to desert?
Desertification
which two industries are major parts of African economies?
Farming and Mining
What is climate?
Climate is the usual pattern of weather in an area over a long period of time.
what is the imaginary line drawn north and south through the Pacific Ocean on a map, mostly along the 180 degree Prime Meridian?
International Dateline
what is the imaginary line from which longitude is measured both east and west; passes through Greenwich, England?
Prime Meridian
what are the sandy reefs which surround shallow lagoons?
Coral Reef
Describe the physical geography of Africa.
The geography of Africa is very diverse due to the size and scale of the continent.
What is Weather?