Physical Features
A dry, barren area of land, usually covered by sand
Desert
Maps that illustrate the geography of an area, using shading to represent features like mountains, valleys, and bodies of water.
Physical maps
A tool that can be used to measure cardinal and intermediate directions
Compass Rose
Tracks that trains travel on to move people and goods between cities and other areas
Railroads
An area with one or more common characteristics that make it different from other areas
Region
Land surrounded on 3 sides by water
Peninsula
Maps that show where people live and how they are distributed, including information about their characteristics and
Population maps
A key on a map that explains the symbols and images used to represent different features
Map Legend
Paths for vehicles that are usually smaller than highways and lead from one place to another
Roads
The imaginary line around Earth at zero degrees latitude that divides it into northern and southern halves
Equator
Land that rises sharply and is flat on top
Plateau
Maps that identify different resources found in an area, such as agricultural products or minerals; also known as economic maps
Resource maps
Northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest are this type of direction
Intermediate directions
Main roads that connect different places, allowing cars, buses, and trucks to travel quickly
Highways
A way to describe a location on Earth’s surface in relation to the equator
Latitude
A human-made waterway that allows ships or boats to pass through one body of water to another
Canal
Maps that represent the typical weather conditions and patterns in a specific area
Climate maps
Includes parallel horizontal and vertical lines that make squares on the map to help viewers zoom in on a particular area
Map grid
Large areas where many people live and work, often with important buildings and services
Cities
The imaginary line around Earth at zero degrees longitude that divides it into eastern and western halves
Prime meridian
A narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land
Isthmus
Maps that display governmental boundaries such as countries, states, and major cities, as well as significant bodies of water
Political maps
A tool on a map that helps measure the real distance between locations
Map scale
Limits or borders that separate different areas, like countries or states.
Boundaries
Areas of the Earth that are set to a common time, divided based on the prime meridian
Time zones