Tools of Geography Vocabulary

Tools of Geography
Vocabulary

Map

A flat projection of the Earth

Prime Meridian

The line that runs North-South and
separates the Earth into East-West
Hemispheres

0 degrees longitude

Distortion

The inaccuracies on a map that
happens when you put a 3D globe on
a flat piece of paper

Globe

A 3D model of the Earth

Latitude

Imaginary lines that run
east-West around the Earth but
measure North-South

Hemisphere

One half of the Earth

Intermediate directions

The points on a compass that
measure in between the main
directions (NE, SE, NW, SW)

Key

Feature on a ,map that tells you
what all the other symbols mean

Geography

The study of the Earth's physical
features, connections between
places, and the relationship between
people and their environment

Cardinal Directions

The points on a compass that
measure the main points
(N,S,E,W)

Longitude

Imaginary lines that run from the
North Pole to the South Pole, but
measure East-West

Grid

The overlapping lines on a map
made up from lines of latitude and
longitude

Scale

Feature on a map that tells you
what each distance is on the
actual Earth

Equator

The line that runs East-West
around the globe and splits the
Earth into the Northern and
Southern Hemispheres

Projection

When you take a 3D Earth and
display it onto a flat (2D) surface