Edexcel GCSE Geography B key terms

A settlement pattern in which homes or farmsteads are scattered rather than clustered together.

The weakening and eventual breakdown of a tropical cyclone as its energy supply is reduced or its circulation is disrupted.

A plate boundary where plates move apart and new crust forms; also called a constructive boundary.

A coastal management approach that allows natural erosion and flooding to continue without intervention to prevent them.

A settlement where many residents travel elsewhere to work, leaving it relatively quiet during the working day.

The movement of water away from an area or through its soil and rock.

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

The total length of river channels per unit area of a drainage basin. High drainage density means a closely spaced network of streams and rivers.

A prolonged period of unusually low rainfall that causes a shortage of water.

A valley without a permanent river, often found on permeable rocks such as chalk.

An alert issued after a hazard has been detected but before its effects reach some people.

Sudden shaking of the ground caused by the release of stored energy as rocks slip along a fault.

A measure of how far Earth's orbit departs from a circular shape.

The biologically productive land and sea area needed to provide the resources a person or population consumes and absorb its carbon dioxide emissions, measured in global hectares.

An area where ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to disturbance or damage.

Buying and selling goods or services online.

Able to generate enough income to cover costs and make development financially worthwhile.

A period of strong economic growth, with rising output and spending.

A difficulty involving money, costs, employment or the resources needed to provide services and support livelihoods.

An increase in economic activity and improvements in people's living standards, including income, health and education.

An effect on income, employment, businesses, property or the costs of repair.

The ability to shape investment, employment, trade and business activity.

A government policy that reduces restrictions on business and trade, allowing a greater role for private companies and market competition.

A system in which living organisms interact with each other and with their non-living surroundings.

A tangible product obtained from an ecosystem, such as food, timber or water.

A benefit people receive from the functioning of ecosystems, such as atmospheric regulation, nutrient cycling or water regulation.

Pressure caused by environmental changes that disrupt organisms and the relationships within an ecosystem.

Tourism that benefits local people, minimises environmental harm and helps visitors learn about the natural environment.