Geography key terms

Discussion and negotiation between countries or other political groups to manage relationships and seek agreement.

The official relationships and negotiations between countries.

A change caused immediately by an activity, such as construction adding weight to a cliff.

An event in which the potential harm of a hazard is realised, causing actual damage or loss.

The volume of water passing a point in a river each second, usually measured in cubic metres per second.

A coastline where bands of different rock types meet the coast approximately at right angles.

Numerical data that take separate values rather than any value within a range, such as the number of pedestrians counted.

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

The spread of observations, rather than just their average value.

A graph showing individual observations along a numerical scale so that their spread and clustering can be compared.

The forced movement of people away from their homes, for example because flooding makes an area unsafe.

Money available to a household after paying taxes, which can be spent or saved.

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

Separating water from dissolved salts by evaporating it and then condensing the water vapour.

The geographical pattern of where something is found.

The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures within a day.

Changes occurring within a 24-hour period, such as differences between daytime and night-time temperatures.

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

Energy resources produced within a country rather than imported from abroad.

Food produced within a country rather than imported from abroad.

Water used in homes for activities such as drinking, cooking, washing, cleaning and flushing toilets.

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

A period when an organism greatly reduces its activity and growth to survive unfavourable conditions.

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

A settlement where many residents travel elsewhere to work, leaving fewer people there during the working day.

A map showing distribution using dots, with each dot representing a fixed quantity stated in the key.

In the direction in which sediment is transported along the coast by longshore drift.