Geography key terms

An image in which colours represent selected wavelengths rather than the colours that human eyes would normally see.

An extreme food shortage affecting a population, causing widespread severe hunger and potentially deaths from starvation.

Adding other income-generating activities to farming, such as providing tourist accommodation.

A fracture in rock along which movement has occurred.

The animal life of a particular place or ecosystem.

An informal settlement in Brazil. Favelas vary in housing quality and access to services; many homes improve over time.

The net value of direct investment transactions during a period, such as a calendar year.

The value of direct investment held at a particular point in time, usually the end of a year; also called an FDI position.

A political system in which powers are shared between a national government and governments of states or regions.

The middle circulation cell, approximately between 30° and 60° north or south, with surface air moving towards 60°.

The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime.

The distance over open water across which wind blows to generate waves.

A drawing made from direct observation that selects and records the main geographical features of a landscape.

Investigating geography through first-hand observations and data collection in the environment being studied.

An investigation of a geographical question using evidence collected in a real location outside the classroom.

An energy resource with a limited stock that is not replaced on a human timescale, such as coal, oil or natural gas.

A resource with a limited stock that is not replaced on a human timescale, such as coal.

Flooding that develops rapidly, often after intense rainfall, leaving little time to prepare or evacuate.

Flooding that develops rapidly, often following intense rainfall, with fast-flowing water.

A river with discharge that rises rapidly after rainfall, usually because water reaches its channel quickly.

A structure with gates across a river or estuary that can be closed to prevent high water, such as a tidal storm surge, moving inland.

The potentially damaging flood event, described using characteristics such as its likelihood and depth.

A graph showing how river discharge changes over time following a rainfall event, usually displayed alongside rainfall.

A broad, relatively flat area beside a river that can be covered by water during floods.

A broad, relatively flat area beside a river that can be covered by water when the river floods.

Keeping floodplain land available to flood, with development restricted so that water can spread and be stored with less damage.

Restricting different land uses according to their flood risk, keeping vulnerable or high-value development away from the most flood-prone land.