Geography Flashcards
Development
a process of change in a country in terms of its economic growth, use of technology and quality of life
Development indicator
these measure how developed a country may be. can either be social or economic
literacy rate
the percentage of people in a population who can read and write
gross national income
total income earned by a country in a year
birth rate
number of births per 1000 people each year
deforestation
the removal of trees from rainforests and wooded areas
desert
a desert is a barren area of landscape where little rainfall occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life
sustainable
the ability to maintain a process over time whilst doing little or no harm to the environment
what are the 7 continents
africa
south america
north america
europe
antarctica
australia&oceania
asia
overpopulation
as population grows, trees are cleared to make room for settlements
logging
trees are felled to harvest timber for profit. Roads must also be built to access logging sites, requiring further deforestation
farming and agriculture
trees are cleared to create crops and grazing livestock
mining
trees are cleared to dig for valuable minerals such as coal and gold
energy development
forests are flooded to build dams for hydroelectric power (HEP) and areas are razed to make way for biofuel crops
give 3 impacts of using fossil fuels
increased drought in the amazon
heatwaves and water shortages in europe
more frequent and severe tropical storms in South-east Asia
what type of air sinks
hot dry air
what does hot dry air cause
cloud free conditions
how are rainfall levels
low and unpredictable
what is the average of rainfall per year
less than 250mm per year
what is the weather like during the day in a desert
hot
what is the weather like during the night in a desert
cold
what can daily temperatures range between in summer
35-40 degrees
what have desert plants had to adapt to
the intense heat and dry soil
examples of succulents
cacti and aloe
what are cacti and aloe
succulents
what can succulents store
water in their fleshly leaves or stems
what do succulents leaves do
help to minimise water loss through transpiration
how are succulents leaves like
small and waxy
what can some succulents have
toxins and sharp spines
what do the toxins and sharp spines do
deter thirsty animals
what can plant roots either be
long and deep
short and shallow
what do the long and deep plant roots do
reach underground water supplies
what do the short and shallow plant roots do
collect surface water when it rains
what have desert animals adapted to
intense heat, a lack of water, sandy surfaces and cold nights
5 adaptations of a camel
thick fur
wide feet
long eyelashes
hump
closing nostrils
why do camels store fat in their hump
to sustain them when food and water are scarce
what do camels long eyelashes protect them from
sandstorms
what do camels fur protect
against sunburn in the intense heat and to help stay warm when temperatures decrease at night
what do the thin hair on stomach help camels do
help heat escape from their body and to keep it cool
what does the dry dung help a camel with
to help maximise the amount of water in their body when rainfall levels are low
why is it cold at night
no clouds to stop heat loss
