Geology Flashcards
gaucho
national symbol of Argentina – (like the cowboy to the American west) – usually depicted in a colorful poncho and on horseback – signifying manly independence and self-reliance
Caracas
Venezuela’s capital city
Bogota (accented “a”)
Columbia’s capital city
selva
rain forest – In Brazil, this term refers to the Amazon rain forest, although there are many places that can be called la selva
favela
term for slums of Brazil – a slum is a term for a poor and overcrowded neighborhood
uranium
a mineral used to make fuel rods for nuclear energy
escarpment
steep, rough and jagged cliff
Lake Chad
A shallow fresh water body bordering Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad. It’s size varies greatly during periods of high and low rainfall.
Kilimanjaro
The highest mountain in Africa, its name translates to “shining mountain” in Swahili, stands in Tanzania.
plateaus
raised, fairly flat areas of land. In Africa, the lands south of the Sahara Desert are full of plateaus which give the land it’s 1000+ meter elevation.
canopy
a term for the leaf cover of trees within a rainforest. It’s like an umbrella that protects animals and plants from the hot sun
ocean breezes
The Namib desert lies close to the Atlantic Ocean and is cooled by the airflow over the waters.
ecotourism
The allowing of visitors to experience natural places like rainforests, which can bring economic opportunity and an incentive to protect these places from destructive development.
national parks
Lands where development is forbidden by government authority in order to protect wildlife that are endangered. On the African savanna, the Tembe National Elephant Park protects elephant population from the threats of the ivory trade.
higher altitude
Brings cooler temperatures. Mountain air is cooler. In the countries of East Africa, the average temperatures are cooler because of their land elevation.
apartheid
a law which separated people by race in South Africa. It limited the rights of non-white members of South African society.
nationalism
the desire to form an independent country by a particular people
King Ezana
The Axumite ruler (now modern Sudan) who embraced Christianity and increased the power of his kingdom
Mansa Musa
ruler of the Mali empire. Made Timbuktu the center of trade, education and Islamic culture. The richest man in the history of the world.
discrimination
unequal treatment of a group by a more powerful group
extended families
household made up of several generations
clan
large group of people united by a common ancestor in the far past
lineage
large family group with close blood ties
urbanization
the movement of people from rural areas to cities