Geography ReviewMr. Webster’s Class

Vocabulary• hemisphere – one of the halves into which the globe is

divided• continent – one of seven large landmasses found on

Earth• nation – an area of land defined by specific political

boundaries under the rule of a government• border – a human-made boundary used to separate

political entities, such as nations• capital – the seat of government within a nation or a

state• territory – an area of land held and administered by a

national government• commonwealth – a U.S. territory with it sown

constitution and government

What is Geography?• Geography is the study of the earth’s surface.• Geographers use varied

tools to describe the unique location of a place. They may use natural features, such as mountains or oceans.• Geographers also use

human-made tools, such as political boundaries.

Latitude and Longitude• Geographers also use lines of latitude and longitude to describe the unique location of a place.• These lines form an imaginary grid on

a map or globe.• Latitude indicates the distance north or south of the Equator, which lies at 0˚ latitude.• Longitude indicates the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, which is at 0˚longitude.• The geographic coordinates for

Orlando are 28˚24’N 81˚17’W.

Hemispheres• Using latitude and longitude lines, geographers divide the planet into hemispheres.• Each hemisphere is one-half of

the Earth.• The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are divided by the Equator.• The Eastern and Western Hemispheres are divided by the Prime Meridian, and also the International Date Line.

Locating the United States• Everything on Earth is in two

hemispheres. For instance, the United States is in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.• In each hemisphere are large

landmasses called continents. • There are 7 continents on

Earth. They are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.• The United States is in North

America.

The United States as a Nation• The United States is a nation. A nation is an area of land defined by political boundaries and under the authority of a specific government. • The boundaries that separate nations are called borders.• Of the 50 states within the USA,

48 are contiguous, or joined together, inside a common boundary. The two exceptions are Alaska and Hawaii.

States• The United States is

divided into 50 political subdivisions called states.• A state is a political unit within a nation.• A state has its own government but it is also subject to the national government.• The largest state in the United States is Alaska. The smallest is Rhode Island.

Capitals• A capital is the seat of government within a nation or state.• The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. Washington is situated within a special district known as the District of Columbia. It is not a part of any other state, and it is located in between Virginia and Maryland.• The capital of Florida is Tallahassee.

Territories and Commonwealths • The United States has other lands in addition to the 50 states. These holdings are known as territories.• A territory is an area of the

country that is neither a state nor a part of a state.• A commonwealth is a U.S.

territory with its own constitution and government where U.S. laws still apply. Puerto Rico is an example.