Across
- 2. a book containing maps and vital statistics relating to geographic regions
- 3. a narrow strip of land that joins two larger bodies of land
- 4. the height above a specific reference point, especially sea level
- 6. a group or chain of islands
- 7. either of the two annual crossings of the equator by the Sun, once in each direction, when the length of day and night are approximately equal everywhere on Earth. The equinoxes occur around March 21 and September 23
- 10. the point in the orbit of a planet or other astronomical body at which it comes closest to the Sun
- 13. a relatively flat elevated area with steep sides that is less extensive than a plateau
- 14. the angular distance east or west of the prime meridian that stretches from the North Pole to the South Pole and passes through Greenwich, England. Longitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds
- 16. a map that uses contour lines to show the shapes and elevations of land surfaces
- 17. an imaginary straight line around which an object such as Earth rotates
- 18. a visual representation that shows all or part of the Earth's surface with geographic features, urban areas, roads, and other details
- 20. an imaginary line joining points on Earth's surface that are all of equal distance north or south of the equator
- 21. the point in the orbit of a planet, comet, or other astronomical object that is farthest from the Sun
Down
- 1. an area of high ground with a fairly level surface
- 3. an internationally agreed imaginary line running roughly along the 180ยบ meridian of longitude, to the east of which the date is one day earlier than to the west
- 5. the place where a stream of river enters a sea or lake
- 8. fertile ground in a desert where the level of underground water rises to or near ground level and where plants grow and travelers can replenish water supplies
- 9. either of the times when the Sun is farthest from the equator, on or about June 21 or December 21. The summer solstice falls in June in the northern hemisphere but in December in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa for the winter solstice
- 11. an area of land, usually in very hot climates, that consists only of sand, gravel, or rock with little or no vegetation, no permanent bodies of water, and erratic rainfall
- 12. the imaginary great circle around Earth that is the same distance from the North and South Poles and divides Earth into the northern and southern hemisphere
- 15. year a year with an extra day, February 29, added to make up the difference between the 365-day calendar and the actual duration of the Earth's orbit of the Sun. Leap years occur every four years, except for years ending in 00 that are not divisible by 400
- 19. a naturally occurring opening in the surface of the Earth throughout which molten, gaseous, and solid material is ejected