World Geography Terms Part 1 Below is a selection of facts in categories to do with the subject of geography. Age and Sex Structure: The classification of the elements of a national or regional population according to sex and age groups. Age and sex structure determine the shape of a population pyramid. Agglomerate: A mass of coarse rock fragments or blocks of lava produced during a volcanic eruption. Agglomeration: The tendency for firms with related products to locate close to each other in order to reduce transport costs and other overheads; for example, the motor manufacture and component industries, and the oil refining and petrochemical industries. Agribusiness: Modern intensive farming which uses machinery and artificial fertilizers to increase yield and output. Thus agriculture resembles an industrial process in which the general running and managing of the farm could parallel that of large-scale industry. Many farms in East Anglia could be called agribusinesses. There, small family farms have been bought up by large food-processing companies located near the farms, where the farm produce is canned, processed frozen etc. A ‘branch’ of agribusinesses is factory farming, i.e. the intensive rearing of animals such as pigs, cattle and poultry. Many of these animals spend their lives penned in special rearing units where food, water, light and temperature are carefully controlled. Thus factory farming can be seen as a production line, the sole aim being to increase output and profit. Many people disagree with this form of farming, but it is argued that less intensive methods mean higher prices for the consumer. Agriculture: Human management of the environment to produce food. The numerous forms of agriculture fall into three groups: commercial, agriculture, subsistence agriculture and peasant agriculture. Aid: The provision of finance, personnel and equipment for furthering economic development and improving standards of living in the third world. Most aid is organised by international institutions by charities or by national governments. Aid to a country from the international institutions is called multilateral aid. Aid from one country to another is called bilateral aid. Aid can be short-term to meet an immediate crisis, long term to further development, or tied, linking aid expenditure directory back to the donating country. Alluvial Fan: A cone of sediment deposited at an abrupt change of slope; for example where a post-glacial stream meets the flat floor of a U-shaped valley. Alluvial fans are also common in arid regions where streams flowing off escarpments may periodically carry large loads of sediment during flash floods. Alluvium: Material deposited by a river in its middle and lower course. Alluvium comprises silt, sand and coarser debris eroded from the river’s upper course and transported downstream. Alluvium is deposited in a graded sequence; coarsest first and finest last. Regular floods in the lower course create extensive layers of alluvium which can build up to a considerable depth on the flood plain. Some of the worlds most fertile lands are found on alluvial flood plains. Alp: A gentle slope above the steep sides of a glaciated valley, often used for summer grazing. Amenity Resources: Those resources which provide an opportunity for recreation and leisure pursuits. The national parks, forests and the coastline are good examples of these, as are areas of parkland and open space in cities. Written by http://www.digital-view-web.co.uk/ http://www.diyconservatories-and-windows.co.uk/
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