UPMSP Intermediate Geography - Code 129 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Mohorovicic discontinuity

Boundary between Earth's crust and mantle where seismic wave velocity changes sharply; marks the base of the crust at roughly 35 km under continents.

Coriolis force

Apparent deflection of moving air or water caused by Earth's rotation; deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lapse rate

Rate at which temperature falls with height in the troposphere, about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometre; explains cooler conditions on mountains.

ITCZ

Intertropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure belt near the equator where trade winds converge; associated with heavy convectional rainfall and seasonal shift.

Demographic transition

Model describing change from high birth and death rates to low ones as societies develop; stages reflect falling death rates followed by falling birth rates.

Population pyramid

Graph showing age and sex distribution of a population; a broad base indicates high birth rates, a narrow base indicates an ageing population.

Dependency ratio

Ratio of dependants (children and elderly) to working-age population, usually multiplied by 100; indicates economic burden on the workforce.

Push and pull factors

Conditions that drive people away from a place (poverty, conflict) or attract them to another (jobs, safety); together explain migration streams.

Quaternary activities

Economic activities involving knowledge, research, information and decision-making, such as software development, consultancy and higher education; distinct from service-sector tertiary work.

Shifting cultivation

Subsistence farming where land is cleared and cultivated briefly then abandoned as fertility declines; also called slash-and-burn agriculture.

Weber's least-cost theory

Industrial location model stating that firms choose sites minimising transport and labour costs; weight-losing industries locate near raw materials.

Balance of trade

Difference between a country's exports and imports of goods; favourable when exports exceed imports, unfavourable when imports exceed exports.

Entrepot port

Port where goods are imported, stored and re-exported without significant processing; acts as a redistribution node in international trade.

Containerisation

Use of standardised containers for freight, lowering handling costs and transit time; a key driver of global supply chains and trade growth.

Human Development Index

Composite index combining life expectancy, education and per capita income; ranges from 0 to 1 and measures average achievement in human development.

Central business district

Core urban area with highest land values and accessibility, dominated by commerce, offices and retail; often shows high daytime population.

Sustainable development

Development meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs; balances economic, social and environmental goals.

Deccan Trap

Large igneous province in peninsular India formed by lava flows; source of fertile black regur soil suitable for cotton.

Peninsular rivers

Rain-fed rivers of the stable peninsular plateau such as Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri; seasonal flow and shallow valleys characterise them.

Himalayan rivers

Snow-fed perennial rivers such as Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra; deep gorges and large deltas mark their courses.

Narmada rift valley

West-flowing river occupying a rift valley between Vindhya and Satpura ranges; flows into the Arabian Sea without forming a delta.

Southwest monsoon

Seasonal wind from the Indian Ocean bringing most of India's rain from June to September; onset over Kerala around early June.

Regur soil

Black cotton soil of the Deccan, rich in clay and moisture-retentive; formed from basaltic lava and suited to cotton cultivation.

Laterite soil

Leached, acidic soil formed under heavy rainfall and high temperature; poor in nitrogen and used for tea, coffee and cashew.

Mangrove vegetation

Salt-tolerant tidal forests along coasts and deltas, such as the Sunderbans; adapted to saline water and act as storm barriers.

Demographic dividend

Economic growth potential arising from a large working-age population relative to dependants; realised only with education, health and jobs.

Census urban agglomeration

Continuous urban spread comprising a town and its outgrowths; used by the Indian Census to define urban areas beyond municipal limits.

Rural-to-urban migration

Movement of people from villages to towns and cities seeking jobs, education and services; dominant migration stream in India.

Representative fraction

Map scale expressed as a ratio such as 1:50,000, meaning one unit on the map equals 50,000 units on the ground; unit-independent.

Contour interval

Constant vertical distance between successive contour lines on a topographic map; closely spaced contours indicate steep slopes.

Choropleth map

Thematic map using shading or colour to show average values in administrative areas, such as population density by district.

Grid reference

Location of a point on a map given by eastings first then northings, or by latitude and longitude; enables precise identification.