Glossary
Aboriginal peoples descendants of Canada's
first inhabitants
absolute measure type of measure that does not
consider total amounts in relation to population
sizes
acid precipitation rain, snow, or fog created
after sulphur dioxide and nitric oxides mix with
water vapour in the atmosphere. Acid precipita-
tion kills vegetation and turn lakes acidic, caus -
ing fish to die and wildlife to disappear.
active layer upp er layer of permafrost that
thaws only briefly in summertime
aerial photo photograph taken from the sky
instead of the ground
agribusiness agricultural business. Operations
include growing, storing, processing, and distrib -
uting food, and may be owned by a large corpo -
ration, a family, or an individual.
air mass large body of air having the same mois-
ture and temperature conditions throughout
air pressure weight of air
alphanumeric grid grid that uses letters and
numerals to identify squares of a grid pattern on
a map
alternative energy source non-conventional
energy source such as solar, wind, and biomass
energy
analog transmission transmission of a continu-
ously variable signal as compared to a discrete
(digital) one. The problem with analog transmis-
sions is that they are subject to signal loss and
distortions.
anchor large store, such as a department store
or grocery store, that is located one at each end
of the shopping mall and attracts great numbers
of customers
anticlinal trap dome -shaped structure of rock
layers created by folding. Oil and gas are often
fo und in these traps.
aquaculture production of fish and other
marine products on fish farms
- - ---- -- - - - ---- - - -- ~--
ArcView GIS program especially designed for
map -making
area symbol coloured pattern representing a
feature on a topographic map
assimilate to lose yo ur culture and adopt the
culture of the larger group within which you live
(e.g., First Nations adopting broader Canadian
culture)
average annual temperature monthly average
temperatures added together and divided by 12
balance of trade difference between value of
exports and value of imports. If exports exceed
imports, there is a trade surplus. If imports
exceed exports, there is a trade deficit.
band an Aboriginal group that is recognized by
the Canadian government. The government sets
aside money and land (reserves) for use by the
band. There are almost 600 bands in Canada.
bankruptcy protection a legal action that gives
companies and individuals time to reorganize
their operations and stops creditors from taking
action against them
banks shallow areas of a continental shelf
barren without trees
base map map providing only an outline of the
most basic features of the mapped area
basic industry industry that sells its products
outside the community, bringing money into the
community
basic service service provided by basic indus-
tries to people and businesses outside the com-
munity, thereby bringing money into the
community from the outside and ensuring its
survival
bedrock solid rock beneath the soil
bias distorted or misleading
big-box store very large store, often specializing
in one kind of merchandise
biomass energy energy produced by combusting
biomass materials such as wood, peat, and
manure
- - ---~ - - - -~~-
 GLOSSARY
birth rate number of births per 1000 people
bitumen in oil sand deposits , each grain of sand
is covered by a layer of water and a heavy oil or
black tar called bitumen. Processed into syn-
thetic crude oil.
boreal and taiga forest coniferous (needl e-
leaved) forest that stretches from east to west
across Canada, south of the tundra but north of
the grasslands and mixed forest
branch plant Canadian company controlled by a
foreign company
BSE (mad cow disease) bovine spongiform
encephalopathy forms holes in the brains of
infected animals, crippling and eventually killing
the animal. BSE is believed to be caused by con-
taminated feed made from a diseased animal.
bulk cargo things like wheat, coal, gravel, and
iron are shipped in loose form rather than in
packages. They are usually of low value and must
be shipped as cheaply as possible.
calcification proc ess by which, in dry climates,
water carrying dissolved minerals moves upward
through the soil. At the surface, the water evapo-
rates, leaving the minerals behind. The surface
so il is then considered calcified.
call centre place of business where customer
service telephone calls are received
Canadian Shield large area of Precambrian rock
that forms the core of Canada
canal waterway dug across land on which boats
and ships travel
capillary action movement of water upward
through small spaces, as in soil
carat unit of mass of precious stones, especially
diamonds, equal to 200 milligrams
carbon cycle movement of carbon through
plants, animals, water, soil, air, and rocks
carbon dioxide greenhouse gas composed of
one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms in each
molecule, otherwise known as CO 2
carbon fixation the process whereby carbon is
trapped in fossil fuels or sedimentary rock for
millions of years. Fixed carbon does not con-
tribute to global warming if we prevent its
release into the atmosphere.
carbon sink a reservoir that stores carbon. The
build-up of CO 2 in the atmosphere is moderated
by carbon Sinks, which remove carbon from the
atmosphere and store it for a period of time. The
oceans, growing vegetation, soil, and some sedi-
mentary rock (e.g., limestone) are carbon sinks
because more carbon moves into them than out
of them.
carbon source an activity or location that gives
off more CO 2 than it absorbs. Examp les of carbon
sources include volcanoes, burning forests, lime-
stone weathering, decaying organic matter, the
burning of fossil fuels, and breathing, all of
which release CO 2 into the atmosphere.
carrying capacity number of people that could
be supported at current living standards by
Canada's productive land
cash crop crop that is grown by a farmer to be
sold
Cenozoic era most recent era of geologic time,
which began about 66 million years ago. See geo -
logic time.
census tract smallest urban area used for census
data collection
Central Business District (CBD) downtown area
of a city or town, where most of the important
commercial and government activities take place
central place village, town, or city that exists
primarily to provide goods and services for a sur-
rounding hinterland
circumstance in manufacturing, particular
influences on the location of fac tories that are
more general and difficult to measure
clear-cutting logging method whe reby all trees
in an area (except for very small ones) are cut at
one rime
climate weather conditions of a place averaged
over a long period of tim e
climate station place where climate information
is gathered
commercial forest part of a forest that has large
enough trees and is close enough to a market to
allow it to be harvested by the forest industry
communications transmission of information,
especially by electronic or mechanical means
commuter person who travels daily between
home and a place of work
compass bearing degrees on a compass, meas-
ured in c1oc.bvise direction from 0 orth) to
0
(
360·
 _ _ • _ __ _ _ _ ...... ... T ~...
---- - --
compass point direction on a compass, such as
north and south
compass rose diagram, in the shape of a flower,
showing directions (compass points) and bear-
ings (measured clockwise from north) used to
indicate direction on maps
component one part of a program or system ; in
the Environmental Sustainability Index, one of
five categories that measures the health of the
environment, i.e., reducing human vulnerability,
social and institutional capacity, global steward-
ship, environmental systems, and reducing envi-
ronmental stresses
comprehensive claim claim available to First
Nations who have never signed treaties in the
past that deals with many issues, including land
ownership, self-government, ownership and
control of resources, hunting/fishing/trapping
rights, and financial compensation
comprehensive treaty First ations land treaty
negotiated in an area where no other treaty has
ever been signed, i.e., the first treaty for that area
concession system type of survey system used in
southern Ontario, whereby land is divided by
concession roads and side roads into squares and
rectangles of varying sizes
condensation process whereby water vapour is
cooled and changes from an invisible gas to liq-
uid water. Condensed water vapour is what forms
clouds.
coniferous trees trees with cones and often nee-
dle-like leaves; evergreen
container metal box of standard size (2.4 m x
2.4 m x 4.9 m or 9.8 m) used for moving freight.
The container is loaded at the point of shipment
and remains sealed until it reaches its destina-
tion. Along the way, it may be moved by truck,
train, plane, or ship.
contaminant substance that pollutes air, water,
oil, or food
continental climate climate type that develops
away from the influence of the ocean . The annual
temperature range tends to be large and precipi-
tation is low.
continental drift theory by German scientist
Alfred Wegener stating that 300 million years ago
all of Earth's land masses, which were in constant
motion, collided to form one supercontinent
called Pangaea. About 200 million years ago
Pangaea broke apart and the continents have
drifted apart to their present locations.
According to his theory, only continents drifted .
-- - -
~~~ - - .-. .. - .I ~ --~~ _
---------=-- - -- - --
GLOSSARY II
"' I
continentalist A person who believes that
Canadian and American cultures are so similar
that there is no need to protect Canadian culture
from American influences
continental shelf gently sloping outer edge of a
continent that extends below the surface of the
ocean to a maximum depth of about 200 metres
convection current circular movement in a gas
or liquid created by uneven heating
convectional precipitation precipitation caused
on hot summer days, when heated land causes
the air above it to rise by convection. As the air
rises, it cools and condensation occurs. Rain or
hail may fall from thunderclouds that build up.
conventional energy source well-established
source of energy such as oil, natural gas, coal,
hydro - and nuclear-electricity
convergent technologies the merging of various
communication technologies, such as the
Internet and telephone communication
craton ancient geologic feature formed in
Precambrian era, largely undisturbed by moun -
tain- building for one billion years, containing
kimberlite pipes in which diamonds are found
culture the characteristics of a way of life that,
when put together, make a nation or people
unique
database table of information in a computer
program that can be searched for particular val-
ues or rearranged in a variety of ways
death rate number of deaths per 1000 people
deciduous trees broad-leaved trees that shed
their leaves annually in the fall
demography study of population numbers, dis-
tribution, trends, and issues
dependency load proportion of the population
that is not in the workforce; total number of
people 14 and under + 65 and over
dependent variable (graphing) variable that
goes on the vertical axis of the graph and is, to a
greater or lesser extent, caused or influenced by
the independent variable
deregulation removal of regulations controlling
certain parts of an industry. For example, deregu-
lation of the airline industry removed rules con-
trolling routes travelled and the price of seats.
developed country country with a highly
developed economy. Its citizens have high
incomes, abundant food, good housing, and
can afford many luxuries. Sometimes called
"industrialized."
-. - - -
 GLOSSARY
developing country country witb a poorly devel-
oped economy. Its citizens have low incomes.
shortages of food, poor housing, and cannot
afford luxuries. Sometimes called' less devel-
oped."
differential erosion process whereby softer sedi-
mentary rocks erode more quickly than harder
rock, shaping the surface of the landscape (e.g.,
three different levels of elevation on the prairies)
digital mapping the location of geographic data
(lines, points, areas, elevations, and numerical
data such as census infor mation) is digitized,
placed in databases, and use d in various com bi-
na tions to create maps.
digital transmission a method of transmission
that uses binary bit (zeroes and ones) to
increase television picture quality and the num-
ber of signal that can be carried per channel
direct statement scale words are used to
describe the relationship between a distance on
a map and a specific distance on Earth's surface
(e.g., 1 cm to 10 km)
discharge rate amount of water that flows
through a drainage basin. The discharge rate of a
drainage basin may vary greatly from season to
season depending on the weather conditions.
diversified urban centre town or city that has a
variety of basic urban hmctions
doubling time (demographics) how long it
would take for a country's population to double
at the country' current rate of population
growth
drainage process whereby water is removed
from an area by flowing out of depres ions in the
land such as lakes and rivers
drainage basin area drained by a river and its
tributaries. One drainage basin is separated from
another by an area of higher land called a water -
shed.
Earth Charter a UN document that lists values
and principles that are thought to be necessary
for creating a just, s ustainable, and peaceful
future for the Earth. It was developed through
international consultations and based on the
four interdependent principles of Respect and
Care for tbe Community of Life; Ecological
Integrity; Social and Economic Justice ; and
Democracy, on-violence, and Peace. The docu-
ment has not been endorsed by the U because
of some concern by a number of countries.
easting first three figures in a map reference giv-
ing the east-west location
ecological footprint (EF) measure of total
human impact on an ecosystem
ecological overshoot the amount by which our
resource demands exceed Earth's supply
economic base economic activities that allow a
community to exist. Fo r example, a town mighr
exist because a mineral resource in the area i
being developed.
economic immigrant category of Canadian
immigrant that includes two groups: (a) skilled
workers and (b) individuals with the ability to
make a sign ificant financial contribution throu
the establishment or purchase of a business or
the making of an investment that creates jobs
ecotourism tourism industry promoting travel
for the purpose of observing ecosystems
ecozone a distinct ecological region determin e
on the basis of physical, biological, and human
factors
ecumene permanently occupied or settled area
of a country
emigrate to leave your country of origin to live
permanently in another country
emigration rate number of people per 1000 po -
ulation in one year who emigrate
entrepreneur person who takes a risk by settin
up a business in order to m ake a profit
environmental stresses those factors that com-
bine to cause the environment to deteriorate,
such as pollution, overfishing, and deforestatio
Environmental Sustainability lndex (ESn mea -
urement, devised by the World Economic Forum
of current and future level of environmental
sustainability in each of 146 countries
eras major divisions of geologic time (for exam-
ple, the Paleozoic era). See geologic time.
erosion wearing away of Ea rth's surface foUO\ 'e'
by the movement to other locations of materiab
that h ave worn away.
escarpment steep cliff formed by erosion or
faulting
evapotranspiration the movement of water im
the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil an
by transpiration from plants
export product or service produced in one co
try for ale in another country
extensive farming type of farming in which
small amounts of labour, machinery, and
fertilizers a re used on large farms. Yields per
hectare are small.

fair earthshare measurement of productive land
in the world divided by number of people in the
world . This is how much of the productive land
each person would be entitled to, if aU of the
world's productive land was shared equally.
false colours colour artificially added to satel-
lite images of Earth, to make patterns more obVi -
ous. These colours would not actually be seen
from space.
family immigrant category of Canadian immi-
grant in which family members and close rela -
tives of Canadian citizens or landed immigrants
can be brought to Canada
fertilizer substance, such as manure or a
chemical, put on agricultural land to produce a
greater crop yield
First Nation group of Aboriginal people who
share the same culture and heritage
fjord long, narrow inlet of the sea with steep
sides. Fjords were created by glaciers that
scraped out valleys. When the glaciers melted,
the sea flooded the valleys.
foreign aid financial assistance provided to
developing countries from other countries, usu-
ally developed countries
fossil fuel any mineral that can be burned to
produce energy (e.g., coal, natural gas, oil)
free trade trade without tariff barriers
frontal rainfall rainfall caused by lighter,
warmer air being forced to rise over colder,
denser air
frost-free period the number of days between
the last fro st in spring and the first frost in
autumn
GDP per capita See gross domestic product
(GDP) per capita
gemstone diamond diamond of high quality used
in jewellery, prized because of its rarity and beauty
Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) index
designed to indicate the amount of economic
and political power that a country's women have
general-purpose map map that contains many
different types of information
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) organ-
isms whose genetic tructure has been changed
to create a characteristic that is seen as desir-
able, e.g. , resistance to a disease
- -- - ----~
GLOSSARY
geocactung hobby based on the use of a hand-
held GPS unit and maps to find a hidden cache
(stash of items). The person who has hidden the
cache places its location on the Internet so "geo-
cacher " can search for it.
geographic information systems (GIS) inte-
grated software package for the input, manage-
ment, analysis, and display of spatial information
geographical systems various interconnected
ystems that shape our world, e.g. , forces that
cause devastating earthquakes or why nations
trade with each other
geography the study of Earth's physical and
human systems and the relationships among
them
geologic time history of Earth from its formation
to the present. Earth's history may be divided
into several major time periods, called eras:
Cenozoic era (most recent 66 million years)
Mesozoic era (245 million to 66 million years
ago)
Paleozoic era (570 million to 245 million years
ago)
Precambrian era (4600 million to 570 million
years ago)
geologist scientist who studies the history, com-
position, and structure of Earth's crust
geomatics science and technology of gathering,
analyzing, and manipulating geographic (geospa-
tial) information
geoscience a general term used to describe a
wide range of specialized scientific fields within
the broad areas of geology and resource manage-
ment
geospatial pertaining to the location of items
that can be located on Earth's surface
geostationary orbit satellite orbiting about
36 000 km above Earth at a speed that keeps it
exactly above the same place on Earth
geotechnologies new geographic technologies,
such as remote sensing, GPS, and GIS, that have
revolutionized the field of geography
glaciation the state of being covered by glaciers
or massive ice sheets
glaciers low-moving masses of ice
global connections economic, social, political,
and geographic connections between and among
countries around the world, e.g., economic con-
nections such as buying shoes made in another
country
- ---- -- -- ---~ - --~
· I GLOSSARY
globalization the development of an increas-
ingly integrated world in which free movement of
goods, services, and people make national bor-
ders less important
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navi -
gation system that is u ed to compute the exact
latitude and longitude position of any place on
Earth
global viJiage idea that the world i becoming
like one large village because of improvements in
communication
global warming rise in the world's temperatures
as a result of increasing levels of carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases in the atmosp here
GMOs See genetically mo dified organisms
Google one of the most popular search engines.
The company's mission statement reads
"Google's mission is to organize the world's infor-
mation and make it universally accessible and
useful."
graduated colour map map in which a range of
colour shades is used to indicate different values
greenbelt undeveloped land protected from
urban development surrounding a city. It con-
tains farms, parks, and natural areas.
greenhouse effect absorption of heat energy by
greenhouse gases and reradiation into the atmos-
phere
greenhouse gases (GHGs) gases , uch as carbon
dioxide and methane, that contribute to global
warming
gross domestic product (GDP) per capita to tal
value of the goods and services produced within
a country per person, excluding transactions
with other countries
gross world product (GWP) the value of the total
goods and services produced annually in the
world
groundfish fish, such as cod and sole, that live,
feed, and are caught near the bottom of the sea
groundwater water found below Earth's surface
in the spaces in soil and bedrock
growing degree-days (GDDs) a measure of heat
in one day. Daily GDDs over a period of a year
are added together to determine the amount of
heat available in a specific location. GDDs are
used to determine locations in which plants can
be successfully grown. They are also used to esti-
mate the stage of development of plants and
insects because the development of organisms is
closely related to the accumulation of heat.
growing season the number of days when the
mean daily air temperature equals or exceeds SoC
(air temperature at which most animal feed crop
begin to grow). Farmers grow only those crops
that will ripen within the growing season in their
area.
halocarbon chemical compound composed of
carbon and one or more halogens (bromine,
chlorine, fluorine, or iodine)
hardwood wood from broad-leaved trees such
as maple. oak. and elm. Hardwood is u ed to
make furniture, sports equipment, tool handles,
floors, and boats. Not all hardwoods are "hard";
for example. poplar and basswood are actually
quite soft.
herbicide chemical designed to kill unwanted
plants (weeds) . If used improperly, a herbicide
can become a pollutant.
highlands areas of high elevation containing
mountains and plateaus
high -order good or service high -priced product
or service that is purchased infrequently
hinterland the area around a town that trades
with it. Hinterlands have fewer services and less
variety in economic activities than urban areas.
hit Web page containing th e word(s) entered in a
search with a search engine
Human Development Index (HDI) . index that
includes measures of health, education. and
wealth to indicate a country's level of human
development
humus dark. upper layer of soil made up of par-
tially decayed plant material
hydroelectric generating station facility that
generates electricity through the movement of
water from a higher to a lower elevation
hydrologic cycle pathway followed by water
from oceans and lakes through the atmosphere
and then back to the land and waterways
immigrant person who moves to a new country
with the intention of settling there
immigrate to move permanently to a country
other than one's native country
immigration rate number of new Canadians
who have immigrated here from another country
per 1000 people of Canada's population
impervious quality of a substance that does not
allow fluids or gases to pass through it
import product or service that is brought into a
country from another country

import substitution process of replacing for-
eign-produced goods with Canadian ones to sup-
port Canadian business, e.g., buying a
Canadian-made car instead of one made in the
United States, Japan, or elsewhere
independent variable (graphing) the independ-
ent variable goes on the horizontal axis of the
graph and is, to a greater or lesser extent, caus-
ing or influencing the dependent variable.
index number, expressed without a unit of
measurement, used to make comparisons
between and among countries
1lldianAct,1876 act of the Canadian govern-
ment authorizing the government to sign treaties
with ative groups to give up their claim to the
lands they occupied and move to reserves
indicator an occurrence or circumstance that
demonstrates the existence of certain environ-
mental conditions
indicator minerals minerals that are found with
diamonds. When these minerals are traced back
to their point of origin, diamonds can be located.
industrial diamond poor quality diamond used
as a tool in many kinds of industries because it is
the hardest known substance
industrial mineral non-metallic minerals, such
as salt or asbestos, used by industry and manu -
facturing
Industrial Revolution time, beginning in the
late 1700s in England, when the inuoduction of
water power and steam into factories greatly
increased the size and output of industries
inshore fishery commercial fishing that takes
place within a few kilometres of the shoreline.
Small fishing boats go out to sea and return to
shore each day.
instream use use of water without removing it
from its source for activities, e.g., fishing and
hydro-electric power
intensive farming large amount of labour,
machinery, and fertilizers used on small farms.
High yields per hectare are obtained. The grow-
ing of fruit is an example of intensive farming.
intercity movement between cities, e.g., an inter-
city bus between Toronto and Montreal
Internet international network linking comput-
ers of individuals, educational and research insti-
tutions, government agencies , and businesses
interprovincial migration the relocation of indi-
viduals from one province to another
GLOSSARY
intervening obstacle event or factor that dis-
courages people from migrating from one place
to another
intracity movement within a city. For example,
an intracity bus moves people from their home
to schooL
jet stream west to east movement of air in the
mid-latitude flowing at speeds of up to 400 km/h
at an altitude of between 8000 and 15 000 m
joule en metric unit used to measure energy
just-in-time OIT) manufacturing and stock con-
trol system in which goods are produced and
delivered only as they are needed
kimberlite pipe rare geologic structure that may
contain diamonds; exists only in enormous
masses of ancient rock called cratons
knowledge industry type of industry based on
human knowledge rather than on natural
resources
Kyoto Protocol 1997 treaty designed to limit the
impact of global warming that was signed by 180
countries and came into effect in 2005.
Developed countries agreed to reduce green-
house gas emissions by 5.2% below 1990 levels
between 2008 and 2012.
labour supply availability of workers or labour
force (total number of people working and look-
ing for work in an area)
land capability ability of land to be used for a
certain purpose. For example, land capability for
agriculture is based on soil quality, drainage,
slope, and climate.
landform natural feature on Earth's surface
land use how urban, suburban, or rural land is
and can be used (e.g., parks, housing, industry,
commercial, agriculture, etc.)
large-scale map map that shows a large amount
of detail of a small area, such as a map with a
scale of 1:50 000
latitude distance north or south of the equator,
measured in degrees. The equator is O· and the
North Pole is 90· north latitude.
leaching removal of minerals from soil by water
as it moves downward through the soil. Leaching
occurs in wet climates.
leeward side of a mountain or mountain range
facing away from the prevailing winds
life expectancy average lifespan of a population
lignite soft, low-value coal sometimes used in
thermal-electric plants
 GLOSSARY
line scale line divided into unit of distance
(e.g., km) that represent the actual units on the
ground
line symbol line ar symbol used to represent fea-
tures on topographic maps, e.g. , roads and rail-
way lines
literacy percentage of a population that has the
ability to read and write
location factors factors such a historical head
start, market, location of raw material , power,
fresh water, labour, transportation, and political
situation that help explain the location of cities
and industries
lock e nclose d section in a can al that permits
vessels to be raised 0 r lowered to different water
level s outside this com p ar tment, eith er by letting
water in or out of the compartment or, in a lift
lo ck, by raising or lowering the water-filled com -
partment itself
longitude distance ea t and west of the prime
meridian, measured in degrees. The prime
meridian i 0° longitude.
long-grass prairie type of vegetation in the
Canadian prairie provinces where higher precip i-
tation levels cau e grasses to grow longer than in
drier, short-grass prairie areas
long lot settlement pattern in southern Quebec
and some other areas of Canada where individual
lots tend to be long and narrow and extend back
from major rivers or roads
lowlands areas of low elevation containing
plains and hills
low-order good or service product or service
that is purchased frequently
manufacturing processing raw materials into
a more finished state. For example, m aking
lumb e r from logs is primary manufact uring,
and making furniture from lumber is secondary
manufacturing.
map representation of Earth's features drawn on
a flat surface
map grid series of line on a map that can be
used to locate any place on the map
map projection method used to transfer fea-
tures of the globe onto the flat surface of a map.
There are hundreds of ways that this can b e done
and hundreds of different projections. Each pro -
jection has its strengths an d weaknesses.
maritime climate climate type that is strongly
influenced by the clo eness of an ocean or other
large water body. The annual temperature range
tend to be small and precipitation is high.
market cu tomers of a company
mechanization proce s whereby machinery
takes over the work of humans or animals
meltwater water resulting from the melting of
glacier ice and/or snow
mental map map in our mind of places we know
Mesozoic era period of geologic time from 245
mUlion to 66 million years ago. See geologic
time.
metallic mineral mineral that yields a metal
when proce sed, for example, iron, gold, ura-
nium, and silver
methane colourless, odourless, flammable gas,
the simplest of the hydro carbons
middle-order good or service product or service
that people buy occasionally
milling processing ore into concentrates
mineral a naturally occurring, pure, non-living
substance found in rock
mineral reserve known quantity of minerals in a
country or area
mineral rights rights to access and profit from
minerals found under the surface of land
mixed forest vegetation region that contains
both coniferous and deciduous trees. It i a tran -
sition zone between the deciduous forest and the
boreal forest.
mobility ability to move about
moderating effect effect that large water bodies
have on the climate over nearby land areas.
Winter temperatures are warme r and summer
temperatures are cooler than areas located away
from large water bodies. The result is a small
annual temperature range.
multicultural characteristic of a society that is
made up of many different cultures
multinational corporations (MNCs) corpora-
tions that have operations in countries outside
their country of origin that are also known as
transnational corporations
multiplier effect total effect on the economy
caused by an expansion or contraction in one
part of it. For example, a new mine employing
300 people may cause 900 other jobs to develop
in manufacturing and se rvices.
nationalist person who believes that English-
Canadian culture is wamped with American cul-
tural "products" and encourages independence
from the United State, e pecially in the area of
culture

natural increase rate difference between the
birth rate and the death rate of a country
natural vegetation plants that would grow in an
area in the absence of human influence
near-polar orbit fixed north-south orbit fol-
lowed by satellites as Earth rotates below them
net exports amount by which the exports of a
commodity (e.g., wheat) are greater than the
imports of that commodity
net imports amount by which the imports of a
commo dity (e.g., stereo equipment) are greater
than the exports of that commodity
net migration rate difference between people
imm igrating to a country and people emigrating
from the same country
newly industrializing country countries in the
tl ansition stage between developing and devel-
o ped countries. ewly industrializing countries
typically have rapidly growing economies.
new urbanism new planning'movement to com -
bat urban and suburban sprawl. It includes:
- building communities around people instead
of cars
- an identifiable downtown centre
- narrow lots and smaller houses (higher
den ity)
- mixed-income housing
- homes designed to look like those built 50 to
100 years ago
non-basic industry industry that sells its prod -
ucts within the community. It does not bring
money into the community.
/ non-basic service service that is provided within
the community. It does not bring money into the
community.
non-commercial forest part of a forest that has
trees too small to harvest or is too far away from
the market
non-governmental organization (NGO) organi-
zation that is not part of a government and pro-
vides a wide range of aid around the world
non-metallic mineral mineral that yields non-
metal when proce sed, e.g., salt, potash, and
asbestos
non-renewable resource resource that can be
used only once, e.g., oU or iron ore
GLOSSARY
,;
Northern Strategy comprehensive development
strategy for Canada's North that enables northern
people to achieve the best possible political, eco-
nomical, and ocial development
northing last three figures in a map reference,
giving the north-south location
nuclear-electric generating station place where
energy, in the form of heat, is generated by split-
ting atoms of radioactive materials, then is used
to generate electricity
official development assistance (ODA) govern-
ment-provided foreign aid
offshore fishery ocean fishery using boats
longer than 25 m. The boats stay at sea several
days before returning to shore with their catch.
oil sand mixture of heavy crude oil. sand, and
water
oil seed seed used in the production of oils, e.g.,
canola and sunflower
old growth forest area of mature forest that has
never been cut down
One-Tonne Challenge a federal government pro-
gram, started in 2003, to encourage Canadians to
take per onal actions to reduce their current
emissions of greenhouse gases by one tonne per
year and then to maintain that new level
open pit mining method of mining using a large
hole that is dug for the purpose of extracting ore
found near Earth's surface
ore rock that contains enough valuable minerals
to make mining profitable
organic farming agriculture without the use of
chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, or genetically
modified organisms. Organic farming ensures
sustainable agriculture and does not damage the
environment.
outsourcing transferring a business and its jobs
to another country where labour is cheaper. The
term also refers to buying services or products
from an outside supplier or manufacturer to cut
costs.
Pacific Rim countries in the Americas, Asia, and
Oceania (geographical region that includes
Australia, ew Zealand, and most of the smaller
islands) that border the Pacific Ocean
Paleozoic era period of geologic time from 570
million to 245 million years ago. See geologic
time.
Pangaea supercontinent that included all Earth's
land masses. It existed from about 300 million to
about 200 million years ago.
 GLOSSARY
parent material rock from which soil is derived
parkland vegetation region that is a transition
zone between Grassland and Boreal Forest
peacekeeping military assistance, usually by
members of the UN , that functions as a police
force or contlict mediator, where the parties in a
conflict have agreed to work toward peace
peacemaking military assistance, usually by
members of the UN, that may include military
operations, where there has been no peace
agreement
pelagic fish fish, such as salmon and tuna , that
live and feed in the open ocean
permafrost permanently frozen ground that
does not completely thaw in the summer
pesticide chemicals desigried to kill harmful
plants (herbicide) and harmful insects (insecti-
cide)
phytoplankton microscopic aquatic plants
found in plankton
pie graph common graph that uses sections of a
circle to illustrate comp arative values
piggyback system system whereby truck trailers
are transported on railway cars
pipeline line of pipes for carrying gas, oil, or
other liquids
plate tectonics theory that states that Earth's
outer shell consists of plates that move causing
earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and the for-
mation of new crust
plateau elevated flat area. See highlands.
point symbol symbol representing features that
occupy a specific point, such as bridges and
buildings, on a topographic map
polar front stormy boundary between cold, dry
polar air and warm, moist tropical air
political decision decision made by government
that will help attract new business or, if it is not
careful, that will drive investment away
population density figure calculated by dividing
the population of a region by the region's area
population distribution pattern showing where
people live in an area. For example, a scattered
distribution along a coastline or road .
population growth rate measurement that com-
bines both natural increase and net migration to
calculate the overall growth of a country's popu-
lation
population pyramid graph that depicts popula-
tion distribution by age and sex
power grid system of electrical power lines that
connects large generating stations to buildings
where people use electricity
Precambrian era period of geologic time from
the beginning of the Earth to 570 million years
ago; first era in the Earth's geologic history. There
were virtually no life forms at this time. See geo-
logic time.
prevailing winds winds that are most commonly
found in an area. For example, over most of
Canada, the prevailing winds are the westerlies,
which blow from west to east.
primary industry industry that deals with the
production of primary products such as minerals
that are mined or quarried, or an agricultural
product that is harvested in its raw state
prime meridian line (meridian) of longitude on
maps or globes that joins the North and South
Poles and runs through Greenwich, England.
Longitude is measured 180 east and 180 west
0 0
from this line (00).
proportional area graph type of graph that can
be produced in many shapes, frequently circles;
is often combined with pie graphs to show not
just the amount of something, but also how this
quantity is divided
protectionism a national policy of trying to pro-
tect certain industries by having high tariffs. It is
the opposite of free trade.
pull factor factor that draws immigrants to a
country, such as job opportunities, freedom of
speech and religion, and lower taxes
push factor factor, such as war, absence of
human rights, poor economic and educational
opportunities, religious persecution, terrorism,
and natural disasters, that causes people to
emigrate from their country
quaternary industry highly speci,dized (and
usually expensive) knowledge-based technologi-
cal and support services
quaternary worker person who works in an
industry that involves intellectual services, such
as writing software and architectural design.
Other quaternary industries include the high
tech industry, research and development, and
information technology.
radar in remote sensing, radar sensors send out
microwaves to Earth's surface and use the
microwaves reflected back to create an image of
human objects and natural features on Earth's
surface

rain shadow aTea on the leeward side of moun -
tains, receiving little precipitation
raw material something used by an industry to
be processed into a more finished state. For
example, iron are (raw material) is made into
steel (product), and steel (raw material) is made
into an automobile (product).
refugee person who migrates to another country
out of fear of cruel or inhumane treatment (or
even death) in his or her own country
relative measure type of measure that considers
total amounts in relation to population sizes
relief precipitation precipitation created when
an air mass rises to cross a mountain barrier;
also called orographic precipitation.
remote situated far from main centres of popu-
lation
remote sensing study of characteristics of Earth
using photographs and electronic images taken
from aircraft and satellites
renew make new again
renewable resource resource that replaces itself
unless badly mismanaged. For example, trees
grow to replace those cut down or lost to fire or
disease
representative fraction scale scale on a map
given as a ratio of distance on the map to dis-
tance on the ground, e.g., 1:50 ODD, which means
1 cm on the map represents 50 000 cm on Earth's
surface
research and development (R&D) process of
inventing a new product and then preparing this
product for sale
reserve area of land set aside for the use of a
band of status Indians
reservoir artificial lake built to store water for
usc in a hydro -electric generating station, for
irrigation, or for flood control
residential density measure of the number of
housing units per hectare
resource-based community a town that exists
primarily to exploit the presence of a mineral,
forest, or other resource
retail sale of goods to the public in stores
rift valley valley created when the portion of
land between two faults (cracks in the earth)
drops down. The St. Lawrence River valley is a
rift valley.
-
----- -- -- ---- - --- - - -
GLOSSARY
Royal Proclamation of 1763 decree by the
British establishing two important principles for
negotiations: (a) land ownership rights of the
First Nations must be respected; (b) if a First
arion did choose to give up land, it should
receive a fair payment for it
Rule of 70 in demographics, process whereby
you divide 70 by the population growth rate to
estimate how many years it will take for the
country's populatio n to double
run-off water that flows off the land through
lakes and rivers into oceans
rural outside towns and cities
rural depopulation the migra"ion of people from
rural areas to urban areas
rural settlement permanent settlement of peo -
ple in an area that is weLl removed from large
urban centres
rural-urban fringe area adjacent to an urban
area where there is a mixture of urban and rural
land uses
satellite manufactured object that is launched
by a rocket and circles Earth. Satellites are used
to communicate, to study Earth's resources, and
to aid the military.
saturated zone area where crevices in the rock
and the spaces between the particles of soil,
sand, and gravel are filled with water. The top of
this zone is called the water table.
scale measurement on a map that represents an
actual distance on Earth's surface. For example, a
scale of 1:50000 means that 1 cm on the map
represents 50 000 em on Earth's surface.
search engine program designed to help you
find information (Web ites) on a computer sys-
tem such as the World Wide Web
secondary industry industry dealing with manu-
facturing or construction
secondary recovery variety of method.s used to
remove a greater percentage of oil from deposits .
Even with secondary recovery, only about 60% of
the oil in most deposits can be recovered.
section system survey system in most of the
prairie provinces with units of land 1.6 km by
1.6 km (l square mile) . When settlers first
arrived, they were given a quarter-section of land
to farm .
- - - - - - - - -- - - -- -
• • GLOSSARY
sediment eroded material, such as sand and
gravel, that is deposited by water, wind, or
glacial ice
selective cutting lumbering technique in which
only trees of a certain type, size, and quality a re
cut
self-government principle that each distinct
group of people has the right to control its own
affairs. In Canada, this term is mo t often
applied to First lations.
services teniary indu trie that provide func-
tions needed by other industries and ociety in
general. Services include retailing, education,
health care, communications, and government.
The service sector is the largest part of Canada's
economy.
settlement pattern distribution of homes,
farms , villages, towns, and cities in an area
shellfish molluscs and crustaceans such as oys-
ters, shrimps, and lobsters
shelterwood logging metho d of logging, often
used in forests with trees of uniform age and
size, that clear-cuts pans of the forest, leaving
some seed-bearing trees £0 regenerate the
logged area
shield large area of Precambrian rock that forms
the core of a continent
short-grass prairie type of vegetation in the
Canadian prairie provinces where very little pre-
cipitation causes grasses to be shorter than in
slightly wetter long-grass prairie area
silviculture branch of forestry dealing with the
cultivation and care of forests
site refers to the characteristics of the land on
which a city is built
situation refers to the re la tionship between a
city's location and the area surrounding it
slag the impurities that are separated from
molten metal and removed during smelting
smaU-scale map map that shows a small amount
of detail of a large area, such as a map with a
scale of 1:250 000
Smart Growth conservation policy intended to
promote and manage growth of communities,
sustain a strong economy in the region, and pro -
mote a healthy natural enviro nm ent
smelting process whereby metals are removed
from ore or concentrate for use in industry
smokestack industry traditional resource-based
industry, uch as steel-making, auto assembly, or
oil refining
sod mat deep intertwined root system of the
grass. This sod mat absorbs and stores moisture.
and holds the soil in place.
softwood wood from coniferous (needle-leaved)
trees
soil surface layer of Earth, composed of mineral
and organic materials, air, and water
soil proFJ1e different horizons (layers) in the soil
and the rock layer (bedrock) below the soil. Each
horizon has different physical, biologica l, and
chemical characteristics.
specific claim First Nation's claim based on a
belief that the government did not fulfill its obli-
gations under a treaty or other agreement related
to land, money, or other assets
spreadsheet computer program designed partic-
ularly to manipulate numerical information
stacked bar graph very much like a simple bar
graph, with one important difference: while each
bar in a simple bar graph represents one value, a
stacked bar can be used to represent several
closely related values
statistical analysis studying collected data for
the purposes of summarizing information to
make it more usable and for making generaliza-
tions
stereo pair pair of aerial photographs that, when
looked at through a ste reoscope, shows a 3-
dimensional image
stewardship the management of resources in a
careful and ustainable way
strip mining method of mining used to recover
mineral deposits located very near the surface
subsidy money given in the form of a grant or
gift by a government to a private company,
organization, or individual farmers to help them
stay in business
suburban referring to low-dens ity housing areas,
commercial areas, etc. usually found on the out-
skirts of a city. Suburban i between rural and
urban .
survey system pattern of land division used in
an area
sustainability approach to development that
mee ts the needs of the prese nt without nega-
tively affecting the ability of future generations
to meet their needs
sustainable agriculture approach to agricultural
production that can be maintained indefinitely
without harming the environment

sustained yield forest management use of forest
resources at a rate that allows the forests to
renew themselves
sustained yield management use of a renewable
resource at a rate that allows the resource to
renew it elf. For example, the number of fish
caught should not be greater than the number of
fish reaching maturity.
tailings waste materials left over from process-
ing are
tandem engineering a process whereby two or
more engineering teams work on a product and
the next generation of that product simultane-
ously to speed up the process of getting new
products to market
tariff tax charged on goods imported into a
country to protect local industries from foreign
competition
telematics GPS technology that is integrated
with computers and mobile communications
equipment. For example, vehicle telematics can
track a company's fleet vehicles, locate stolen
vehicle , and collect road tolls.
temperature range subtraction of coldest aver-
age monthly temperature from warmest average
monthly temperature
tertiary industry industry that provides services
rather than goods
tertiary worker person who works in services.
This sector of the economy includes government
services, retail and wholesale, transportation,
banking, entertainment, education, and utilities.
thematic map map containing information on
only one topic or theme
thermal-electric generating station facility that
generates electricity through the use of steam
produced by heat from burning fuel such as
coal, oil, and natural gas
threshold population minimum number of
customers needed to make a business profitable
or to allow a service, such as a post office or
library, to be offered
topographic map large-scale map showing both
natural and human-made features
topography natural and human features of the
landscape
topsoil surface layer of soil
toxic chemicals chemicals that are harmful to
humans or to the environment
----- ------- ---
GLOSSARY
trade process of buying and selling goods and
services. International trade involves the buying
and selling of goods and services between
countries.
trade deficit situation in which a country has
bought (imported) more in goods or ervices
than it has sold in exports
trade surplus situation in which a country has
bought (imported) less in goods or services than
it has sold in exports
transect line through a community along which
land use or other data are analyzed
transition zone area where the characteristics of
one region gradually change into those of
another
transportation movement of people and goods
from one place to another
transportation hub major centre for interna -
tional and domestic transportation
treaty in Canada, an official agreement between
the federal government and First Nations
whereby the Aboriginal peoples give up their
land rights except for reserves and accept treaty
money and other kinds of government assistance
tree line boundary between the Tundra and the
Boreal Forest zone. North of this line it is too
cold for trees to grow.
tributary a small stream or river that joins a
larger stream or river
tsunami a long, high sea wave caused by under-
water earthquakes
tundra northernmost vegetation region, found
in areas too cold for trees to grow. Bushes,
grasses, mosses, and similar plants dominate.
underground mining method of mining used to
recover deep mineral deposits
unit train train that carries large amounts of
only one cargo along a route. For example, coal is
carried from the interior of British Colum bia to
Vancouver for shipment to Japan.
urban towns and cities of 1000 or more people
urban growth actual number of people by which
a city or town's population grows
urban renewal process of rebuilding older parts
of a city
urban sprawl low-density development sur-
rounding a city
urbanization process of changing from rural to
urban
--- ------ ~ -
 GLOSSARY
value added when materials are processed, their
value increases. For example, when tomatoes are
made into tomato juice, the value of the juice is
greater than the value of the unprocessed toma-
toes. The difference in price between the
unprocessed tomatoes and the tomato juice is
the value added.
variable a factor whose value changes over time,
such as fertili ty and mortality rates, greenhou e
gas emis ions, and GDP per capita
water table top of the soil zone in which all pore
spaces are filled with water, called the saturated
zone. Above the water table, the pore spaces are
filled with air.
watershed an area of high land that separates
one drainage basin from another
waypoint fixed location with latitude and longi-
tude coordinates that is stored in a GPS unit
weather combination of temperature, precipita-
tion, cloud cover, and winds experienced daily
weathering breakdown of rock into small parti-
cles
Web pages documents that are accessible
through the World Wide Web
wetlands swamp, marsh, and bog; places where
the water table is at ground level
wholesale buying and selling of goods other
than to the public. For example, sale of goods by
manufacturer to distributor
wind horizontal movement of air over Earth's
surface, caused by differences in air pressure
windward the side of a mountain range that
faces the prevailing wind
winter-city concept idea to build cities with
inside and outside environments tbat are livable
during long, harsh winters
winter ice road roads that are buHt over frozen
tundra, lakes, and rivers to provide vehicle access
to northern communities and mining sites dur-
ing the winter
withdrawal use water that is permanently
removed from a river for consumption in homes,
industries, agriculture, or business
World Wide Web (WWW) international network
of Internet sites
x/y scattergraph simple and useful graph show-
ing relationship between two sets of data
zoning laws, usually passed by city governments,
controlling the kind and amount of development
in an area
zooplankton microscopic aquatic animals found
in plankton