Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PHOTO SOURCES
INTRODUCTION
DEFINING THE WORLD
Definitions and History
The Earth
Continents and Islands
Human Civilization
People and Countries
MAPS
History and Instruments
Latitude and Longitude
Reading and Using Maps
Modern Mapping
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The Earth’s Materials and Internal Processes
Natural Resources
Landscapes and Ecosystems
Asteroids and Near Earth Objects
WATER AND ICE
High, Low, Big, Small, and Wondrous
Oceans and Seas
Rivers and Lakes
Precipitation
Glaciers and Fjords
Controlling Water
CLIMATE
Definitions
The Atmosphere
Ozone
Climate Trends
Weather
Wind
HAZARDS AND DISASTERS
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Tsunamis
Hurricanes
Floods
Tornadoes
Lightning
Other Hazards and Disasters
TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN GEOGRAPHY
Cities and Suburbs
Urban Structures
Air Transportation
Roads and Railways
Sea Transportation
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
Colonies and Expansionism
The United Nations
NATO and the Cold War
The World Today
The World Economy
CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY
Population
Language and Religion
Dealing with Hazards
Cultures around the World
TIME, CALENDARS, AND SEASONS
Time Zones
Daylight Saving Time
Keeping Time
Calendars
The Seasons
EXPLORATION
Europe and Asia
Africa
The New World
The Poles
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Physical Features and Resources
The States
Cities and Counties
People and Culture
History
NORTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN
Canada
Greenland and the North Pole Region
Mexico
Central America
Caribbean
SOUTH AMERICA
Physical Features and Resources
History
People, Countries, and Cities
WESTERN EUROPE
History
People, Countries, and Cities
RUSSIA AND EASTERN EUROPE
Russia and the Former Soviet States
Eastern Europe
ASIA
China and East Asia
Japan and the Korean Peninsula
Southeast Asia
India and West Asia
THE MIDDLE EAST
The Land and Its History
Religion
People, Countries, and Cities
AFRICA
Physical Features and Resources
History
People, Countries, and Cities
OCEANIA AND ANTARCTICA
Oceania
Australia
New Zealand
Antarctica
COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
FURTHER READING
GLOSSARY
