(Study Material) World Geography useful notes

Study Material : World Geography useful notes

• Hottest Place: Dallol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia, annual average temperature : 34.4 degree Celsius
• Coldest Place: Plateau Station, Antarctica, annual average temperature : -56.7 degree Celsius
• Wettest Place: Mawsynram, Meghalaya : 1187cm (74 yr average)
• Driest Place: Atacama Desert, Chile : 0.08cm

Geographical terminology:

Trade  Winds are the winds which blow from the sub-tropical belts of high pressure towards the equatorial region of low pressure from the north-east in the northern hemisphere and from the south east in the southern hemisphere.

Gale is the name given to strong winds having a speed between 56km and 72 km per hour.

Hurricane denotes a strong wind and a violent cyclonic storm with torrential rain and thunderstorm with wind velocity of over hundred km per hour. 

Tornado is the name given to the violent storm occuring in North America. It is generally accompanied by torrential rains and produces water spouts in the sea.

Water Spout is a tornado occuring in the sea usually in tropical and sub-tropical regions which connects a whirling cone of  dense cloud with a cone of spray raised from sea and thus raises a huge column of water.

Bora is the name given to the cold dry wind experienced particularly in winter along the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in northern Italy.

Cyclone is a storm of high intensity with winds blowing at speeds of 120-280 km per hour round the centre. The winds, often accompanied by torrential rain, rush inward from all directions.

Major Grasslands:

Grasslands                 Continent/Country 

Prairies                      North America

Pampas                      South America

Pretoria                      South Africa

Veld                            South Africa

Steppes                      Eurasia

Downs                        Australia

Pustaz                        Hungary

Cantanburry              New Zealand