Understanding Earth's Climates, Landforms, and Oceans

Earth's Climates, Landforms, and Oceans

Warm Climates

Warm climates are found in intertropical areas, between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn:

Equatorial Climate

Warm temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year, exceeding 2,000 mm annually. The vegetation is characterized by abundant forests.

Tropical Climate

Very warm temperatures with rainfall concentrated in specific months. The savanna is a typical landscape feature.

Desert Climate

Very hot and with very little rainfall, less than 250mm annually. The vegetation is sparse and adapted to drought, such as cacti or esparto grass.

Temperate Climates

Located between the tropics and polar circles. These climates experience four distinct seasons with notable differences in temperatures and precipitation.

Mediterranean Climate

Mild winters and hot, dry summers. The vegetation is adapted to drought, including cork oak trees.

Oceanic Climate

Mild temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Deciduous forests, such as oak and beech, are common.

Continental Climate

Cold winters and hot, humid summers. The vegetation is the boreal forest or taiga, featuring pine and fir trees.

Cold Climates

Found in polar regions and high mountain areas.

Polar Climate

Low temperatures and virtually nonexistent precipitation, resulting in little to no vegetation. Tundra can form in these regions.

High Mountain Weather

Very cold temperatures and high precipitation, often as snow in winter. Vegetation changes with altitude.

Rivers and Coasts

Arctic Slope: Navigable throughout the year, but less so in winter. The main rivers are the Pechora and Dvina.

Atlantic Coast: Abundant rainfall. The main rivers are the Dvina, Vistula, Oder, Rhine, and Seine.

Mediterranean Coast: Small and irregular flow. The most important rivers are the Po, Ebro, and Rhone.

Black Sea: Water flows into two major rivers, the Danube and the Dnieper.

Caspian Sea: Located at the mouth of the Volga, the continent's longest river, and the Ural, which forms the border between Europe and Asia.

Landforms

A mountain is a significant elevation of the terrain with steep slopes. Smaller mountains are often called hills. Groups of mountains with common characteristics are called mountain ranges. Jagged mountain ranges are called serrated mountains.

Plateaus and plains are extensive flat or slightly inclined surfaces located at altitude compared to sea level.

Depressions or basins are sunken areas, more or less extensive, that are lower than the surrounding ground. Plains are also large areas that are flat or slightly undulating, but located at low altitude in relation to sea level.

Volcanoes are openings or cracks in the earth's crust through which hot materials from inside the earth flow out, including lava, gases, water vapor, and ash.

Earthquakes are tremors caused by the fracture and displacement of rocks inside the earth. Earthquakes that occur at sea can cause tsunamis.

Oceans

Oceans are large bodies of salt water. Currents influence the climate and affect productivity.