asylum seeker
A person that has applied for a right of permanent residence in another country based on their need to be protected from a threat in their homeland.

biofuel
A fuel made from biomass (parts of plants, animals, fungi, or microbes). Examples include biogas and biodiesel.

birth rate
The number of people born during a certain time period in a specific area per thousand inhabitants.  

broadleaf forest
A vegetation type of the temperate zone. Characterized by broadleaf trees.

carbon footprint
The amount of greenhouse gases released by a product or service during its life span. Carbon footprints can be calculated for individual products, services, actions, or consumers.

circular economy
A type of economic system where the efficient use and recycling of materials lowers the need for the acquisition of new natural resources.

climate change
The accelerated greenhouse effect caused by human activity. As a result of climate change, the planet's temperature is increasing drastically.

coniferous forest
A vegetation zone that is dominated by coniferous trees (such as spruce and pine) adapted to cold and snowy winters. Found in the temperate zone.

continent
A large, unified mass of land. Earth's continents are North America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

cultural environment
A region within which the spiritual and material cultural factors of populations are similar.

desert
A biome that receives only a little rainfall. This is why desert vegetation is sparse.

indigenous people
A people that has inhabited a region before other settlers. Native American tribes and Aboriginal Australians are examples of indigenous peoples.

Anglo-America
An English-speaking cultural region in North America. Comprises of the United States and Canada.  

developing nation
A nation where the quality of life is globally low, yet continually developing as a result of economic or social improvements.

ecological sustainability
Human activity that does not overstep the carrying capacity of the environment and leaves natural resources for the following generations is considered economically sustainable.

erosion
The wearing down of Earth’s surface as a result of exogenous processes, such as flowing water, glacial movement, wind and waves.

euro
The official currency of the European Union.

fertility rate
A metric that presents how many children on average a woman of a certain population gives birth to during her life span. Presented in permilles.  

fossil fuels
Fuels that have been formed from the remains (or fossils) of ancient organisms that have decomposed in anaerobic conditions between layers of rock and soil. Fossil fuels include natural gas, crude oil and coal.

GDP
An economic indicator metric that describes the total value of goods and services produced in a country during a certain time period. Often presented in US dollars.

globalization
A phenomenon that consists of the networking and interaction between people from different parts of the world.

GMO crop
A cultivated plant that has been improved via gene transfer.

greenhouse effect
A phenomenon where greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere prevent heat radiation from escaping into space. The greenhouse effect keeps the planet's atmosphere warm. 

HDI, Human Development Index
A metric that combines other metrics of life expectancy, education, literacy rate and GDP to form an overall estimate of a nation’s level of human development. Presented on a scale from 0 to 1, where 1 is the maximum value.

human geography
A field of geography that studies human activity and its relationship with the natural environment on different parts of the globe.

Latin America
A cultural region that comprises of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations of Central and South America.

malnourishment
The state of being significantly underfed.

Mediterranean vegetation
A vegetation type found in the subtropical zone. Also known as chaparral.

megacity
A large city with over ten million inhabitants.

megalopolis
An urban area comprising of multiple large cities that has formed as a result of city expansion.

metropolis
A large city with over a million inhabitants.

migration
The movement of people and populations from one area to another.

monsoon winds
Monsoon winds are a type of seasonal wind common in Asia. Divided into a dry winter monsoon, during which the wind flows from the continent towards the ocean, and a humid summer monsoon that flows from the ocean towards the continent.

mortality rate
The number of people who die during a certain time period in a specific area per thousand inhabitants.  

natural resource
Natural resources are materials found in the environment that are used by humans. They can be divided into material and immaterial resources.

non-renewable resource
A natural resource of which only a limited quantity is found on the planet. For example fossil fuels and minerals.

ore
If a rock contains enough metal to make its extraction and refining economically feasible, the rock can be called an ore. 

population density
The amount of people living within a square mile (people/km²).

population pyramid
A diagram that presents the age and gender distribution of a population as bar charts.

radioactivity
Harmful radiation caused by the breaking down of unstable atom cores.

rainforest 
A lush, diverse vegetation type common to the tropical zone characterized by high precipitation and warm temperatures.

refugee
A person that has to leave their homeland because of a conflict, epidemic, or natural catastrophe.

renewable resource
A natural resource that does not run out. For example solar energy or plants.

savanna
A vegetation type that is also known as tropical grassland.

slum
An unregulated urban area characterized by a low level of infrastructure. Common to the rapidly growing cities of developing countries.

tank farming
A type of farming where animals or plants are grown in water tanks.

temperate grassland
A biome that is found in the temperate zone. It is characterized by the lack of trees and the presence of grasses, shrubs and bulbous plants. For example, the prairies of the United States are regions of temperate grassland.

tsunami
A strong wave caused by activity (such as an earthquake) in the ocean floor.

tundra
A biome of the frigid zone. Tundra is characterized by the lack of trees.

undeveloped nation
A nation whose population is tormented by malnutrition, weak health care, low education, inequality, and violent conflicts.

urbanization
A phenomenon where the number of people living in urban areas increases over time. Urbanization can often result in social, economic, and technological changes in the population.