大象传媒

Tim asked Khalid if he knew what the capital of Cameroon was. The capital city is part of the geographical makeup of a country.

Here are some common expressions you can use to talk about a country's geography and geographical features.

geography
the study of the systems and processes involved in the world's weather, mountains, seas, lakes, etc. and of the ways in which countries and people organize life within an area
Example: We're studying the geography of India just now in school.

cardinal points
the four main points of the compass: north, south, east and west
Example: If you don't even know your cardinal points, what makes you think you should be in charge of the map!

peninsula
long narrow piece of land which sticks out into the sea or into a lake
Example: A lot of the state of Florida is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida.

rural
countryside
Example: We lived in the city for five years but now that we've got kids, we want a more rural lifestyle. We think bringing them up in the countryside will be better for them.

fertile
land or soil where crops (fruit, vegetable, cereals etc.) can be grown successfully
Example: The farmers have been very successful here because the land is so fertile.

erode
rub away gradually over a long period of time
Example: Over the years the coast of this country has changed. The cliffs next to the sea are being eroded more and more every year by the waves.

season
period of time every year when a particular type of weather usually happens, for example, spring, summer, autumn and winter or the dry season, hurricane season, monsoon season or rainy season
Example: I think the beginning of the monsoon season is my favourite time of the year. After the long hot days and nights, the first rain is such a relief.

capital (city)
city which is the centre of government of a country
Example: Cardiff is the capital of Wales.

residential area
housing area where people live
Example: The city has residential areas, as well as industrial ones.

population
total number of people living in a particular country, area or place
Example: The population of this city is rising every year as more and more people from the countryside move here looking for work.

birth rate
number of children being born for each 1,000 of the population
Example: China's "One child per family" policy was introduced to try to reduce the birth rate.

death rate
number of people dying for each 1,000 of the population
Example: As advances in medicine increase, the death rate in most countries decreases.

densely populated
area that is very crowded
Example: Beijing is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

migrate
move from one place to another to live or to work
Example: Workers migrate here every year to find work at harvest time on the farms.