IB · Diploma Programme · IBDP HL/SL Geography
Geography — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Geography (SL/HL)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
IB Diploma Programme Geography (IBDP HL/SL Geography)
IB Diploma Programme Geography (IBDP HL/SL Geography)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Geography (SL/HL)
Topics map to IB DP Geography Part 1 (Geographic themes — options), Part 2 (Geographic perspectives — global change) and HL Extension (Global interactions). The Internal Assessment is a fieldwork-based written report.
Mark schemes: IB Geography mark schemes reward command-term-led answers (define, distinguish, explain, examine, discuss), case-study-specific detail and accurate use of geographic terminology, statistics and diagrams.
Active recall: 0 / 34 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Essential | Drainage basin | Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Core | Drainage basin water balance | Q = P − E − T ± S; discharge equals precipitation minus evaporation and transpiration plus or minus storage. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Core | Plate tectonics | Theory that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into plates moving over the asthenosphere. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Core | Convergent boundary | Plate margin where plates collide; produces fold mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Core | Hazard risk equation | Risk = (Hazard × Vulnerability) ÷ Capacity to cope. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Core | Climate change | Long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns, particularly attributable to anthropogenic greenhouse gases. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Advanced | Albedo | Fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface; affects energy balance. | |
| Geographic Themes — Physical and Hazards | Advanced | Hydrograph | Graph of river discharge against time; lag time reflects basin characteristics. | |
| Population and Migration | Essential | Population density | Number of people per unit area, typically per square kilometre. | |
| Population and Migration | Core | Demographic Transition Model (DTM) | Five-stage model linking birth and death rates to economic development. | |
| Population and Migration | Core | Dependency ratio | (Population aged 0–14 + 65+) ÷ Working-age population × 100. | |
| Population and Migration | Core | Push factors | Negative conditions (e.g. unemployment, conflict) that drive people to leave a place. | |
| Population and Migration | Core | Pull factors | Positive conditions (e.g. jobs, safety) that attract migrants to a destination. | |
| Population and Migration | Core | Net migration | Difference between immigration and emigration over a given period. | |
| Population and Migration | Advanced | Demographic dividend | Economic boost from a falling dependency ratio as fertility falls and the working-age population grows. | |
| Population and Migration | Advanced | Refugee | Person forced to flee across an international border due to persecution, war or violence (1951 UN Convention). | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Essential | Globalisation | Increasing interconnectedness of economies, societies and cultures worldwide. | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Core | Human Development Index (HDI) | Composite indicator (0–1) of life expectancy, education and GNI per capita. | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Core | Gini coefficient | Statistical measure of income inequality from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (maximum inequality). | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Core | Lorenz curve | Graph showing cumulative share of income against cumulative share of population; deviation from line of equality measures inequality. | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Core | Transnational corporation (TNC) | Firm operating in two or more countries, often with global supply chains. | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Advanced | Outsourcing / offshoring | Relocation of business functions or production to lower-cost foreign locations. | |
| Globalisation, Development and Inequality | Advanced | Glocalisation | Adaptation of global products or services to local cultural contexts. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Core | Spearman's rank correlation (rs) | Non-parametric statistic measuring the strength of a monotonic relationship between two ranked variables. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Core | Chi-squared test | Statistical test comparing observed and expected frequencies for categorical data. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Core | Ordnance Survey (OS) map skills | Use of grid references, scale, contours and symbols to interpret topographic maps. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Core | Choropleth map | Thematic map using shading or colour to show value ranges across defined areas. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Advanced | Geographic Information System (GIS) | Computer system for capturing, storing, analysing and displaying spatially referenced data. | |
| Geographic Skills and Statistics | Advanced | Sampling | Methods (random, stratified, systematic) for selecting representative observations from a population. | |
| Internal Assessment Fieldwork | Core | Hypothesis | Testable statement predicting a relationship between geographic variables. | |
| Internal Assessment Fieldwork | Core | Primary data | Data collected first-hand by the researcher (e.g. pedestrian counts, environmental quality surveys). | |
| Internal Assessment Fieldwork | Core | Secondary data | Data collected by others (e.g. census, government statistics) used to support analysis. | |
| Internal Assessment Fieldwork | Core | Environmental Quality Index (EQI) | Composite score rating environmental conditions using bipolar criteria. | |
| Internal Assessment Fieldwork | Advanced | Triangulation | Use of multiple data sources or methods to validate findings. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
Geography (IBDP HL/SL Geography) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this IB Diploma Programme Geography keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important geography terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Geography (SL/HL) (IBDP HL/SL Geography). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this Geography glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for Diploma Programme Geography (IBDP HL/SL Geography) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for Geography.
- Can I download this Geography keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this Geography list aligned to the IBDP HL/SL Geography specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Geography (SL/HL) for IB Diploma Programme. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for Geography at Diploma Programme, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.