When most people hear the word geography, they immediately begin to think of maps, but it’s so much more than that. To understand why studying geography is relevant, people must first understand what it means. So, before providing our examples of Geography terms in Arabic, we’ll explain just that. The word comes to us from the ancient Greeks, who needed a word to describe the writings and maps that were helping them make sense of the world in which they lived. Hence, in Greek, geo means “earth” and –graphy means “to write.”
Using geography, Greeks developed an understanding of where their homeland was located in relation to other places, what their own and other places were like, and how people and environments were distributed. These concerns have been central to geography terms In Arabic ever since. Of course, the Greeks were not the only people interested in geography. Throughout human history, most societies have sought to understand something about their place in the world, and the people and environments around them.
Fun fact: Did you know that advances in geography were mainly made by scientists of the Muslim world, based around the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. Geographers of this Islamic Golden Age created the world’s first rectangular map based on a grid, a map system that is still familiar today. Islamic scholars also applied their study of people and places to agriculture, determining which crops and livestock were most suited to specific habitats or environments. We believe it is important to know the Arabic words for such terms. It might help you in your travels and also enhance your Arabic vocabulary.
English | Transliteration | Arabic |
---|---|---|
Country in Arabic | Balad | بلد |
State in Arabic | Wlayeh | ولاية |
City in Arabic | Madenah | مدينة |
Town in Arabic | Baldah | بلدة |
Village in Arabic | Qaryah | قرية |
Capital in Arabic | Asemah | عاصمة |
Hill in Arabic | Tal | تل |
Valley in Arabic | Wadi | وادي |
Plain in Arabic | Sahel | سهل |
Desert in Arabic | Sahra’ | صحراء |
Oasis in Arabic | Waha | واحة |
Forest in Arabic | Ghaba | غابة |
Rainforest in Arabic | Ghaba estwa’yah | غابة استوائية |
Mountain in Arabic | Jabal | جبل |
Mountain range in Arabic | Silselat jibal | سلسلة جبال |
Plateau in Arabic | Hadaba | هضبة |
Continent in Arabic | Qarra | قارة |
Ocean in Arabic | Moheet | محيط |
Sea in Arabic | Bahar | بحر |
Lake in Arabic | Buhaira | بحيرة |
River in Arabic | Nahr | نهر |
Spring in Arabic (flowing water) | Nab’ | نبع |
Beach in Arabic | shaati’ | شاطيء |
Canyon in Arabic | waadee | وادي |
Geography in Arabic | jughraafiaa | جغرافيا |
Well in Arabic | Bi’r | بئر |
Location or place in Arabic | Makaan | مكان |
Suburb in Arabic | Dawahin | ضاحية |
Governorate in Arabic | Muhafaza | محافظة |
Whether geography is thought of as a discipline or as a basic feature of our world, developing an understanding of the subject is important. It helps us have a better understanding of society and why we live in the places we do. It also helps us understand How urbanization has changed the world and its societies and why certain areas flourish while others don’t. Geography terms in Arabic help us understand why certain locations are ideal for living and why others are not.
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