ADL Preferred Term Related Term Broader Term Narrower Term Narrower Term Use For Scope Note abyssal features abyssal hills abyssal plains educational facilities academies agricultural schools campuses colleges military schools schools seminaries training centers universities research facilities accelerators archaeological centers atomic centers experiment stations laboratories observatories observatorios proving grounds radio observatories reflectors research institutes scientific research bases space centers telescopes weather stations recreational facilities access areas access sites boardwalks casinos clubs (recreational) country clubs fairgrounds fishing areas fishing lodges fitness centers gun clubs hunt posts hunting lodges ice skating rinks playgrounds recreation sites resorts riding stables spas sportsman lodges stables yacht clubs youth centers youth facilities mine sites adits (mine sites) chrome mines coal mines collieries copper mines diatomite mines gold mines gravel pits iron mines lead mines mine entrances mine shafts mines mining areas mining camps nickel mines open pit mines placer mines quarries salt mines strip mines tin mines An excavation in the Earth for the purpose of extracting Earth materials. [USGS Circ 1048] administrative areas administrative divisions buffer zones civil areas concession areas demilitarized zones districts free trade zones leased areas (government) leased zones (government) prefectures protectorates sheikdoms sultanates trade zones buildings adminstrative facilities animal pounds animal shelters aquariums barns border posts cabins castles city halls civic centers club houses coast guard stations commissaries community centers community houses conference facilities consulates convention centers customs houses customs posts depots embassy buildings exhibition buildings facilities facility centers fire stations firehouses forest stations government buildings guard stations halls headquarters hostels hotels houses inns inspection stations legation buildings lodges missions motels neighborhood centers offices park headquarters patrol posts pavilions planetariums plazas police posts public buildings ranger stations restaurants shelters shops stations structures student unions studios substations taverns town halls trading posts treatment plants United States Government establishments visitor centers walls warehouses A permanent construction that is roofed and usually walled. [USGS Circ 1048] populated places agricultural colonies communes communities hamlets homesteads locales localities metropolitan areas populated localities ppl pueblos religious populated places settlements suburbs villages agricultural sites agricultural facilities agricultural reserves bailing stations banana plantations barns cattle dipping tanks corrals cotton plantations croplands cultivated areas cultivated croplands dairies farms farmsteads feedlots fields granges irrigated fields nurseries oil palm plantations orchards pastures plantations ranches rice fields rubber plantations sheepfolds sisal plantations stockyards sugar plantations tea plantations vineyards reserves agricultural reserves conservation areas demonstration areas environmental areas forest reserves game management areas hunting reserves management areas (reserves) natural areas nature reserves palm tree reserves preserves primitive areas protected areas reservations (nature sites) roadless areas sanctuaries (wildlife) wildlife areas wildlife refuges wildlife reserves A tract of land set aside for a specific use. mountain summits ahus mountain crests nunataks peaks summits military areas air force bases army facilities arsenals artillery ranges barracks bases (military) camps (military) forts infantry camps maneuver areas military bases military installations national guard facilities naval bases transportation features air routes caravan routes corridors crossings depots ferries fords (crossings) fuel depots gates (manmade) halting places (transportation) highway maintenance sites portages resthouses routes ship tracks stock routes terminals (transportation) transit facilities airport features airbases airfields airports airstrips landing fields landing strips runways seaplane bases amphibious bases seaplane landing areas An installation supporting aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. [FACC] performance sites amphitheaters amphitheatres auditoriums bowls (performance) coliseums concert halls opera houses playhouses recital halls stages (performance) symphony halls theaters theatres streams anabranches brooks burns (hydrographic) confluences creeks distributaries dry stream beds forks (physiographic features) intermittent streams lost rivers meanders stream bends stream mouths tidal creeks tributaries watercourses harbors anchorages anclajes boat yards boatyards dock yards docking basins dockyards dry docks harbours marine terminals moorings ports roadsteads (anchorages) turning basins A sheltered area of water where ships or other watercraft can anchor or dock. archaeological sites ancient sites archeological sites burial caves cliff dwellings petroglyphs pyramids For ancient structures still largely intact and remains of ancient structures; also includes active excavations. [Lib of Congress, Thesaurus of Graphic Materials I ] telecommunication features antenna field sites communication centers radio stations television stations transmission lines residential sites apartment blocks apartment houses barracks childrens homes condominiums dormitories homes leper colonies mansions mobile home sites monasteries novitiates nursing homes orphanages palaces parsonages rectories rowhouses trailer parks (residential) villas physiographic features aprons (geological) blowholes blowouts boulder fields cones (geological) crevasses fissures furrows geological features grades (physiographic) hammocks inclines landslides meander necks pitches (physiographic) polders potholes rockfalls sinkholes sinks siphon (physiographic) slides (natural) slopes talus slopes terraces (physiographic) uplands fisheries aquacultural sites fish farms fish hatcheries hatcheries trout farms sports facilities aquatic centers arenas athletic complexes athletic fields ball parks baseball fields dragways equestrian centers fields football fields golf clubs golf courses gymnasiums natatoriums physical education facilities polo fields pools, swimming race tracks racecourses racetracks raceways rifle ranges rodeo grounds shooting ranges skeet shooting ranges ski areas ski facilities ski trails speedways stadiums swim clubs swimming pools tennis clubs tennis courts parks arboretums botanical gardens commemorative areas commons gardens lookout (vista) marine parks national forests national parks national seashores observation points park gates picnic areas playgrounds provincial parks public use areas recreation areas rest areas scenic areas state forests state parks urban parks village squares wilderness areas zoological gardens zoos Place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or natural resource and under some form of government administration. library buildings archive buildings archives libraries tundras Arctic land A treeless, level, or gently rolling plain characteristic of arctic or subarctic regions, having a permanently frozen subsoil, and usually supporting low growing vegetation such as lichens, mosses, and stunted shrubs. [USGS Circ 1048] ridges aretes beach ridges cuestas eskers hogbacks icecap ridges rises (seafloor) spurs (physiographic) A long and narrow upland with steep sides. [USGS Circ 1048] seafloor features arrugados banks (seafloor) benches (seafloor) holes (seafloor) moats (seafloor) ocean floor features ramps (seafloor) rises (seafloor) seachannels (seafloor) shelf valleys (seafloor) subsea features tongues (seafloor) underwater features museum buildings art galleries galleries museums offshore platforms artificial islands oil platforms platforms (offshore) basins asphalt lakes depressions pans (geologic) A bowl-shaped depression in the surface of the land or ocean floor. [USGS Circ 1048] reference locations astronomical stations beacons bench marks boundaries boundary markers buoys control points geodectic stations geographic centers light houses light stations lighthouses markers milestones plaques poles (sphere) triangulation stations medical facilities asylums clinics convalescent centers dispensaries (medical) health facilities hospitals infirmaries leprosariums medical centers nursing homes rehabilitation centers sanatariums sanatoriums veterinary facilities islands atolls cays island arcs isles islets keys (islands) land-tied islands mangrove islands wetlands backwaters bayous bogs cienagas fens forested wetlands intermittent wetlands mangrove swamps marshes mires mud flats peat cutting areas peatlands quagmires riparian areas salt marshes sloughs slues swamps tidal flats An area that is saturated by surface or ground water with vegetation adapted for life under those soil conditions, as swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, and estuaries. [EPA Terms of Environment] bays bahias coves embayments A water area that is an inlet of the sea/ocean. [USGS Circ 1048] deserts bajadas rock deserts sandy areas sandy deserts stony deserts A region rendered barren or partially barren by environmental extremes, expecially by low rainfall. [USGS Circ 1048] commercial sites banks (commercial) breweries business centers companies malls marketplaces markets shopping centers shopping malls stores wineries canyons barrancas chasms flumes (natural) gorges gulches quebradas ravines For valleys between precipitous walls. [ Lib of Congress Thesaurus of Graphic Materials I ] reefs barrier reefs fringing reefs A chain of rocks or coral at or near the surface of water. [USGS Circ 1048] countries, 3rd order divisions barrios precincts third-order administrative divisions townships historical sites battle grounds battle sites battlefields dry stream beds historic sites historical landmarks historical markers historical parks lake beds massacre sites ruins wreck sites wrecks habitats beaver dams rookeries lakes beaver ponds crater lakes dry lakes fish ponds fishponds inland seas intermittent lakes intermittent oxbow lakes intermittent ponds intermittent pools intermittent salt lakes intermittent salt ponds lagoons laguna lake beds lochs millponds oxbow lakes ponds pools (water bodies) salt evaporation ponds salt lakes salt ponds tarns ledges benches (natural) A projecting horizontal, shelf-like mass of rock on a mountain- or cliff-side. [Monkhouse & Small, A dictionary of the natural environment] levees berms dikes (manmade) embankments revetments Natural or manmade embankments flanking rivers or streams. [Lib of Congress, Thesaurus of Graphic Materials I]. biogeographic regions biomes ecoregions vegetation industrial sites blast furnaces canneries cement plants cooper works cotton gins distilleries factories forges foundaries furnaces (industrial) gas-oil separation plants grist mills industrial areas industrial parks limekilns mill sites mills millsites munitions plants oil refineries olive oil mills ore treatment plants phosphate works plants (industrial) processing plants refineries sawmills smelters sugar mills sugar refineries tank farms whaling stations A group of associated strutures functioning as a unit used for refining a material or manufacturing a product. [USGS Circ 1048] cliffs bluffs clefts escarpments precipices scraps A high vertical, near-vertical, or overhanging face of rock, earth, or ice. [USGS Circ. 1048] marinas boat houses boathouses A harbor facility for recreational craft where supplies, repairs, and various services are available. [USGS Circ 1048] hydrographic structures boat landings boat launches boat ramps sluices water mills hydrographic features bodies of water eddies fluvial features marine features overfalls upwellings water bodies waterholes whirlpools continental margins borderlands (continental margins) continental rises continental shelves continental slopes platforms (continental margins) shelf edges (ocean) shelves, continental countries, 2nd order divisions boroughs counties judicial divisions municipios parishes second-order administrative divisions Second-order division of a nation such as parish, borough, county, municipio, or judicial division, and independent cities in Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia. [USGS Circ 1048] floodplains bottomlands The flat or nearly flat land along a river or stream or in a tidal area that is covered by water during a flood. [EPA Terms of Environment] cemeteries burying grounds grave sites graves graveyards mausoleums memorial gardens sepulchers tombs An area of land for burying the dead with two or more graves. [USGS Circ 1048] shrublands bushes chapparal areas heaths moors scrublands Areas covered with low-growing or stunted perennial vegetation and usually not mixed with trees. [USGS Circ 1048] mesas buttes A flat-topped elevation with steep sides. [Amer. Heritage Dictionary] landmarks cairns craters calderas camps campgrounds camping sites logging camps oil camps refugee camps RV parks trailer parks (recreational) canals canal bends canalized streams ditch mouths ditches drainage canals drainage ditches drains (channels) flumes (manmade) irrigation canals irrigation ditches irrigation systems laterals navigation canals underground irrigation canals Manmade waterway used by watercraft or for drainage, irrigation, mining, or water power. tunnels canal tunnels railroad tunnels road tunnels An underground or underwater passage. [USGS Circ 1048] countries, 1st order divisions cantons first-order administrative divisions provinces states territories First-order division of a nation. [USGS Circ 1048] roadways caravan routes causeways drives highways intersections parkways road bends road cuts road junctions roads streets traffic circles An open way for passage of vehicles. [USGS Circ 1048] towers carillons fire lookouts pagodas A structure designed primarily with a view to elevation, typically higher than wide. [USGS Circ 1048] waterfalls cascades cataracts falls A vertical or nearly vertical descent of water over a step or ledge in the bed of a river. [USGS Circ 1048] fortifications castles forts moats (manmade) redoubts stockades General term for any works made to oppose a small number of troops against a greater. [AAT] drainage basins catchments headwaters watersheds The area of land that drains water, sediment, and dissolved materials to a common outlet at some point along a stream channel. [EPA Terms of Environment] religious facilities cathedrals chapels churches convents monasteries mosques novitiates religious centers religious populated places religious sites retreats (religious) sanctuaries (religious) synagogues tabernacles temples caves cave entrances caverns grottoes natural tunnels underground lakes A naturally formed, subterranean open area or chamber. [USGS Circ 1048] mountains cerros cordilleras foothills hills knolls mounds mounts playas chotts kavirs A closed depression in an arid or semi-arid region that is periodically inundated by surface runoff, or the salt flat within such a closed basin. It is derived from the Spanish word for a 'beach' and is thus probably incorrectly used by English-speaking geomorphologists. [Encyc. Dictionary of Physical Geography] channels chutes (hydrographic) cutoffs (hydrographic) inlets lake channels marine channels narrows (hydrographic) navigation channels reaches (hydrographic) sounds (bodies of water) straits Linear deep part of a body of water through which the main volume of water flows and is frequently used as a route for watercraft. storage structures cisterns elevators (agricultural) storage tanks storehouses warehouses water tanks A large container used for storage. [USGS Circ 1048] land parcels claims (land) estates land grants lots (land parcels) tracts A tract or plot of the Earth's surface distinguishable by ownership. [USGS Circ 1048] grasslands clearings glades grazing areas meadows pampas prairies savannahs savannas An extensive noncultivated area where vegetation is dominated by grasses or grass-like plants. [USGS Circ 1048] mineral deposit areas coal fields coalfields lodes (mineral) petroleum basins placers salt deposit areas coastal zones coastal plains coasts intertidal zones offshore areas shorelines shores woods coconut groves groves olive groves palm groves pine groves trees gaps cols defiles passes saddles (physiographic) sills (physiographic) A low point or opening between mounts or in a ridge. [USGS Circ 1048] political areas commonwealths dependent political entities freely associated states independent political entities oblasts political entities semi-independent political entities pipelines compressor stations gas pipelines oil pipeline junctions oil pipeline terminals oil pipelines oil pumping stations pump houses pumphouses pumping stations water pumping stations A tubular conduit of substantial length, with pumps, valves, and control devices, for conveying fluids, gases, or finely divided solids. [USGS Circ 1048] arroyos coulees gullies wadi bends wadi junctions wadi mouths wadis washes housing areas country houses dwellings guest houses hermitages houses housing developments huts neighborhoods (residential) subdivisions capitals county seats national capitals state capitals court houses courthouses municipal courts bridges covered bridges drawbridges overpasses trestles viaducts A structure erected over a depression or obstacle to carry traffic. [USGS Circ 1048] reservoirs covered reservoirs intermittent reservoirs A constructed basin formed for recreation use, storage, treatment, collection, or processing of water or other liquids. [USGS Circ 1048] natural rock formations crags pillars (natural formation) pinnacles (natural formation) rock towers rocks volcanic features crater lakes dykes (geologic) ocean currents currents cirques cwms A horseshoe-shaped, steep-walled valley head caused by glacial erosion. [Kearey, Dict of Geology] dam sites dams spillways sub-surface dams weirs An area including a dam and associated structures functioning to control the flow or raise the level of water. [USGS Circ 1048] ocean trenches deep-sea trenches deeps (ocean) trenches (seafloor) troughs (seafloor) The topographic expression of subduction; the large linear depression of the oceanic lithosphere at a subduction zone. [Penguin Dict. of Geology, Kearey] correctional facilities detention camps detention centers detention homes honor camps honor farms jails juvenile facilities labor camps penal camps penal farms penitentiaries prisons reformatories piers docks jetties quays wharves Structures to which vessels may be berthed. [USGS Circ 1048] anticlines domes (physiographic) disposal sites dumps incinerators landfills mine dumps refuse disposal sites sanitary landfills scrap yards slag heaps tailing ponds tailings waste disposal sites wrecking yards An area where refuse is dumped. [USGS Circ 1048] power generation sites electric plants generating centers generation sites hydroelectric power stations nuclear power plants power plants power stations powerhouses solar power generation sites steam plants windmill power generation sites A group of associated structures functioning as a unit used for generating electricity. [USGS Circ 1048] research areas experimental areas experimental fields field campaigns observation sites study areas test sites alluvial fans fans (alluvial) waterworks filter plants filtration plants sewage treatment plants treatment plants water plants water treatment plants water works fjords fiords lochs Narrow deep inlets of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes. [Lib of Congress, Thesaurus of Graphic Materials I ] storage basins flood control basins floodways retention basins forests forest reserves national forests valleys forks (physiographic features) glens hanging valleys hollows median valleys shelf valleys (seafloor) An elongated depression in the Earth's surface that generally slopes from one end to the other. [USGS Circ 1048] petrified forests fossilized forests countries, 4th order divisions fourth-order administrative divisions firebreaks fuelbreaks An area cleared of vegetation for the purpose of impeding the progress of a grass or forest fire. [USGS Circ 1048] thermal features fumaroles geysers hot springs parking sites garages parking lots A designated area where motor vehicles are set and left temporarily. [USGS Circ 1048] oil fields gas fields gasfields oilfields petroleum fields storage fields (petroleum) glacier features glaciers nunataks Body or stream of ice moving outward and downslope from an area of accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top or side of a mountain or mountainous area. fault zones grabens seamounts guyots tablemounts (seafloor) capes headlands peninsulas points (physiographic) promontories A projection of land extending into a body of water that prominently marks a change in or interrupts the coastal trend of that water body. [USGS Circ 1048] heliports helibases helipads helistops ice masses ice fields ice patches ice sheets icebergs icecap depressions icecap domes icecaps icefalls tribal areas indian reservations indian reserves reservations (indian) institutional sites institutes institutions A group of buildings or associated structures functioning as a unit used predominantly for educational. correctional, governmental, medical, or religious purposes. [USGS Circ 1048] dunes interdune troughs sandy areas Hills of sand piled up by the wind. [USGS Circ 1048] plains interfluves llanos A region of general uniform slope, comparatively level and of considerable extent. [USGS Circ 1048] land regions lake districts lake regions lava fields lava areas ecological research sites LTERs ocean regions marine regions The great body of salt water of the oceans. [USGS Circ 1048] monuments memorials national monuments pyramids shrines statues tombs data collection facilities meteorological stations satellite stations railroad features metrorail stations railroad junctions railroad sidings railroad spurs railroad stations railroad stops railroad switches railroad yards railways subway stations switches (railroad) tramways springs (hydrographic) mineral springs sulfur springs A place where water issues from the ground naturally. [USGS Circ 1048] launch facilities missile sites An area from which rockets/missiles may be housed and projected, usually equipped with associated buildings and facilities. [USGS Circ 1048] breakwaters moles (structural) seawalls Structure built to break the force of waves or to restrain or direct current so as to protect a breach, harbor, or other waterfront facility. [USGS Circ 1048] Metropolitan Statistical Areas MSAs cities municipalities towns urban areas An incorporated populated place such as a village, city, town, borough, or hamlet, and includes an independent city. [USGS Circ 1048] countries nations republics arches (natural formation) natural bridges sea arches A naturally occurring curved structure that supports the weight of material over space. [USGS Circ 1048] wells oil wells water wells A pit or hole dug or bored into the Earth for the extraction of oil, water, other fluids or gases. [USGS Circ 1048] post office buildings post offices trails promenades steps (manmade) trailheads walking paths A cleared path, beaten track, or improved surface, as through woods or wilderness, not usually trafficked by vehicles because of width, seasonal conditions, or access restrictions. [USGS Circ 1048] map quadrangle regions quadrangle regions topographic quadrangle regions bars (physiographic) quicksand areas sandbars shoals spits A natural accumulation of sand, gravel, or other material forming an underwater or exposed embankment. [USGS Circ 1048] mountain ranges ranges (physiographic) sierra A chain of mounts. [USGS Circ 1048] rivers rios bends (river) river bends The land within the curve of a stream sometimes including the course of the stream. [USGS Circ 1048] flats sabkhas A level tract of land. [USGS Circ 1048] beaches sandy areas strands The gently sloping shore that is washed by waves, usually composed of sand and pebbles. [USGS Circ 1048] snow regions snowfields banks (hydrographic) stream banks plateaus table mountains tablelands An upland with a more or less uniform summit level, sometimes bounded by slopes falling steeply away, sometimes rising by steep slopes to mountain ridges. [Monkshouse & Small, A Dictionary of the Natural Environment] cadastral areas township and range areas postal areas zip code areas deltas aqueducts A structure designed to transport water from a remote source, usually by gravity. [USGS Circ 1048] paleontological sites Sites with notable fossil remains badlands An area characterized by a maze of very closely spaced, deep, narrow, steep-sided ravines, and sharp crests and pinnacles. [NIMA] barren lands Places composed of bare rock, sand, gravel, or other earthen material with little or no vegetation and having limited ability to support life. [USGS Circ 1048] rapids An area of swift current in a stream or river, characterized by standing waves or by boulders and rocks. [USGS Circ 1048] synclines bights A wide gentle curve or indentation of the coast, commonly between two headlands. [A dictionary of the natural environment, by Monkhouse and Small] estuaries Region of interaction between rivers and near-shore ocean waters, where tidal action and river flow mix fresh and salt water. Such areas include bays, mouths of rivers, salt marshes, and lagoons. These brackish water ecosystems shelter and feed marine life, birds, and wildlife. [EPA Terms of Environment] gulfs locks An enclosure used to raise or lower vessels as they pass from one level to another. [USGS Circ 1048] submarine canyons capitol buildings guts A narrow natural passage or contracted strait connecting two bodies of water where no flow can be determined. [USGS Circ 1048]. A narrow channel opening into the sea or a large estuary, esp. in E. USA. [Monkhouse & Small: Dictionary of the Natural Environment] volcanoes oases drumlins An elongated hill or ridge of glacial drift. [Amer. Heritage Dictionary] earthquake features faults A fracture in the Earth's crust accompanied by a displacement of one side of the fracture with respect to the other. [UGSG Circ 1048] folds (geologic) fracture zones moraines An accumulation of earth and stones carried and deposited by a glacier. [USGS Circ 1048] jungles Denotes generally impenetrable tropical forests with dense tangled undergrowth of grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees. [AAT] rain forests massifs regions windmills A mill or other machine that runs on the energy generated by a wheel of adjustable blades or flats rotated by the wind. [USGS Circ 1048] adits (mine sites) A nearly horizontal passage from the surface in a mine. [WWWebster Dictionary] anclajes anchorages aquifers An underground geological formation, or group of formations, containing water. Are sources of groundwater for wells and springs. [EPA Terms of Environment] astronomical stations A point on the earth whose position has been determined by observations of celestrial bodies [NIMA] blowouts A small depression in sandy terrain, caused by wind. [NIMA] bottomlands Low-lying alluvium-covered floodplain along a river valley. [Monkhouse & Small: Dictionary of the Natural Environment] cableways A conveyor system in which carrier units run on wire cables strung between supports. [USGS Circ 1048] collieries A coal mine and its connected buildings. [WWWebster Dictionary] commonwealths A nation, state, or other political unit: as a : one founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement of the people for the common good. A state of the U.S. -- used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. An association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown). A political unit having local autonomy but voluntarily united with the U.S. -- used officially of Puerto Rico and of the Northern Mariana Islands. [WWWebster Dictionary} cwms Welsh name for a cirque. drains (channels) An artificial channel for carrying off excess water [A Dictionary of the natural environment] gaging stations A site on a stream, lake, reservoir or other body of water where direct systematic observations of hydrologic data are obtained. [Water Resources Center, College of Agriculture, Univ. of Arizona, Glossary of Water Terms] geysers Eruptive spring from which hot water and/or steam and in some cases mud are periodically thrown. isthmuses A narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water that connects two larger land areas. [USGS Circ 1048] nunataks Rocks or mountain peaks protruding through glacial ice. [NIMA] oceans One of the major divisions of the vast expanse of salt water covering part of the earth. [NIMA] pinnacles (natural formation) A vertical, standing, often spire-shaped natural rock formation. [USGS Circ 1048] polders A flat, low-lying area of land reclaimed from the sea or a lake by artificial drainage. [Penguin Dict of Geology, Kearey] prefectures The district governed by a prefect. [Merriam-Webster Online] revetments A facing (as of stone or concrete) to sustain an embankment. [WWWebster's Dictionary] sabkhas A broad plain or salt flat in an arid or semi-arid region containing evaporites at a level dependent on the local water table. [Penguin Dict. of Geology, Kearey] sheikdoms A region under the rule of a sheikh. [Merriam-Webster Online] subcontinents Land masses of great size but smaller than those generally called continents; also large subdivisions of continents having a certain geographical independence. [AAT] sultanates A state or country governed by a sultan. [Merriam-Webster Online] transmission lines A system of wires that transmit electrical signals or electricity over distance. [USGS Circ 1048] manmade features amusement parks archipelagos census areas statistical areas chart regions map regions climatic regions continental divides continents coral reefs tectonic features economic regions hydrothermal vents karst areas mobile home parks seas pistol ranges rift zones school districts territorial waters UTM zones vistas