A civilization or civilisation is any complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification imposed by a cultural elite, symbolic systems of communication, and a perceived separation from and domination over the natural environment. Civilizations are intimately associated with and often further defined by other socio-politico-economic characteristics, including centralization, the domestication of both humans and other organisms, specialization of labour, culturally ingrained
elevation noun [C/U]. âº âheight above the âsurface of the âearth, or an âarea that is âhigher than the âsurrounding âland: [C] At âhigher elevations, the âair is âcolder. (Definition of elevation from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary Â© Cambridge University Press).
For other uses, see Elevation (disambiguation) . Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth â approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered with water. A sign at 8000 feet (2438 meters) in the San Bernardino Mountains.The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic system, vertical datum). sign at 8000 feet (2438 meters) in the San Bernardino Mountains. The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic system, vertical datum).