Dictionary
of or relating to the science of geography determined by geography "the north and south geographic poles"
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Wikipedia
Geography is the study of the locational and spatial variation of both physical, biological and human phenomena on Earth. The word derives from the Greek language Greek words ''γη'' or !''γει&alpha ;''? ("Earth") and !''γραφ&eps ilon;ιν''? ("to describe" and "to write").commonsCategory:Geography Modern geography is a diverse discipline that draws influence from almost every other arena of knowledge. Geographers draw upon other disciplines according to their particular research interests and, while subjects such as biology and economics have a powerful influence, there are geographers who draw upon the expertise such as sociology, psychology and sports science, among many others.Within the discipline there have been many long-running tensions among those seeking to define geography - whether as a 'science' or as a 'humanity', as a 'systematic' subject or 'regional' specialism and so forth - which at various times have come close to destroying geography as an academic discipline.
Structure of geography - William Hughes - who taught the geography of the Holy Lands to divinity students at King's College London - defined geography in an address in 1863:"Mere place names are not geography. To know by heart a whole gazeteer full of them would not, in itself, constitute anyone a geographer. Geography has higher aims than this: it seeks to classify phenomena (alike of the natural and of the political world insofar as it treats of the latter) to compare, to generalise, to ascend from effects to causes and in doing so to trace out the great laws of nature and to mark their influence upon man. In a word, geography is a science, a thing not of mere names, but of argument and reason, of cause and effect."''This was a specific rejection of geography as a merely descriptive discipline and also defined it as inclusive of both the physical world and the human. Within the discipline, however, there are many areas of specialism. Modern geographers tend to specialise in one of the broad branches (or sub-branches). However, most introductory geography syllabuses seek to ensure that geographers have at least working knowledge of the main focus of each branch of the subject.
Physical geography - Physical geography focuses on geography as an Earth science (and is sometimes called Earth System Science). It aims to understand the physical layout of the Earth, its weather and global flora (plants)flora and fauna (animals)fauna patterns. Many areas of physical geography make use of geology, particularly in the study of weathering and sediment movement. Physical Geography can be divided into the following broad categories: Geomorphology Hydrology Glaciology Biogeography Climatology Pedology (soil study) Coastal geographyCoastal/Marine studies Geodesy Palaeogeography Environmental geographyEnvironmental Geography and management Landscape ecologyExact lines between these different areas are often difficult to draw. Sometimes Oceanography is included as a branch within physical geography, but is now considered a separate subject in its own right.Related topics: Earth's atmosphereAtmosphere - Archipelago - Continent - Desert - Island - Landform - Ocean - Sea - River - Lake - Ecology - Soil - Timeline of geography, paleontology - Geostatistics - Environmental science - Oceanography - Environmental studies
Human geography - Human geography is a branch of geography that focuses on the study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with various environments. It encompasses human, political, cultural, social, and economicseconomic aspects. While the major focus of human geography is not the physical landscape of the Earth (see Physical geography) it is hardly possible to discuss human geography without referring to the physical landscape on which human activities are being played out, and environmental geography is emerging as a link between the two.Human geography can be divided into broad categories, such as: Economic geography Development geography Population geography or Demography* Urban geography Social geography Behavioral geography Cultural regionCultural geography Political geography, including Geopolitics* Historical geography Regional science Strategic geography Sexuality and Space Military geography Feminist !geography*? Distinction between these fields of study have become increasingly blurred over time and the above list should not be considered definitive.Related topics: Countries of the world - Country - Nation - State - Personal union - Province - County - City - Municipality - Central_Place_TheoryCentral place theory - Urban morphology
Socio-environmental geography - During the time of environmental determinism, geography was defined not as the study of spatial relationships, but as the study of how humans and the natural environment interact. Though environmental determinism has died out, there remains a strong tradition of geographers addressing the relationships between people and nature. There are two main subfields of socio-environmental geography: cultural and political ecology (CAPE) and risk-hazards research.
Cultural and political ecology - Cultural ecology grew out of the work of Carl O. SauerCarl Sauer in geography and a similar school of thought in anthropology. It examined how human societies adapt themselves to the natural environment. Sustainability science has been one important outgrowth of this tradition. Political ecology arose when some geographers used aspects of critical geography to look at relations of power and how they affect people's use of the environment. For example, an influential study by Michael Watts argued that famines in the Sahel are caused by the changes in the region's political systempolitical and economic system as a result of colonialism and the spread of capitalism.
Risk-hazards research - Research on hazards began with the work of geographer Gilbert F. White, who sought to understand why people live in disaster-prone floodplains. Since then, the hazards field has expanded to become a multidisciplinary field examining both natural hazards (such as earthquakes) and technological hazards (such as nuclear reactor meltdowns). Geographers studying hazards are interested in both the dynamics of the hazard event and how people and societies deal with it.
Historical geography - This branch seeks to determine how cultural features of the multifarious societies across the planet evolved and came into being. Study of the landscape is one of many key foci in this field - much can be deduced about earlier societies from their impact on their local environment and surroundings.; '''What's in a name? Historical geography and the Berkeley School '''"Historical Geography" can indeed refer to the reciprocal effects of geography and history on each other. But in the United States, it has a more specialized meaning: This is the name given by Carl O. SauerCarl Ortwin Sauer of the University of California, Berkeley to his program of reorganizing cultural geography (some say all geography) along regional lines, beginning in the first decades of the 20th Century.To Sauer, a landscape and the cultures in it could only be understood if all of its influences through history were taken into account: Physical, cultural, economic, political, environmental. Sauer stressed regional specialization as the only means of gaining expertise on regions of the world.Sauer's philosophy was the principal shaper of American geographic thought in the mid-20th century. Regional specialists remain in academic geography departments to this day. But many geographers feel that it harmed the discipline in the long run: Too much effort was spent on data collection and classification, and too little on analysis and explanation. Studies became more and more area specific as later geographers struggled to find places to make names for themselves. This probably led in turn to the !Quantitative_revolution#The_19 50s_Crisis_in_Geography? 1950s crisis in Geography which nearly destroyed it as an academic discipline.
History of geography - See main article: History of geography .]]The ancient GreeceGreeks are the first known culture to actively explore geography as a science and philosophy. Mapping by the Roman EmpireRomans as they explored new lands added new techniques. During the Middle Ages, Arabs such as Idrisi, Ibn Batutta, and Ibn Khaldun maintained the Greek and Roman techniques and developed new ones. Following the journeys of Marco Polo, interest in geography spread throughout Europe. The great voyages of exploration in 16th century16th and 17th century17th centuries revived a desire for both accurate geographic detail, and more solid theoretical foundations. This period is also known as Great Geographical Discoveries. By the 18th century, geography had become recognized as a discrete discipline and became part of a typical university curriculum in Europe (especially Paris and Berlin).Over the past two centuries the quantity of knowledge and the number of tools has exploded. There are strong links between geography and the sciences of geology and botany, as well as economics, sociology and demographics. In the West during the 20th century, the discipline of geography went through four major phases: environmental determinism, regional geography, the quantitative revolution, and critical geography.
Geographic techniques - As spatial interrelationships are key to this synoptic science, maps are a key tool. Classical cartography has been joined by a more modern approach to geographical analysis, computer-based geographic information systems (GIS). ''Cartography'' studies the representation of the Earth's surface with abstract symbols (map making). Although other subdisciplines of geography rely on maps for presenting their analyses, the actual making of maps is abstract enough to be regarded separately. Cartography has grown from a collection of drafting techniques into an actual science. Cartographers must learn cognitive psychology and ergonomics to understand which symbols convey information about the Earth most effectively, and behavioral psychology to induce the readers of their maps to act on the information. They must learn geodesy and fairly advanced mathematics to understand how the shape of the Earth affects the distortion of map symbols projected onto a flat surface for viewing. It can be said, without much controversy, that cartography is the seed from which the larger field of Geography grew. Most geographers will cite a childhood fascination with maps as an early sign they would end up in the field. software.]] ''Geographic Information Systems'' deals with the storage of information about the Earth for automatic retrieval by a computer, in an accurate manner appropriate to the information's purpose. In addition to all of the other subdisciplines of geography, GIS specialists must understand computer science and database systems. GIS has so revolutionized the field of cartography that nearly all mapmaking is now done with the assistance of some form of GIS software. ''Geographic quantitative methods'' deal with numerical methods peculiar to (or at least most commonly found in) geography. In addition to spatial analyses, you are likely to find things like cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and non-parametric statistical tests in geographic studies.In their study geographers use four interrelated approaches: Systematic - Groups geographical knowledge into categories that can be explored globally Regional - Examines systematic relationships between categories for a specific region or location on the planet. Descriptive - Simply specifies the locations of features and populations. Analytical - Asks ''why'' we find features and populations in a specific geographic area.
Related fields -
Urban and regional planning - Urban planning and regional planning use the science of geography to assist in determining how to develop (or not develop) the land to meet particular criteria, such as safety, beauty, economic opportunities, the preservation of the built or natural heritage, etcetera. The planning of towns, cities and rural areas may be seen as applied geography although it also draws heavily upon the arts, the sciences and lessons of history. Some of the issues facing planning are considered briefly under the headings of rural exodus, urban exodus and Smart Growth.
Regional science - In the 1950s the regional science movement arose, led by Walter Isard to provide a more quantitative and analytical base to geographical questions, in contrast to the more qualitative tendencies of traditional geography programs. Regional Science comprises the body of knowledge in which the spatial dimension plays a fundamental role, such as regional economics, resource management, location theory, urban planningurban and regional planning, transport and communication, human geography, population distribution, landscape ecology, and environmental quality.
See also - List of geography topics!:Category:Geographical_term_st ubsGeographical termsList of countriesList of reference tables#Geography and placesGeography reference tablesMapGeographic magazinesNational Geographic Society (United States)National Geographic Bee (United States)Point of BeginningRoyal Geographical Society (United Kingdom)
External links - aag.org - Association of American Geographers gisuser.com - GISuser.com, information-rich portal about GIS populationdata.net - PopulationData.net freemaps.de - Free Maps Germany ericdigests.org - Using Literature To Teach Geography in High Schools. ERIC Digest. ericdigests.org - Teaching Geography at School and Home. ERIC Digest. ericdigests.org - The National Geography Content Standards. ERIC Digest. geo-guide.de - Geo-Guide extensive list of academic resources on geography and earth science geopium.org - Geopium: Geopolitics of Illicit Drugs in Asia nationalgeographic.com - National Geographic Online rgs.org - Royal Geographical Society rcgs.org - Royal Canadian Geographical Society canadiangeographic.ca - Canadian Geographic hypergeo.free.fr - Hypergeo : Geographical Encyclopediarare-maps.com - Antique and Rare Maps - Art Source International - Links to rare and antique maps and to cartography !resources.Category:Geography*Category:School !subjectsab:Географиaf: Geografieals:Geografiear:جغ افياan:Cheografíaast:Xeo grafíaaz:Coğrafiyabg:Гео рафияba:Географи яbe:Геаграфіяbn:ভ গোলbs:Geografijabr:Jeo grafica:Geografiaco:Geografiac s:Geografiecy:Daearyddiaethda: Geografide:Geographieet:Geogra afiael:Γεωγραφίαes:Ge ografíaeo:Geografioeu:Geograf iafo:Landafrøðifr:Géographi efy:Geografyfur:Gjeografiegl:X eografíako:지리학hi:भू गोलhr:Geografijaio:Geogr afioid:Geografiia:Geographiaie :Geografieit:Geografiahe:גא גרפיהka:გეოგრ ფიაcsb:Geògrafijôks: Geografiakv:География ky:Географияsw:Jiogra fiala:Geographialv:Ģeogrāfij alt:Geografijalb:Geographieli: Geografiehu:Földrajztudomány mk:Географијаmg:Jeog rafiamt:Ġeografijams:Geografi nl:Geografiends:Geographieja: 理学no:Geografinn:Geografi oc:Geografiaos:Географ pl:Geografiapt:Geografiaro:Ge ografierm:Geografiaru:Геог рафияsc:Zeografiascn:Geog rafiasimple:Geographysk:Geogra fiasl:Geografijasr:Геогр фијаfi:Maantiedesv:Geogra fitl:Heograpiyate:భూగో ళ? !శాస్త్రముth: ภูมิศาสตร์ vi:Địa? lý !họctr:Coğrafyauk:Геогр афіяur:جغرافيہvo:Ta ledavzh:地理学 DEBUG REDIRECT (geography)
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