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- DictionaryGe·og·ra·phy/jēˈäɡrəfē/
noun
- 1. the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these, including the distribution of populations and resources, land use, and industries.
Learn the meaning of geography as a science, a treatise, or a configuration of elements. See synonyms, examples, word history, and related phrases of geography.
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What does geography mean?
What is geography & why is it important?
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What is physical geography?
- Overview
- Historical development of geography
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geography, the study of the diverse environments, places, and spaces of Earth’s surface and their interactions. It seeks to answer the questions of why things are as they are, where they are. The modern academic discipline of geography is rooted in ancient practice, concerned with the characteristics of places, in particular their natural environments and peoples, as well as the relations between the two. Its separate identity was first formulated and named some 2,000 years ago by the Greeks, whose geo and graphein were combined to mean “earth writing” or “earth description.” However, what is now understood as geography was elaborated before then, in the Arab world and elsewhere. Ptolemy, author of one of the discipline’s first books, Guide to Geography (2nd century ce), defined geography as “a representation in pictures of the whole known world together with the phenomena which are contained therein.” This expresses what many still consider geography’s essence—a description of the world using maps (and now also pictures, as in the kind of “popular geographies” exemplified by National Geographic Magazine)—but, as more was learned about the world, less could be mapped, and words were added to the pictures.
To most people, geography means knowing where places are and what they are like. Discussion of an area’s geography usually refers to its topography—its relief and drainage patterns and predominant vegetation, along with climate and weather patterns—together with human responses to that environment, as in agricultural, industrial, and other land uses and in settlement and urbanization patterns.
The history of geography has two main parts: the history of exploration and mapmaking and the development of the academic discipline.
Britannica Quiz
Geography is the study of the diverse environments, places, and spaces of Earth’s surface and their interactions. Learn about the history of geography, from ancient exploration and mapmaking to modern academic discipline, and its applications to contemporary issues.
Geography is a systematic study of the Earth (other celestial bodies are specified, such as "geography of Mars", or given another name, such as areography in the case of Mars), its features, and phenomena that take place on it.
May 9, 2024 · Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Learn about the origins, development, and branches of geography, from ancient times to the present day.
Aug 4, 2017 · Geography is the study of the Earth’s physical features and environment, as well as the impact of human activity on these factors and vice versa. Learn about the history, branches, and applications of geography from WorldAtlas.
- Oishimaya Sen Nag
Geography is the science of the earth's surface and its features, such as climate, soil, vegetation, and population. It also studies the relationships and patterns of these elements and the regions they form.
Geography is the study of the features and systems of the earth's surface, such as continents, mountains, seas, weather, and plant life. It also includes the ways in which countries and people organize life within an area. See more meanings, collocations, and translations of geography.
