Introduction to Geography

• Geography studies the Earth's physical environment
• Geography studies human activities
• Geography studies the interactive relationships between the physical environment and human activities affecting how we live.
• Geography helps understand the resources to sustain ourselves.

Understanding Geography

• Geography equips one to appreciate diversity
• Geography investigates into the causes responsible for creating variations over time and space
• Geography develops skills to understand the globe converted into maps
• Geography develops a visual sense of the Earth's surface
• Geography helps understand the physical environment and social/cultural features & relationship
• Geography is the description of the Earth
• Eratosthenes, a Greek scholar, first coined "geography" (276-194 BC)
• The word "geography" derives from the Greek words "geo" (earth) and "graphos" (description).

Earth as an Abode

• Scholars defined geography as the description of the earth as the abode of human beings
• Geography derives information from the natural and the social sciences
• Geography attempts synthesis of these sciences

Variations and Causal Relationships

• Geography studies phenomena that vary over space
• Geographers study the relationship with other factors causing these variations
• Cropping patterns vary depending on soils, climates, market demands, and farmer capacity.
• Geographers explain phenomena by cause and effect, helping interpretation and prediction
• Geographical (physical and human) phenomena change over time from interactive processes.
• Geography studies the interactions of Nature and Human as an integrated whole
• 'Human' is an integral part of 'nature', and 'nature' has the imprints of 'human'

Effects of Nature and Technology

• Nature influences food, clothing, shelter, & occupation
• Present societies modified their natural environment with technology
• Technology helped reduce labor, increase efficiency, provide leisure, escalate production, and improve mobility.
• Space is organized through transportation and communication networks.
• Routes and nodes integrated space to create organization.
• Social science disciplines involves the study of spatial organization and spatial integration

Core Questions in Geography

• Geography is concerned with three primary questions:
• "What" pattern is being formed in nature (identification)
• "Where" the patterns are being formed in nature (distribution)
• "Why" a specific pattern is being formed in nature (explanation)
• Geography relates to space, studying distribution, location, and concentration
• Explanations are provided based on dynamic interaction between human beings and their physical environment

Geography as a Discipline

• Geography attempts spatial synthesis
• History attempts temporal synthesis through a holistic approach including system of interdependencies
• Reduced distances increases accessibility in the present world
• Audio-visual media and information technology have enriched the data base
• Technology led to better monitoring of natural phenomena along with economic and social parameters
• Geography has an interface with numerous natural and social sciences providing a basic objective of understanding reality

Geography's Spatial Perspective

• Every scientific knowledge discipline is linked to geography as many elements vary over space.
• Not only does geography take note of the differences, it also integrates them holistically
• A geographer requires an understanding of related fields
• Geography influences historical events
• Spatial distance alters historical events and provides a defence
• Large area provides defense
• Oceanic expanse provides protection from wars
• In India, the Himalayas and sea coast have influenced historical events
• Geographical factors have modified the course of history in different parts of the world

Geography & Time

• Every geographical phenomenon changes over time can be explained
• Changes involves landforms, climate, vegetation, economic activities, occupations and cultural developments
• Geographical features result from decision-making processes
• Time converts to space and vice versa
• Time is an integral part of geographical studies

Approaches to geography study

• Systematic Approach/General Geography: Introduced by Alexander Von Humboldt (1769-1859)
• Regional geography approach: Developed by Karl Ritter (1779-1859)
• Systematic reviews phenomena worldwide, identifying typologies and spatial patterns.
• Regional divides the world into regions for holistic study.
• Dualism is a main characteristic focusing on physical geography that later develops into human geography

Physical Geography Divisions

• Geomorphology: The study of landforms, their evolution, and related processes.
• Climatology: The study of atmosphere, weather, climates, and climatic regions.
• Hydrology: The study of water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and its effects.
• Soil Geography: The study of soil formation, types, fertility, and distribution.

Human Geography Divisions

• Social/Cultural Geography: The study of society, spatial dynamics, and cultural elements.
• Population and Settlement Geography: The study of population growth, distribution, and settlement types (rural and urban).
• Economic Geography: The study of economic activities including agriculture, industry, tourism, trade, and infrastructure.
• Historical Geography: The study of historical processes shaping spatial organization.
• Political Geography: The study of space in relation to political events, boundaries, and political units.

Biogeography

• Biogeography is an Interface between physical geography and human geography
• Including: Plant Geography, Zoo Geography, Ecology /Ecosystem and Environmental Geography
• Regional Studies/Area Studies: Includes Macro, Meso and Micro Regional Studies
• Regional Planning: Includes Country/Rural and Town/Urban Planning

Geography Techniques

• Common techniques include Philosophy, Geographical Thought, Land and Human Interaction/Human Ecology
• Methods and Techniques includes Cartography, Quantitative Techniques/Statistical Techniques, Field Survey Methods and Geo-informatics
• Includes: Remote Sensing, GIS, and GPS
• Technology transformed cartography and handles data
• Internet provides information to increase capability and analysis
• GIS has opened knowledge and provide handy tools to find locations easily

Physical Geography: Key Aspects

• Book covers branch importance that includes:
• Lithosphere: Including (landforms, drainage, relief and physiography)
• Atmosphere with: (composition, structure, weather/climate elements)
• Hydrosphere: Including; (oceans, seas, lakes)
• Biosphere: life forms with sustaining mechanism ie. food chain, ecological aspects
• Soils are formed depends on parent rocks, climate, biological activity and maturity
• Landforms provide base, plains are for agriculture and Plateaus provide forests and minerals

Importance of Climate and Oceans

• Mountains provide pastures, forests, tourist spots, and rivers.
• Climate influences house types, clothing, and food habits
• Monsoon rainfall sets the agriculture rhythm in motion and precipitation recharges groundwater,
• Oceans are rich in mineral resources
• Soils are renewable resources that influence economic activities
• Fertility of soil accommodates plants, animals and microorganisms
• A discipline is evaluates and manages natural resources for understanding between physical environment and humans
• Physical environment is crucial for sustainable development.