Introduction to Geography

• The unit introduces geography as a discipline, the concept of geography as an integrating discipline and the different branches of geography

Geography as a Discipline

• Geography studies the earth’s physical environment, human activities, and their relationships
• Geography examines phenomena that varies across space, along with the diversity of lands and people
• Skills are developed to understand the globe through maps and a visual sense of Earth's surface
• Modern scientific techniques, like GIS and computer cartography, contribute to national development
• Geography describes the earth, from the Greek words 'geo' (earth) and 'graphos' (description) and was first coined by Eratosthenes, a Greek scholar (276-194 BC)
• Scholars have defined geography as "the description of the earth as the abode of human beings"

Variations on Earth

• The earth has variations in physical features such as mountains, hills, valleys, plains, plateaus, oceans, lakes, deserts, and has social/cultural variations with villages, cities, roads, railways, ports, and markets
• Humans use creative skills and tools to interact with and develop the physical environment
• It is concerned with nature and human interactions where 'human' is integral to 'nature', and 'nature' shows the imprints of 'human' with human beings adapting and modifying nature
• Human’s modified environment uses technology to expand operations by appropriating resources provided by nature
• Technology reduces labor, increases efficiency, provides leisure, and increases production and mobility

Human and Nature

• Interaction between the physical environment and human beings describes the relationship between human and nature
• Through technology, humans contribute to nature and create new possibilities
• Humanized nature and naturalized human beings are part of the interactive relationship studied by geography
• The space is organized via transportation and communication networks via routes and nodes (settlements) that integrates areas
• As a social science, geography studies spatial organization and integration

Geographical Questions and Space

• Geography asks questions related to identification, distribution and explanation of natural and cultural features on Earth
• Includes asking "what" patterns exist, "where" they are distributed, and "why" they occur
• Geography relates to space, studies spatial characteristics/attributes like distribution, location, concentration of phenomena.
• Space interprets the associations/inter-relationships and associations/inter-relationships between phenomena due to human interaction and the physical environment

Geography as Integration

• Geography synthesizes spatial elements, while history synthesizes temporal aspects, and recognizes world interdependencies
• Geography integrates with natural and social sciences, it has one objective of understanding reality
• Integrates what may be different across places and helps understand reality spatially
• Geographers requires broad field understanding to integrate logically
• Distance alters world history
• Spatial depth provides defense
• Large countries gain time at the cost of space
• Oceanic expanse protects countries
• The Himalayas have acted as barriers and provided protection to India, but passes allow routes for migrants/invaders from Central Asia
• Sea coasts encouraged contact with people from East/Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa
• Navigation helped European countries to colonize Asia and Africa, including India

Temporal Changes

• Geographical factors modify world history and undergoes changes explained temporally
• Changes in landforms, climate, vegetation, economic activities, occupations, and cultural developments follow a historical course
• Geographical features result from decision-making that converts time into space, space into time as time is integral to geography in studies

Systematic vs Regional Geography

• Geography includes systematic and regional approaches
• Systematic geography is the same as general and was introduced by Alexander Von Humboldt (1769-1859)
• Regional geography was developed by Karl Ritter (1779-1859)
• Systematic approach studies a phenomenon worldwide, then identifies typologies/spatial patterns in doing the study
• The regional studies divided the world into hierarchical regions to study geographical phenomena holistically, searching for unity and diversity

Geography, Dualism and Human Activities

• Dualism is a main characteristic that emphasizes on what is studied
• Early scholars focused on physical geography, but human beings are part of the earth and contributing culturally
• Human geography developed emphasizing human activities

Branches of Geography (Systematic Approach)

• Physical geography studies landforms, evolution, processes, atmosphere, weather/climates, water, life forms, and soils via geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, and soil geography
• Human geography studies society, spatial dynamics, cultural elements, population, distribution, settlements (rural and urban), economic activities, and historical processes via social/cultural geography, population/settlement geography, economic geography, and historical geography
• political geography looks at political events, boundaries

Branches of Geography (Regional Approach)

• Includes regional studies/area studies
• Includes regional planning, regional development and regional analysis
• Geography draws from philosophy, including geographical thought, land and human interaction, and human ecology
• Geography uses methods and techniques like cartography (including computer cartography), quantitative/statistical techniques, field survey methods, and geoinformatics (remote sensing, GIS, GPS)

Technology and Advancements

• Computer cartography has transformed geography
• Technology enables scholars to handle large amounts of data
• The Internet provides information and the ability to attempt analysis has increased tremendously
• GIS opened vistas of knowledge and GPS has become a handy tool to find out exact locations
• Capacity to attempt synthesis with sound theoretical understanding increases because of the influence of technology

Physical Geography and Importance

• Includes landforms (lithosphere), atmosphere (weather/climate), water (hydrosphere), and life (biosphere)
• Soils are formed through pedogenesis and depend on parent rocks, climate, biological activity, and time
• Plains allow for agriculture
• Plateaus provide forests and minerals
• Mountains provide forests, pastures, tourist spots, and water for lowlands
• Climate affects house types, clothing, and food and has effect on vegetation and cropping pattern
• Monsoonal rainfall sets agriculture in motion in India and precipitation recharges ground water
• Oceans contain fish, seafood, and mineral resources where India developed technology for collecting manganese nodules
• Soils are renewable sources that influence economic activities with fertility determined naturally and culturally
• Soils provide the basis for the biosphere, accommodating plants, animals, and microorganisms

Definitions of Geography

• Geography describes and explains the areal differentiation of the earth’s surface as defined by Richard Hartshorne
• Geography studies the differences of phenomena in different parts of Earth’s surface as defined by Hettner
• Physical geography evaluates and manages natural resources, necessitating an understanding between physical environment and human beings
• Physical environment provides resources that human utilizes to ensure economic and cultural development
• Resource utilization with modern technology creates imbalance, so physical understanding is essential for development