Chapter 1: What Is Geography? PDF
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This document introduces the concept of geography, explaining it as the study of the Earth's physical and human environments. The document outlines different perspectives on how geography is approached: the physical features and processes of environments, including mountains and volcanoes; the human behaviors and interactions with those environments including housing practices; and the interconnectedness between the human and physical world. It also explores various methods of geographic study, like fieldwork and exploring case studies to enhance insights.
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Chapter 1 What is Geography? An Overview of Geography Geography - comes from ancient Greek words ge and graphein, which mean ‘to write about, or to describe the Earth’. The study of Geography...
Chapter 1 What is Geography? An Overview of Geography Geography - comes from ancient Greek words ge and graphein, which mean ‘to write about, or to describe the Earth’. The study of Geography involves the study of environment which can be divided into physical and human environments. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Refers to the Earth’s physical features and processes leading to their formation. Exists in nature and cannot be created by people, eg mountains and volcanoes. HUMAN ENVIRONMENT Describes the way people live, work and interact with the physical environment. eg where people live, the types of housing people live in and what people do. Physical-human relationships Refers to the influence the physical environment has on people and the impact people have on the environment. Why do we study Geography? Knowledge Helps us better understand the world around us. Helps us understand how different places on the Earth are linked. Helps us realise that there is a relationship between people, plants and animals because we share one home- Earth. Skills In locating and acquiring information, eg map reading and photo interpretation skills. For critical thinking and decision-making. Page 1 of 2 How do we study Geography? Fieldwork Refers to work at first hand; gathering evidence directly from the environment. Helps us to learn to make observations and draw geographical conclusions. Case Studies Contain detailed real-life information about a specific topic or environment. Allow us to apply our knowledge about the environment to better understand the world around us. Books and the Internet Contain important geographical facts and information. Allow us to gain knowledge about the environment through research. Page 2 of 2
