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Introduction To Geography

Here are five reasons why it is important to study geography: 1. Geography helps us understand the relationship between humans and their environment. It shows how people adapt to and interact with nature. 2. Studying geography improves our knowledge of world regions, cultures, economies, and current events. It gives us context to better understand international issues. 3. The skills developed in geography like map reading, data analysis and field work help with spatial awareness and real world problem solving. 4. Geography influences many careers like urban planning, tourism, geology, meteorology, oceanography, and environmental science. 5. Understanding geography enables us to make informed decisions about issues like sustainable development, natural resource use, climate

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19 views

Introduction To Geography

Here are five reasons why it is important to study geography: 1. Geography helps us understand the relationship between humans and their environment. It shows how people adapt to and interact with nature. 2. Studying geography improves our knowledge of world regions, cultures, economies, and current events. It gives us context to better understand international issues. 3. The skills developed in geography like map reading, data analysis and field work help with spatial awareness and real world problem solving. 4. Geography influences many careers like urban planning, tourism, geology, meteorology, oceanography, and environmental science. 5. Understanding geography enables us to make informed decisions about issues like sustainable development, natural resource use, climate

Uploaded by

nakitamudzinganyama7
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY

What is Geography?

Geography is the study of man and his environment or the study of the world we live
in. It is the study of the earth and the different people who live in it.
Geography can also be defined as the study of places and the relationships between
people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties
of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.
Geography seeks to understand where things are found, why they are there, and how
they develop and change over time.
The environment

Environment means anything that surrounds us. It can be living (biotic) or non-living
(abiotic) things. In simple words, environment is defined as the natural world in
which people, animals and plants live. Thus, environment is the surroundings in
which living and non-living things live, interact, grow/adapt themselves to conditions in
their environment and perish.
The main parts of the Environment

ENVIRONMENT

THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MAN MADE ENVIRONMENT

CLIMATIC PHYSICAL MANUFACTURING SETTLEMENT


ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT

BIOTIC ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURAL


(INCLUDES SOILS, PLANTS ENVIRONMENT
AND ANIMALS ON THE
EARTH SURFACE)
The environment is divided into natural and human or man-made parts.
The natural environment- was not created by man, and these are surroundings
comprising of the physical and biological elements. It can be divided into 3:
Climatic environment -this is concerned with the conditions of the atmosphere

which leads to the study of weather mainly rainfall and temperature.


Physical environment -this refers to things such as mountains, valleys, and

rivers.
Biotic environment -this is concerned with the living organisms which can be
broadly classified as plants and animals (flora and fauna). This includes the soil where
we grow crops, plants, and animals both in the soil and on the earth’s surface.
The human or man-made- environment is the one created by man through his
various activities. It varies from one area to another. It is mainly made up of
Manufacturing – the environment made up of industrial activities, including
factories.
Settlement- where people live either in rural or urban areas.

Agricultural -the environment brought up by agricultural activities.

Activity 1
Draw a table in your notebook and classify the following into natural and man-made
features.

Grass roads buildings fields trees mountains railway

Branches of Geography

Geography can be divided into two main branches that is physical geography and
human geography. Geographers identify and locate major physical and human
geographic features of various places and regions in the world.
Physical Geography- is the branch of geography which deals with the study of
processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, biosphere, and the lithosphere.
Human Geography-is the branch of geography that is associated and deals with
humans and their relationships with communities, cultures, economies, and
interactions with the environment by studying their relations with and across location.
Examples of branches of Geography

Physical Geography Human Geography Advance geography


Hydrology Population geography Geographic
Climatology Settlement geography information systems
Biogeography Agriculture and land use (GIS)
Geomorphology Economic geography
Coastal and marine Historical geography
geography Tourism geography
Geography of soils Political geography
Environmental geography
Astronomical geography

What do geographers do?

In order for us to understand what is happening around us is geographers we always


ask questions about the places and the things that we see some of the key questions
include
• What is there?
• Where is it?
• Why is it there does this thing or a feature change overtime? Why? What are
the effects of this changing on people and/or the landscape?
• What are the effects of it being there?
To accurately answer these questions geographers, do the following.

• Observe -looking carefully and accurately at the things that we see.


• Inquire-ask questions about the things we do not understand and look for
information which will help us understand something.
• Classify-sort out the information in two more meaningful groups.
• Record-write down or draw what we have seen and found out.
• Describe-Give written or a verbal report of something in words.
• Interpret-explain how and why.
• Communicate-tell others about our findings

Geographical tools

Geographers use it in tools in order for them to understand the world around. Some of
the tools include:
• Maps
• Photographs
• Satellite images
• Tables and graphs
• Models
• Textbooks and magazines
• Computers CD's
• Films and documentaries
• Reports
• Boards (IT boards and blackboards
• Geographic information systems and remote sensing tools

Activity 2

Suggest five reasons why is it important to study GEOGRAPHY.


Instruction
Write down the reasons in your notebook.

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