Chapter 1 — Geography as a Discipline

The term geography was first coined by Eratosthenes, a Greek scholar (276–194 BC). It is derived from two Greek roots — geo meaning earth and graphos meaning description — together meaning 'description of the earth'.

Geography asks: (i) What — identification of natural and cultural features; (ii) Where — distribution and location of those features; and (iii) Why — causal relationships and processes behind the patterns. The 'why' question elevated geography to a scientific discipline.

In the systematic approach, a single phenomenon (e.g. natural vegetation) is studied at the world level first, then spatial typologies are identified. This approach was introduced by Alexander Von Humboldt. In the regional approach, the world is divided into regions and all geographical phenomena in each region are studied holistically; this was developed by Karl Ritter.

Geography branches into Physical Geography (Geomorphology, Climatology, Hydrology, Soil Geography), Human Geography (Social/Cultural, Population and Settlement, Economic, Historical, Political), and Biogeography (Plant Geography, Zoo Geography, Ecology/Ecosystem, Environmental Geography).

Geography is called an integrating discipline because it has an interface with numerous natural and social sciences — geology, meteorology, economics, history, sociology, political science, and others — and attempts spatial synthesis of data drawn from all of them to comprehend reality in its spatial perspective.

Geography attempts spatial synthesis — studying how phenomena are organised and integrated across space. History attempts temporal synthesis — studying how events and processes unfold through time. Time is still considered the fourth dimension in geographical studies.

Physical geography studies the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. It is emerging as a discipline for evaluating and managing natural resources. Understanding the intricate relationship between the physical environment and human beings is essential for sustainable development, since accelerated resource use has created ecological imbalance.

Geography uses cartography (including computer cartography), quantitative and statistical techniques, field survey methods, and geo-informatics comprising Remote Sensing, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and GPS. These tools have greatly enhanced the capacity for spatial analysis and synthesis.

Areal differentiation refers to the study of all phenomena that vary over space. Geographers study not only the variations themselves but also their associations and causal relationships with other factors, explaining why patterns differ from one region to another.

Primitive human societies were directly dependent on their immediate physical environment. With technology, human beings modified their natural environment, loosened the constraints of geography, increased production and mobility, and created 'humanised nature.' Geography studies this interactive relationship between ever-changing nature and active human societies.

Biogeography developed at the interface between physical and human geography. It includes Plant Geography (spatial patterns of natural vegetation), Zoo Geography (spatial patterns of animals and their habitats), Ecology/Ecosystem (scientific study of species habitats), and Environmental Geography (land degradation, pollution, and conservation concerns).

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