Geography is the study of what is where, how it got there, and why we care. It examines both physical features and human/cultural aspects of the world. Geographers use tools like maps to analyze location, movement, place, region, and human-environment interaction at various scales. Some key areas of study include food origins and production, climate and seasons, population patterns, and remote sensing of urban areas. Geography integrates concepts from both the natural and social sciences to provide a holistic understanding of the world. Fieldwork allows geographers to directly observe and explore places.

1. What is Geography?
Geography is the study of
WHAT IS WHERE, HOW IT GOT
THERE, and WHY WE CARE.

2. What is Human Geography –
Key Questions
1. What is human geography?
2. What are geographic questions?
3. Why do geographers use maps, and what
do maps tell us?
4. Why are geographers concerned with scale
and connectedness?
5. What are geographic concepts, and how
are they used in answering geographic
questions?

3. What is Geography?
Geography is a representation of the whole known
world together with the phenomena which are
contained therein.
Ptolemy, Geographia 2nd Century A.D.
Geography is the science of place. Its vision is
grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of
the Earth, charting the physical, organic and cultural
terrain, their areal differentiation, and their
ecological dynamics with humankind. Its foremost
tool is the map.
Leonard Krishtalka, Carnegie Museum of Natural
History, 20th Century A.D.

4. Divisions of Geography
Physical Geography Human/Cultural Geography
Rocks and Minerals Population
Landforms Settlements
Soils Economic Activities
Animals Transportation
Plants Recreational Activities
Water Religion
Atmosphere Political Systems
Rivers and Other Water Bodies Social Traditions
Environment Human Migration
Climate and Weather Agricultural Systems
Geotechniques
GIS, GPS, Remote-Sensing, Cartography
Geography is a bridge between the natural and social sciences.
Geography is a holistic or synthesizing science.

5. The Five Themes of
Geography
Human features
Physical features
Region united by similar physical conditions
United by common cultural traits
People adapt to the environment
People change the environment
Absolute location (latitude and longitude)
Relative location (in relation to another place)
Travel from place to place
Exchange of goods and ideas
Location
Movement
Place
Region
Human-Earth Interaction

6. Geography of Food
Food Place of Invention Current Production
coffee Ethiopia Tropics
oranges South Asia, India US, Mediterranean
pork China, South Asia Worldwide
wheat Near East US, Russia, Argentina
tea China Asia
oats Near East Temperate Climates
pepper South America S. America, Worldwide

7. The effects of the global food price changes detailed in
this graph must be understood in geographic context.

9. Coffee Consumption (per capita)
#1 Norway: 10.7 kgs
#2 Finland: 10.1 kgs
#3 Denmark: 9.7 kgs
#4 Sweden: 7.8 kgs
#5 Netherlands: 7.1 kgs
#6 Switzerland: 7 kgs
#7 Germany: 5.7 kgs
#8 Austria: 5.5 kgs
#9 Belgium: 5 kgs
#10 France: 3.9 kgs
#11 Italy: 3.2 kgs
#12 United States: 3 kgs

10. Top Ten Coffee Growing Countries (Yellow)
First domesticated in Ethiopia, coffee has come to be a major export crop for
colonial countries and continues to provide much of the export income in these
less developed countries. In Uganda, 70-80% of export revenue is generated by
coffee. Many issues are raised by the continuation of such colonial economics.
COFFEE PRODUCTION

11. Tilt of the earth on its axis.
The earth is tilted 23.5º from perpendicular to
the plane of the ecliptic.
Tilt is currently constantly toward Polaris
Animation

12. Effects of the Seasons
Daylength

13. Population Concentrations

16. Source: Guardian News and Media, 2012 (www.guardian.co.uk)

17. Geographic Information Science (GIS)
GIS is "an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data,
and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze,
and display all forms of geographically referenced information."
Click on the map above to use the National Atlas of the United States.

18. REMOTE
SENSING
(click here)

19. A suburb of Algiers, Algeria
What do the patterns,
textures, and shapes
visible in this image
tell us about this
place?

20. Jobs in Geography
Aerial Photo Interpreter Facilities Planner Land Developer
Site Researcher Agricultural Extension Agent Forestry Technician
Land Economist Soil Conservationist Air/Water Quality Control Manager
Geographer Land-Use Analyst Surveyor
Cartographer Geographic Area Specialist Location Expert
Systems Analyst Cartography Compiler Geographic Attache'
Map Analyst Teacher Climatologist
Geographic Information Systems Map Curator/Librarian Traffic Manager
Coastal Zone Manager Geophysics Assistant Map Editor
Transportation Analyst Community Developer Hazardous Waste Planner
Market Research Analyst Transportation Manager Computer Mapper
Health Services Planner Natural Resources Spec. Travel Agent/Specialist
Computer Programmer Health Services Organization Manager Outdoor Guide
Urban/Regional Planner Demographer Hydrologist
Park Ranger Weather Forecaster Earth Scientist
Industrial Developer Peace Corp Volunteer Wildlife Manager
Ecologist Industrial Planner Property Manager
Writer/Author Editor Intelligence Agent
Public Utilities Specialist Zoning Investigator Env. Impact Analyst
International Business Rep Real Estate Agent/Broker/Appraiser Environmental Quality Specialist
International Investment Analyst Remote Sensing Analyst College/University Professor

21. Famous Geography Students
Mother Teresa - Taught
Geography and History in
Calcutta for 15 Years
Prince William of Wales – Majored in
Geography at University of Saint
Andrews, Scotland
Michael Jordan – Majored in
Cultural Geography at
University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill
Immanuel Kant – the famous
philosopher also taught everything
from geography to physics.

22. Fieldwork: Geographers as
Modern Explorers and Observers

23. Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 2002

24. Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Idylwild, CA, 2001

25. Rocky Mountain National
Park, 2003

26. China, 2004

27. Franz Joseph Glacier, New Zealand, 2002