Introduction to Geography

1. CONTENT
1) Definition of:
a) Geography
b) Environment
2) Branches of Geography
a) Physical Geography
b) Human Geography
3. Importance of studying Geography
4. Relation between Geography and other disciplines

2. Introduction to Geography
Geo means the earth and graphien or
grapho means to draw and describe.
Geographia means to draw, describe or
write about the earth.
Geography is the scientific study of the
earth as a home for man OR a science that
studies the earth as the environment of
humankind.

3. Environment refers to all the external
conditions surrounding an organism (plants,
animals, and human beings). There are two
types of environment:
A. The physical environment: It includes the
natural physical conditions of weather,
climate, vegetation, animals, soil, landforms.
and drainage.
B. The human environment: It comprises
human activities such as farming, forestry,
mining, tourism, settlements,
transportation, trade, and industry.

4. Branches of geography
A. Physical geography
It deals with the study of the natural physical environment of
humankind. It covers the following:
oThe earth in relation to the solar system,
oThe external and internal structure of the earth.
oThe internal land-forming processes,
oThe external land-forming processes,
oWeather and climate,
oVegetation.
oDrainage, and
oSoils and rocks.

5. B.
It is the study of people and their activities on the
earth’s surface. The human activities studied
include:
• Agriculture and Forestry,
• Mining, wildlife and tourism,
• Fishing,
• Energy and industrial development,
• Trade, transport and communication,
• Population and settlement
• Management and conservation of the environment.

6. Another smaller branch of geography is
called practical Geography which equips the
learners with the practical skills that enhance
their understanding and interpretation of
physical and human geographical
information. It includes:
a) Statistical methods
b) Maps and mapwork
c) Fieldwork
d) Photograph work

7. GEOGRAPHY
Relationship between geography and other subjects

8. Relationship between geography and
other subjects
a) Mathematics formulae are used in
Geography to calculate distances, areas
and population densities. Mathematics
also applies geographical knowledge
about direction and bearing to calculate
distances around the globe.
{Mathematical Geography}.

9. Relationship between geography and other
subjects
b) History studies and records the events
of the past and the present. Geography
attempts to explain where these events
took place. {Historical Geography}

10. Relationship between geography and other
subjects
c) Biology is the scientific study of organisms,
focusing on their anatomy, physiology and
behaviour while Geography is interested in
the distribution of organisms (plants and
animals) and the factors influencing this
distribution. It is also called {Biogeography}
d) Chemistry is the study of substances, their
composition and their behaviour whereas
Geography applies chemistry in studying the
chemical composition of rocks and soils.

11. Relationship between geography and other
subjects
d) Agriculture is the cultivation of crops and
rearing of animals. Geography studies
farming systems, their distribution and the
factors affecting farming activities.
e) Meteorology deals with atmospheric
conditions of a place and weather
forecasting. Geography uses meteorological
data for classifying climatic regions and
mapping them. (Climatology)

12. f) Demography is the scientific study of the
numbers of people, their composition and
their structure. In geography this population
studies is called Population Geography.
g) Medicine deals with the diagnosing,
preventing and curing of diseases in people,
animals and plants. Geography pays
attention to the factors influencing the
spread of diseases and how diseases affect
the way people utilize natural resources. This
is called Medical Geography.

13. Importance of studying geography
1) The learner is able to learn and explain the
origin of the earth, the solar system and
the internal structure of the earth.
2) It helps learners to develop the skills of
observing, reading, analysing and
interpreting maps, photographs, charts,
diagrams and statistical data; identify the
methods of collecting and representing
geographical information.

14. Importance of studying geography
3) It facilitates better understanding of
people's way of life.
4) It encourages international awareness,
interaction and cooperation.
5) One is able to acquire basic skills and
knowledge, which contribute to local,
regional and national development.
6) It creates awareness in the people on the
significance of management and
conservation of the environment.

15. 7) Geography is a career subject.