Geography

• Geography studies the physical aspects of the earth and how it affects mobility, outcomes, and interactions of individuals and societies; the bridge between human and physical sciences
• In the Age of Exploration (13th - 17th centuries), the Europeans explored new worlds which led to the immense development of the study of the world
• In the 19th century, European colleges and universities offered geography as a separate degree
• Research Methods

  1. Remote sensing: the science of acquiring information about the earth from a distance, typically from satellites or high-flying aircraft
  2. Global positioning system (GPS): a network of orbiting satellites that send precise details of their position in space back to Earth

  C. Geographic information system (GIS): system of gathering, storing, and sharing geographic data using various technologies, software, and applications
• Systematic approach studies individual issues or phenomena and examines specific patterns and variations across the globe
• Regional approach studies geographical phenomena in a specific region and views the world as composed of regions at various hierarchical levels