The importance of geography

Published on April 3, 2003

By Ruth I. Shirey
April 4, 2003: For many people geography means knowing where places are. It
is true that knowing where places are and something of their characteristics is
important, just as knowing the alphabet is important for reading or the multiplication
tables for arithmetic; but geography involves much more. Geography is the study of
places on Earth and their relationship with each other. Often the study of geography
begins with one’s home community and expands as a person gains greater experience.
Thus, geography provides a conceptual link for children between home, school, and the
world beyond.
Geographers study how people interact with the environment and with each other
from place to place and they classify Earth into regions in order to draw generalizations
about the complex world in which we live. Because it deals with where and how people
live, geography is rich in material that relates to international understanding, multi-
cultural concerns, and environmental education.
The tools of geography help us understand places. The tool most identified with
geographers is the map, but they also use different kinds of statistical information,
photographs and images of many kinds, and a wide variety of data collected by other
methods. They also rely upon their own observations and those of others found in such
sources a descriptive geography texts, histories, diaries, and journals.

Geography teaches students important skills

Through the student of geography students learn to read maps and interpret
information at geographical scales from local to global. They are able to use data from
maps, tables, graphs, and text to recognize patterns and solve problems. Students also
can integrate concepts from many different areas of science, social science, and the
humanities, and apply critical thinking to understanding and dealing with current issues
of local, national, and international importance.

Geography helps student learn about the world

Knowing something about where places are and what they are like is important.
As the last “superpower” and a major player in international affairs, the United States
needs citizens who have basic knowledge of other parts of the world as well as our own
country. We also need to understand regional relationships and the role the United
States plays in them.

Geography contributes to international understanding

The world’s economies are increasingly linked into an international network of
trade and exchange. If our competitors know more about us than we do about them,
they have an advantage in serving our markets and negotiating trade agreements, and
we are placed at a disadvantage in reaching their markets. Well-planned geography
education at all grade levels will help to make us more aware of other countries and
cultures and prepare our students to take their place in the world.

Geography and citizenship

Knowledge of geography helps us be better citizens. Through geography we
learn to locate important events. We can understand the relationship between
geography and national or international policies and we can use geographical
knowledge to make informed decisions regarding the best use of the nation’s resources.
Finally, geographic knowledge helps us to ask important questions about policies that
lead to changes in landscape and land use. Geographically informed students will be
effective leaders for our country.
Geography and economics
There is a close relationship between geography and economics. The location of
natural resources, the shape of transportation networks and the technology they use,
the level of industrialization or energy production, and many other geographical factors
influence the kind of economy a country or region will have. Trade patterns are
fundamental elements of both geography and economics.

Geography and history

Geography provides important clues to the past. Landforms and climate are
related to migration patterns, land use, and the rise and fall of civilizations. How people
use the land also has a strong bearing on the economic progress of countries and
regions. Thus, knowing what the landscape was like in the past is important for
understanding historical processes; as is knowing who lived in a place, how they lived,
and how they used the land.

Geography and the environment

Many human geographers examine the relationship between humans and the
environments in which they live and physical geographers are concerned with how
natural systems work. Geographers conduct research to understand the impact of
environmental factors on human individual and group behavior, to identify the ways in
which humans change the environments in which they live, and to determine the long-
term environmental impacts of social processes such as population growth and
technological development. These are key issues for determining government and
private sector environmental policies with which an education citizenry should be
acquainted.

http://kukiforum.com/2003/04/the-importance-of-geography-2/

Why is Geography Important?

While many of us labored to learn geography in school, we always wondered

why it mattered. Here are some reasons why a sound understanding of geography is
more important today than ever before.

Politics
We live in a world that is shaped by the political climate in various locations
around the globe. In order to understand the mindset of modern day politicians, we can
often get valuable clues by looking at the present geography of the country, state, or
province they serve. At some point in time, that geography was determined as a result
of political actions that still have some lingering impact on the way the culture functions
today. To understand the geography is to have a better grasp of how the political
environment is shaped by past decisions and influenced by the realities of today.

Culture
Geographic designations that have developed over time also tend to be the
foundation for the development of some sort of national pride or identity. Customs and
traditions are often associated with aspects of the terrain and the borders for the
jurisdiction. People begin to look within those geographical boundaries and discover or
create common beliefs, characteristics, and physical aspects. These become the
building blocks upon which a national sense of identity emerges.
Climate
Understanding the way that the weather functions in various parts of the world is
essential to a number of industries that we rely on it in order to meet basic living needs.
We need to know what areas are rich with various minerals and natural resources, such
as coal, oil, and salt. When it comes to food supplies, we need to know where
conditions are just right for growing certain
types of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
When it comes to caring for livestock,
understanding the climate in a given
locale provides us with the knowledge of
how to ensure the safety and health of the
stock. Geographical conditions are
shaped by weather conditions, which in
turn influences how and where we can
create and harvest the substances we need to keep our society going.
When one has a working knowledge of geography, there is much more at hand
than simply being able to look at a map and identify localities by the proper name.
Geography can be the launching pad to learning about many different aspects of living,
from the politics we create to the replenishing of our food supply.
http://www.tech-faq.com/why-is-geography-important.html

Why is Geography Important?

It includes the study of our planet and of occurrences in nature.

Geography consists of the study of our planet, its climatic conditions, the various
landforms on Earth, and the different natural occurrences. It includes the spatial
analysis of human and natural phenomena, the exploration of earth sciences, and the
study of the relationship between nature and human life. The study of geography
includes the analysis of social, economic, and environmental processes that affect
nature. Don't you think it is important to know about this in depth? Don't you feel the
need to have knowledge of our Earth? If you feel the need to, you have a reason to say
that geography is important.

It involves the study of people.

The geography of a region affects the lifestyle of its inhabitants. The

geographical conditions of a region influence its culture. They have a deep impact on
the social and cultural norms of people. The geography of a region has a direct effect on
the art forms, the literature, the food habits, and the celebrations and traditions of the
people that inhabit it. The study of geography lets us understand the distribution of
people around the world and the differences in their ways of living.
https://sciencestruck.com/why-is-geography-so-important
 GEOGRAPHY IN DAILY LIFE

1.1. You must have noticed that the earth’s surface is ever changing; In general, the
natural phenomena like mountains, rivers, lakes etc. change slowly while the cultural
elements like buildings, roads, crops, change fast. Travelling from one place to
another you notice that the trees number and types of trees change from area to
area. All this is because of the continuous interaction between the environment in
which we live in and the way we use it.
The study of Geography is about observing such patterns. Another aspect of
geography is to understand the factors or reason behind areal differentiation, how
do social, cultural, economic and demographic factors change our physical
landscape and create new or altered landscapes by human interventions. For
example, human settlements are transformation of forest or barren lands for living
purpose by human being. Geography is often thought of as the art of making and
studying maps. Maps give us a much more correct and graphic view of the way the
Earth’s surface looks compared to a picture of drawing. As earlier, even today
geographical information about an area is available through reports, travel diaries
and gazetteers. At present maps can be drawn by using satellite images using
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools. Computers easily convert the
information from satellite images into maps to show what changes development can
bring about. Such information is of benefit to the society. Such mapmakers are in
great demand today. Nowadays geographers, engineers, environmental scientists,
city planners, social scientists, and many others learn to use GIS to understand the
Earth better.
Geography, not only investigates what is where on the Earth, but also why it is
there. Geographers study the location of the activities, carefully identify patterns
using maps and find out the reasons for these patterns. The areas are then
described based on the distribution of land forms, population, house type and
agriculture. They discover the linkages and movements between places and are
able to infer the spatial processes that are working in an area. Today, all over the
world there are problems related to providing food security, health, effective energy
use and environmental conservation. Equally important are equality issues and
sustainable development. All these can be achieved by using our resources in
sustainable ways. Study of geography is, therefore, necessary to learn more about
environmental processes and to understand how land use planning can help us to
overcome problems.
In brief:
1. Geography is a science of space.
2. Maps are an essential tool of geographers.
3. Digital Geographical Information system is a new tool for making maps.
4. Spatial Planning can be done using both maps and the study of geography

MODULE - 1 The study of Geography as a discipline

Pg. 2-3
 Here are our top 9 reasons why you should study more geography.

1. Look Smart

Let’s be honest: we all care about what other people think of us. That’s why our first
important reason for studying geography is that it makes you look smart. Knowing
basic geography can help you avoid embarrassing moments, impress a date, maybe
even land a job.

But geography doesn’t just make you look smart. It actually does make you smarter,
as our next reasons show.

2. Put the News in Context

How are you supposed to understand the news if you don’t know geography?
Knowing geography helps put current events in context.

For example, knowing that Hong Kong is a city in southern China can begin to help a
person understand why it is politically different from the rest of China: it’s
geographically isolated.

3. Chart the Course of History

Geography not only puts current events in perspective, it helps us understand history.
A person can’t understand World War II without understanding the roles of the
continental Russian Winter or the English Channel. Geography shapes the course of
world history. Want to better understand history? Study geography.

4. Build Navigation Skills

The most basic skill in navigation is understanding the “lay of the land.” Studying
geography helps develop spatial thinking. Those skills could come in handy if you get
lost driving around town or in the wilderness!

5. Travel Smart

Without a basic sense of geography, it’s impossible to get the most out of travel
experiences. If you’re heading to Spain, do you want to see misty mountains, rocky
coastlines, or searing-hot cities? These questions will decide whether you head to
Torla, Basque Country, or Sevilla. Study up before your next vacation.

6. Understand Your Home

Geography allows you to understand the place where you live. People settle in
specific places because of the landscape. For example, cities are almost always built
on a river or other reliable water supply. What is the history of the place you live? How
has the geography affected the area? These are the questions to ask to gain a deep
understanding of your home.

7. Get a Grasp on Globalization

Globalization has been one of the biggest forces in world history for decades. The
saying “it’s a small world” reflects this change: the world is as big as it always was,
but it’s just more interconnected than ever. Understanding the changes that have
swept the world as a result of this interconnection is impossible without appreciating
the geography on which it is taking place.

8. Make Sense of Different Cultures

Human culture is fundamentally place-based: the land determines or influences the

cuisine, clothing, architecture, even social relationships. Every aspect of a culture is
affected by its geography.

Geography helps you understand and appreciate the incredible diversity of cultures
around the world. Like with news, geography puts culture in context. To understand a
people, you have to know something about their land.

9. Prepare for the Future

Geographic skills guide important decisions every day. From architecture to politics
to business, the physical landscape frames the debates happening today that will be
in the history books tomorrow.

http://www.google.com.ph/amp/s/www.brainscape.com/blog/2014/11/9-reasons-
study-geography/amp/
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna
Nagcarlan Satellite Campus

Basic Geography
(Importance of geography)

Juddie Mynn J. Barba

Beed – Ii