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What Is The Importance Of Studying Geography

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The Reasons Why Geography Is So Important Will Surely Amaze You

Importance Of Studying Geography

Geography deals with the study of landforms and the natural phenomena on Earth. Why is geography so important? Why should we study it? Read this ScienceStruck article to know about the importance of geography.

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Geography deals with the study of landforms and the natural phenomena on Earth. Why is geography so important? Why should we study it? Read this ScienceStruck article to know about the importance of geography.

Geography is the study of the Earth, its landforms, features, and inhabitants. It seems to have lost its importance in this new era of globalization. Recent surveys have brought out disturbing results about the level of knowledge that kids have, about geography. It is surprising to know that children today do not find it important to study this subject. Its high time we understand how important it really is.

Here Are 9 Reasons Why Geography Matters

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By Anna Davies, Irish Research Council and Frances Fahy, NUI Galway

Geography describes the earth

Geo comes from the Greek word for Earth and the “graphy” part comes from the Greek word which means to write about something. Thus geo and graphy literally means “to write about the Earth.” Geography teaches vital skills that help us describe and read the world and is representations, from ancient maps and charts to contemporary models and satellite images. Irish statesman and scholar Edmund Burke noted, “geography is an earthly subject, but a heavenly science”.

Geography links the past to the present and the future

Geography helps us understand how past societies and environments developed, which provides the context for the present and helps us to plan for our future. Geography helps us answer the question of “how do we wish to live?” in an informed way. As Michael Palin said, “geography is the subject which holds the key to our future”.

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What Is The Importance Of Studying Geography And History

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Without geography, history is considered to be rather incomplete and lacking in vital substance, for it loses focus in the absence of the concept of space. History is thus regarded both as the history of humanity and the history of the environment.

It is thus important as we go back in time to understand the geography and environment of regions that influenced Indian history.

Three basic physiographical divisions may be identified in the Indian subcontinent: the Himalayan uplands the Indo-Gangetic plains and peninsular India.

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The Himalayas are a chain of mountains which are still rising. Large amounts of alluvium are continuously carried down into the plains from these mountains due to weathering and erosion. Snows of the Himalayan feed the three great river systems-Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra.

The alluvial plains of northern India extend in the form of an arc for about 3200 km from the mouth of the Indus to the mouth of the Ganga.

The Indus plains gave rise to the first civilisation of the subcontinent, the Harappan, while the Ganga plains have sustained and nurtured city life, state, society and imperial rule from the first millennium BC.

Between the northern plains and peninsular India is a large intermediate zone, called central India, extending from Gujarat to western Orissa over a stretch of 1600 km. The Aravalli hills in Rajas than separate the Indus plain from the peninsula.

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Students Gain Multiple Skills By Studying Geography

Students have the chance to acquire a variety of abilities while studying geography, some of which are broader in nature. These abilities work well collectively to create a solid foundation for employment, knowledge acquisition, and having a positive impact on the world.

Studying geography may also help you develop a variety of subject-specific competencies, such as the capacity to think geographically across many dimensions. The ability to create compelling maps, diagrams, and illustrations, as well as the skill to perform fieldwork and gather field data all studied in this program. Additionally, your geographic studies will help you gain more broad abilities that will be beneficial in the future. These include the capacity to construct convincing reasoning, logical analysis, moral and ethical reasoning, leadership, communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.

Importance Of Studying Geography

Geographic Illiteracy in America: The Importance of Studying Geography ...

We study Geography in order to

  • Raise our standard of living by utilizing properly the available resources.
  • Understand the social and geographical problems and how to solve them. For example soil erosion, climate problems etc.
  • Gain skills of observation, measuring, recording and interpreting of phenomena
  • Expand our knowledge of employment opportunities
  • Acquire skills for combating environmental problems such as drought, global warming etc.
  • Understand the interactions between our country and other countries and share ideas of solving problems.

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Learn More: Our Geography Subject Guide Links What You Learn In Class To Your Career

Geography can be divided into two main branches:

Physical Geography: is a branch of earth science, which looks at the natural elements of the world, including the atmosphere, land and oceans. Physical geographers study things like climate, soil, how the earth was formed and how it is changing over time.

Human Geography: is a social science that studies how humans interact with the planet and covers things like population growth, migration, how urban and rural settlements develop, how we work with animals and even how our economies are effected by the environment we live in.

Because geographers deal with the natural world and how we behave in it, their jobs can take them everywhere, from taking soil samples on the edge of a volcano to mapping a new town, charting the changes to a glacier in the arctic, or even teaching you in a comfortable classroom.

Geographers have done some pretty important things for the human race, including charting new territory, developing maps and measuring distances to help us get from A to B long before we could simply take a picture of an area from space. We wouldnt have Google maps without them. Imagine

Scope Of Human Geography

Human geographers use several terms to refer to parts of the Earth:

  • SPACE. Physical space on the Earth .
  • LOCATION. A portion of space defined by coordinates .
  • PLACE. A specific location people experience.
  • LANDSCAPE. An area of space with places and connections between places.
  • REGION. A group of similar places and locations, and/or landscapes, spread over space.
  • TERRAIN. The physical aspect or shape of space over an area.
  • ENVIRONMENT. “Surroundings.” In human geography, this means the natural environment as experienced by people.

Study tip: It is a GREAT idea to become comfortable with similarities and differences between the terms above and how they are used in AP Human Geography. Sometimes, the way they are used in casual language or in another discipline is different from how they are understood by geographers.

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What Careers Can I Do With Geography

According to the Royal Geographical Society, Geography graduates have some of the highest rates of graduate employment.

Geography is great for any kind of career that involves the environment, planning, or collecting and interpreting data. Popular careers for people with geography qualifications include: town or transport planning, surveying, conservation, sustainability, waste and water management, environmental planning, tourism, and weather forecasting.

The army, police, government, research organisations, law and business world also love the practical research skills that geographers develop.

Because geographers learn about human and population development, geography can be useful for jobs in charity and international relations too.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in geography, check out our post Career Choices for Geography Students.

Get A Grasp On Globalization

What can you do with geography?

Globalization has been one of the biggest forces in world history for decades. The saying its a small world reflects this change: the world is as big as it always was, but its 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.

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Assists You Travel Smart

Tourism experiences cannot be fully appreciated without a fundamental understanding of geography. Do you want to explore those foggy mountains, rocky coasts, or scorching cities if you travel to Spain? But, how would you do this without understanding the region?

It will also assist you in choosing your course of travel: if you want to finish up in Europe, seeing Portugal, Germany, and Rome makes much more sense. Get prepared by studying for your next trip.

The Importance Of Geography In Education

While geography is not generally considered a core subject in the same way that English, math, and science are, it can be a vital component of a well-rounded education. Geography helps students to understand the physical world, such as land, air, water, and ecology. It also helps them to understand human environments, such as societies and communities. This also includes economics, social and cultural issues, and sometimes morals and ethics.

Beyond this, it helps students to learn about the interdependence between humans and their environment, particularly in terms of trade, migration, and climate change. This gives students a sense of place and space as well as of scale, with a recognition of the importance of local, regional, national, international, and global focuses.

The importance of geography in education extends out beyond the subject itself. Geography allows students to integrate their learning across different subjects, such as those in the sciences, humanities, and the arts. Geography helps to increase students scientific literacy which can be useful throughout life, for example through applying critical thinking to medical news or decisions.

It also provides a bridge to the pure sciences by providing an engaging and tangible way of applying its principles, which can open up this area to students who may have otherwise not pursued it. It also provides students with a sense of global citizenship, which they can apply throughout their lives and careers.

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Space Vs Place Awareness

Studying geography helps us to have an awareness of a place. All places and spaces have a history behind them, shaped by humans, earth, and climate. Studying geography gives a meaning and awareness to places and spaces. It also helps students with spatial awareness on the globe. Understanding direction and where things are in the world is still a vital skill, despite having easy access to this information online.

  • Physical Geography: This is the study of the physical makeup of a land. It can include climate, landforms, soil and growth, bodies of waters, and natural resources.
  • Human Geography: Human geography, on the other hand, includes the study of people and culture and how they are distributed across the globe.

How Does Physical Geography Contribute To The Character Of A Place

St John

Physical geographic factors such as climate, vegetation, settlement patterns, population density relate to the character of a place as do the political, economic, social and cultural features that make a place unique. Since these features can change over time the character of a place can change over time also.

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What Is The Importance Of Geography In History

The events of the past are inextricably linked to the geography of those places. The importance of Geography included the study of history from the days when science and technology were not a part of life. People were reliant on the natural features of the area more compared to this day.

Let us understand the aforementioned statement with the help of an example. The Indus Valley Civilisation developed around the river Indus. The river is of extreme importance as it was the source of all activities required to sustain life there. When we try to understand the location of the river, the kind of soil found there, etc, we also discover trade routes, the means of transportation, the metals found there, etc. This, in turn, helps us to understand their culture and their lifestyle better.

Vast Employment Opportunities For Geography Grads

If you decide to study geography in college, your opportunities after graduation are vast. Many geography grads go into urban and regional planning, a field that is growing fast. Other geographers work in environmental management and consulting and can have a direct impact in the fight against climate change. Also, the skills learned during a geography degree, such as cartography, data representation, and research writing, transfer well into the workforce and can make you a standout applicant!

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What Is Introduction To Physical Geography

Physical geography studies the features and dynamic processes of landform, climate, hydrology, soil and ecology, as well as their interactions and future trends. Among these varied topics, landform evolution and climatic change and their interactions are the most fundamental elements in physical geography.

Introduction To Human Geography

Why study geography at university?
  • Human geography studies the “why of where”patterns and processes that shape and are shaped by the Earth.
  • Three subdisciplines of human geographycultural geography, economic geography, and political geographyconnect to other branches of geography such as historical geography, medical geography, environmental geography, urban geography, industrial geography, agricultural geography, and the philosophy of geography.
  • The importance of human geography is its ability to study the Earth in ways that allow us to better understand how humans can create a more sustainable planet, save biodiversity, and so forth.
  • Examples of human geography in practice range from the significance of the location of New Orleans to the redrawing of voting district boundaries and the location of retail stores.

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How Can You Apply Geography In Your Daily Life

Things that you do that are geographic: Learn where supermarkets, shopping malls, doctors offices and local schools are located. Choose a place to visit on holidays and figure out how to get there. Understand local and global environmental changes so you purchase adequate clothing and plan long trips.

Why Is Geography Important To History

Geography situates history in its proper setting. It enables us to understand why, when, and how events in history occurred. Learning geography will help you learn history more effectively.

  • Severe thunderstorm warning issued to Perth, Peel, And South WestAfter a night of torrential rain and powerful winds, A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Perth on Tuesday morning Just before 7 am, powerful winds of over 100 km/h tore through Rottnest Island. The Perth rain gauge showed almost 10mm of rain since 6 oclock on Monday night.

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Makes Sense Of Various Cultures

Human culture is intrinsically spatial: the land controls or shapes the food, fashion, built environment, and even social interactions. An areas topography has an impact on every facet of its culture.

Understanding and appreciating the great cultural variety found throughout the world is made easier by geography. Geographic places culture in context, just like news does. You need to have some knowledge about a peoples land in order to comprehend them.

Become A Global Citizen

Sarah

Being an educated global citizen starts with the study of geography. Global citizens are conscious-minded of the world around them, understand others, and work towards making the entire globe a better place. That all starts with the study of geography!

So, once again, why is geography important? Its more important than you think learning geography will help you better understand news, help fight climate change, be a part of a global community, understand cultures, and learn history. At the end of the day, geography will help you become a better overall global citizen.

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What Is The Scope Of Physical Geography

The scope of physical geography includes the study of earth relief features and physical features, such as plains, mountains, hills, etc. The emergence of areas that branches into physical geography such as Geomorphology, Climatology, Oceanography, etc made the scope of physical geography quite extensive.

What Can I Do With My Geography Degree

The knowledge and skills gained by majoring in Geography position graduates for careers as geospatial analysts, planners, researchers, and teachers. Mary Washington alumni with degrees in Geography currently work for a range of federal agencies, local and state governments, industry leaders in geospatial technologies, and service organizations. In addition, many alumni have excelled in top graduate programs. Profiles of Geography Department alumni can be found on this page.

Common employers for geography majors include:

  • Intelligence Agencies
  • City, Regional, and State Planning Departments
  • Environmental, Engineering, or Architectural Consultation Firms
  • Manufacturing Firms
  • Government Agencies
  • Schools and Teaching

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Makes You Globally Independent

The concept of global interdependence holds that all regions of the globe are entirely reliant on one another. Prosperity and stability are shared by each state, country, region, and area. We are all interconnected and dependent on one another in one way or another those countries depend on others, and so on. However, studying geography makes one globally independent because of the correct knowledge of these territories.

Chart The Course Of History

Why Studying Geography is Important, Alex Loftus

Geography not only puts current events in perspective, it help us understand history. A person cant 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.

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