Introduction to Geography
Specific Objectives
By the end of the topic the learner should be able to:
(a) Define the terms Geography and Environment;
(b) Describe the branches of Geography;
(c) Explain the importance of studying Geography;
(d) Explain the relationship between geography and other disciplines.
Content
a.) Definition of:
Geography.
Environment.
b.) Branches of Geography:
Physical geography. Human Geography.
c.) Importance of studying Geography.
d.) Relationship between geography and other disciplines.
Introduction
Geography is the scientific study of the earth as the home of human kind. The
term
Geography is derived from the Greek words: Geo and Graphein. Geo means
Earth and graphien means to write, draw or describe. These two words are
combined to form Geographein, which means to describe, write about or draw
the earth.
Definition of environment
Environment refers to external conditions that surround living things. These
conditions influence the behavior or activities of living things.
Environment can be divided into two parts:
i.) Physical Environment
External surrounding which is made up of the features that are not created by
human beings a though their presence may have been influenced by human
activities.
ii.) Human Environment
Comprises of activities of people on the earths surface.
Branches of Geography
There are two main branches:
,i.) Physical Geography
It is concerned mainly with the land forming processes that shape the surface
of the earth and the resulting features.
Areas of study under physical geography.
The external land forming processes.
Weather and climate.
Soil and vegetation.
The earth and the solar system.
GEOGRAPHY form one notes 1
ii.) Human Geography
It involves the study of human activities on the earth’s surface.
Areas of study under human geography.
Forestry
Wildlife, tourism and fishing.
Mining, energy and industries.
Population and urbanization.
Trade, transport and communication.
Agriculture.
Management and conservation of environment.
iii.) Physical Geography
This aspect gives learners an opportunity to develop practical skills.
Areas of study under practical geography.
Map work
Photography.
Field study
Statistics
GEOGRAPHY form one notes 2
,Importance of studying Geography
i. It is a career subject.
ii. Creates awareness in the people on the significance of management
and conservation of environment. iii. One is able to acquire basic
skills and knowledge which contribute to local, regional and national
development.
iv. Through the study of field work, geography teaches one how to
manage time properly by drawing a time schedule and adhering to
it.
v. Encourages international awareness, interaction and cooperation.
vi. It enables the learner to understand and appreciate different
environmental influences at work on different societies.
vii. We are able to learn and explain the origin of the earth, the solar
system and the internal structure of the earth.
Geography and other subjects
Geography relate widely with other subjects as follows.
Chemistry
Geography applies Chemistry concepts in studying the chemical
composition of rocks and soils.
Chemistry concepts are used in Geography to explain chemical
changes that occur in rocks/soils.
Physics
Physics deal with matter, energy, light, heat, sound, gravity and
magnetism while studying the atmosphere;
Geography focuses on heat from the sun as it’s responsible for
movement of air, evaporation or water and distribution of moisture in
the atmosphere.
Physics is a branch of Science concerned with study of matter and its
properties; Physics is important in Geography as it is used to explain
3
, how important process such as faulting, folding and vulcanicity
happen.
Agriculture
Agriculture deals with farming and involves the growing of crops and
the rearing of livestock.
Geography studies the distribution of agricultural activities and how factors
like relief, climate and soils affect them.
Also looks at both the positive and negative impact of agriculture on
the environment.
Biology
This is the study of living things. A branch of biology called ecology
dals with how living things relate to each other and the environment.
Biogeography which is a branch of geography is quite similar to
ecology as it deals with the distribution of plants and animal life on the
earth and their relationships to climate, soil, relief and other factors.
Meteorology and climatology
Meteorology is the study of atmospheric conditions of a given place at
a specific time while climatology is the study of weather.
Geography as a discipline deals with all the elements of weather and
the distribution of different climatic zones of the world.
Civil engineering
This is the branch of science that deals with the buildings and
maintenance of structures like roads, bridges, railways, airports, dams
and drainage systems.
Geographical knowledge on landforms, rocks and soils are important
before these structures are constructed.
Mathematics
This is the branch of science that deals with numbers, quantity and
space. Mathematics helps geographers to simplify and interpret
numerical data.
Mathematical techniques in arithmetic and statistics are used by
geographers to calculate averages, distances population densities and
sizes and reading charts and graphs.
4
Specific Objectives
By the end of the topic the learner should be able to:
(a) Define the terms Geography and Environment;
(b) Describe the branches of Geography;
(c) Explain the importance of studying Geography;
(d) Explain the relationship between geography and other disciplines.
Content
a.) Definition of:
Geography.
Environment.
b.) Branches of Geography:
Physical geography. Human Geography.
c.) Importance of studying Geography.
d.) Relationship between geography and other disciplines.
Introduction
Geography is the scientific study of the earth as the home of human kind. The
term
Geography is derived from the Greek words: Geo and Graphein. Geo means
Earth and graphien means to write, draw or describe. These two words are
combined to form Geographein, which means to describe, write about or draw
the earth.
Definition of environment
Environment refers to external conditions that surround living things. These
conditions influence the behavior or activities of living things.
Environment can be divided into two parts:
i.) Physical Environment
External surrounding which is made up of the features that are not created by
human beings a though their presence may have been influenced by human
activities.
ii.) Human Environment
Comprises of activities of people on the earths surface.
Branches of Geography
There are two main branches:
,i.) Physical Geography
It is concerned mainly with the land forming processes that shape the surface
of the earth and the resulting features.
Areas of study under physical geography.
The external land forming processes.
Weather and climate.
Soil and vegetation.
The earth and the solar system.
GEOGRAPHY form one notes 1
ii.) Human Geography
It involves the study of human activities on the earth’s surface.
Areas of study under human geography.
Forestry
Wildlife, tourism and fishing.
Mining, energy and industries.
Population and urbanization.
Trade, transport and communication.
Agriculture.
Management and conservation of environment.
iii.) Physical Geography
This aspect gives learners an opportunity to develop practical skills.
Areas of study under practical geography.
Map work
Photography.
Field study
Statistics
GEOGRAPHY form one notes 2
,Importance of studying Geography
i. It is a career subject.
ii. Creates awareness in the people on the significance of management
and conservation of environment. iii. One is able to acquire basic
skills and knowledge which contribute to local, regional and national
development.
iv. Through the study of field work, geography teaches one how to
manage time properly by drawing a time schedule and adhering to
it.
v. Encourages international awareness, interaction and cooperation.
vi. It enables the learner to understand and appreciate different
environmental influences at work on different societies.
vii. We are able to learn and explain the origin of the earth, the solar
system and the internal structure of the earth.
Geography and other subjects
Geography relate widely with other subjects as follows.
Chemistry
Geography applies Chemistry concepts in studying the chemical
composition of rocks and soils.
Chemistry concepts are used in Geography to explain chemical
changes that occur in rocks/soils.
Physics
Physics deal with matter, energy, light, heat, sound, gravity and
magnetism while studying the atmosphere;
Geography focuses on heat from the sun as it’s responsible for
movement of air, evaporation or water and distribution of moisture in
the atmosphere.
Physics is a branch of Science concerned with study of matter and its
properties; Physics is important in Geography as it is used to explain
3
, how important process such as faulting, folding and vulcanicity
happen.
Agriculture
Agriculture deals with farming and involves the growing of crops and
the rearing of livestock.
Geography studies the distribution of agricultural activities and how factors
like relief, climate and soils affect them.
Also looks at both the positive and negative impact of agriculture on
the environment.
Biology
This is the study of living things. A branch of biology called ecology
dals with how living things relate to each other and the environment.
Biogeography which is a branch of geography is quite similar to
ecology as it deals with the distribution of plants and animal life on the
earth and their relationships to climate, soil, relief and other factors.
Meteorology and climatology
Meteorology is the study of atmospheric conditions of a given place at
a specific time while climatology is the study of weather.
Geography as a discipline deals with all the elements of weather and
the distribution of different climatic zones of the world.
Civil engineering
This is the branch of science that deals with the buildings and
maintenance of structures like roads, bridges, railways, airports, dams
and drainage systems.
Geographical knowledge on landforms, rocks and soils are important
before these structures are constructed.
Mathematics
This is the branch of science that deals with numbers, quantity and
space. Mathematics helps geographers to simplify and interpret
numerical data.
Mathematical techniques in arithmetic and statistics are used by
geographers to calculate averages, distances population densities and
sizes and reading charts and graphs.
4
