CSS Forums - Geography an overview

[B][FONT='Times New Roman']Geography[/FONT][/B]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][B]Geography[/B] is the study of the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth"][COLOR=windowtext]Earth[/COLOR][/URL] and its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity. Geography research addresses both the questions of [I]where[/I], as well as [I]why[/I], geographical phenomena occur. The word comes from the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language"][COLOR=windowtext]Greek[/COLOR][/URL] words [B][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_%28mythology%29"][COLOR=windowtext]Ge[/COLOR][/URL][/B] ([I]γη[/I]) or [B]Gaea[/B] ([I]γpenisαια[/I]), both meaning [B]"Earth"[/B], and [B]graphein[/B] ([I]γραφειν[/I]), meaning [B]"to describe"[/B] or "to write".[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Because place matters for a variety of topics, including [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]economics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]health[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]climate[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_%28plants%29"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]plants[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_%28animals%29"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]animals[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], geography is highly interdisciplinary. Geography draws upon and contributes to numerous other knowledge disciplines. Geography is broadly divided into [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]human geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]physical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], with subfields of including [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]economic geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]political geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]urban geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogeography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]biogeography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomorphology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geomorphology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]coastal geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman].[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]With advances in [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]computer[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] technology, the analytical and spatial data management tools available to geographers, including [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_Information_Systems"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geographic Information Systems[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatial_data_analysis"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]spatial data analysis[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], are now allowing [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographers"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geographers[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] far more rigorous, [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]quantitative[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] analyses of spatial phenomena. Though the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]qualitative[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] approach to geography remains important, with [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]ethnography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] and other methodologies used to investigate theories of spatial phenomena.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]History of geography[/FONT][/B]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Greeks[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] are the first known culture to actively explore geography as a [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]science[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]philosophy[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. Mapping by the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Romans[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] as they explored new lands added new techniques. During the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Middle Ages[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Arabs[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] such as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idrisi"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Idrisi[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Batutta"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Ibn Batutta[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Khaldun"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Ibn Khaldun[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] maintained the Greek and Roman techniques and developed new ones.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Following the journeys of [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Marco Polo[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], interest in geography spread throughout [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Europe[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. The great voyages of exploration in the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_century"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]16th[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]17th centuries[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] revived a desire for both accurate geographic detail, and more solid theoretical foundations. This period is also known as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Geographical_Discoveries&action=edit"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Great Geographical Discoveries[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. By the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]18th century[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], geography had become recognized as a discrete discipline and became part of a typical [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]university[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] curriculum in [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Europe[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] (especially [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Paris[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Berlin[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]).[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Over the past two centuries the quantity of knowledge and the number of tools exploded. There are strong links between geography and the sciences of [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botany"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]botany[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], as well as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]economics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]sociology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]demographics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. In the West during the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]20th century[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], the discipline of geography went through four major phases: [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_determinism"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]environmental determinism[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]regional geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_revolution"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]quantitative revolution[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]critical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman].[/FONT][/SIZE]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]Physical geography[/FONT][/B]

[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Physical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] (or physiogeography) focuses on geography as an [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Earth science[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. It aims to understand the physical features of the Earth, its [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithosphere"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]lithosphere[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrosphere"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]hydrosphere[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_atmosphere"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]atmosphere[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedosphere"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]pedosphere[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and global [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_%28plants%29"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]flora[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_%28animals%29"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]fauna[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] patterns ([/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]biosphere[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]). Physical Geography can be divided into the following broad categories:[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomorphology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geomorphology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Coastal/Marine studies[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hydrology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]/[/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hydrography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaciology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Glaciology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Limnology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Oceanography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]/[/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Oceanology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Climatology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Pedology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogeography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Biogeography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesy"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geodesy[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeogeography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Palaeogeography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleoclimatology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]paleoclimatology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Environmental Geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] and management [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_ecology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Landscape ecology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][B][FONT=Times New Roman]Human geography[/FONT][/B]

[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Human geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] is a branch of geography that focuses on the study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with various environments. It encompasses [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]human[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]political[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]cultural[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]social[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]economic[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] aspects. While the major focus of human geography is not the physical landscape of the Earth (see [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]physical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]), it is hardly possible to discuss human geography without referring to the physical landscape on which human activities are being played out, and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]environmental geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] is emerging as a link between the two.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Human geography can be divided into many broad categories, such as:[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Economic geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transportation_geography&action=edit"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Transportation geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Development geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Population geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] or [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Demography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]* [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Urban geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Social geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Behavioral geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_region"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Cultural geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Political geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], including [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geopolitics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geopolitics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]* [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Historical geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Time geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Regional geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Tourism geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Strategic geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Military geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Feminist geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Environmental geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_geographies"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Children's geographies[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]* Distinction between these fields of study have become increasingly blurred over time and the above list should not be considered definitive.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Related topics: [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_of_the_world"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Countries of the world[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Country[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Nation[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]State[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_union"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Personal union[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Province[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]County[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]City[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipality"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Municipality[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Place_Theory"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Central place theory[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] - [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_morphology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Urban morphology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]Socio-environmental geography[/FONT][/B]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]During the time of environmental determinism, geography was defined not as the study of spatial relationships, but as the study of how humans and the natural environment interact. Though environmental determinism has lost support, there remains a strong tradition of geographers addressing the relationships between people and nature. There are two main subfields of socio-environmental geography:[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][I]Cultural and Political ecology[/I] (CAPE): Cultural ecology grew out of the work of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_O._Sauer"][COLOR=windowtext]Carl Sauer[/COLOR][/URL] in geography and a similar school of thought in [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext]anthropology[/COLOR][/URL]. It examined how human societies adapt themselves to the natural environment. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability"][COLOR=windowtext]Sustainability[/COLOR][/URL] science has been one important outgrowth of this tradition. Political ecology arose when some geographers used aspects of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_geography"][COLOR=windowtext]critical geography[/COLOR][/URL] to look at relations of power and how they affect people's use of the environment. For example, an influential study by [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Watts"][COLOR=windowtext]Michael Watts[/COLOR][/URL] argued that famines in the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahel"][COLOR=windowtext]Sahel[/COLOR][/URL] are caused by the changes in the region's [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_system"][COLOR=windowtext]political[/COLOR][/URL] and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_system"][COLOR=windowtext]economic system[/COLOR][/URL] as a result of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism"][COLOR=windowtext]colonialism[/COLOR][/URL] and the spread of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism"][COLOR=windowtext]capitalism[/COLOR][/URL]. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][LIST][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][I]Risk-hazards research[/I]: Research on [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazard"][COLOR=windowtext]hazards[/COLOR][/URL] began with the work of geographer [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_F._White"][COLOR=windowtext]Gilbert F. White[/COLOR][/URL], who sought to understand why people live in disaster-prone [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floodplain"][COLOR=windowtext]floodplains[/COLOR][/URL]. Since then, the hazards field has expanded to become a multidisciplinary field examining both [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazard"][COLOR=windowtext]natural hazards[/COLOR][/URL] (such as [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake"][COLOR=windowtext]earthquakes[/COLOR][/URL]) as well as [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-made_disaster"][COLOR=windowtext]technological hazards[/COLOR][/URL] (such as [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactor"][COLOR=windowtext]nuclear reactor[/COLOR][/URL] meltdowns). Geographers studying hazards are interested in both the dynamics of the hazard event and how people and societies deal with it. ([I]See main article: [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_management"][COLOR=windowtext]Disaster management[/COLOR][/URL][/I]) [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][B][FONT=Times New Roman]Related fields[/FONT][/B]

[B][FONT=Times New Roman]Urban, regional and spatial planning[/FONT][/B]

[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Urban planning[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]regional planning[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatial_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]spatial planning[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] use the science of geography to assist in determining how to develop (or not develop) the land to meet particular criteria, such as safety, beauty, economic opportunities, the preservation of the built or natural heritage, and so on. The planning of towns, cities and rural areas may be seen as applied geography although it also draws heavily upon engineering, the arts, the sciences, lessons of history, and politics. Some of the issues facing planning are considered briefly under the headings of [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_exodus"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]rural exodus[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exodus"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]urban exodus[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_growth"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]smart growth[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman].[/FONT][/SIZE]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]Regional science[/FONT][/B]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]In the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950s"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]1950s[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]regional science[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] movement led by Walter Isard arose, to provide a more quantitative and analytical base to geographical questions, in contrast to the descriptive tendencies of traditional geography programs. Regional science comprises the body of knowledge in which the spatial dimension plays a fundamental role, such as [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_economics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]regional economics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_management"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]resource management[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Location_theory"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]location theory[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]urban[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]regional planning[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]transport[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]communication[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_geography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]human geography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], population distribution, [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_ecology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]landscape ecology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman], and environmental quality.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[B][FONT=Times New Roman]Geographical techniques[/FONT][/B]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]As spatial interrelationships are key to this [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synoptic_science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]synoptic science[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Map"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]maps[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] are a key tool. Classical [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]cartography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] has been joined by a more modern approach to geographical analysis, computer-based [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geographic information systems[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] (GIS).[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartography"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Cartography[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][/I][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] studies the representation of the Earth's surface with abstract symbols (map making). Although other subdisciplines of geography rely on maps for presenting their analyses, the actual making of maps is abstract enough to be regarded separately. Cartography has grown from a collection of drafting techniques into an actual science. Cartographers must learn [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_psychology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]cognitive psychology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and ergonomics to understand which symbols convey information about the Earth most effectively, and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_psychology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]behavioral psychology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] to induce the readers of their maps to act on the information. They must learn [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesy"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geodesy[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and fairly advanced [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]mathematics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] to understand how the shape of the Earth affects the distortion of map symbols projected onto a flat surface for viewing. It can be said, without much controversy, that cartography is the seed from which the larger field of geography grew. Most geographers will cite a childhood fascination with maps as an early sign they would end up in the field. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][LIST][*][I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geographic information systems (GIS)[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][/I][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] deal with the storage of information about the Earth for automatic retrieval by a computer, in an accurate manner appropriate to the information's purpose. In addition to all of the other subdisciplines of geography, GIS specialists must understand [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]computer science[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]database[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] systems. GIS has revolutionized the field of cartography; nearly all mapmaking is now done with the assistance of some form of GIS software. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][LIST][*][I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostatistics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geostatistics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][/I][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] deal with quantitative data analysis, specifically the application of statistical methodology to the exploration of geographic phenomena. Geostatistics is used extensively in a variety of fields including: [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]hydrology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]geology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]petroleum[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3] exploration, weather analysis, [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_planning"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]urban planning[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]logistics[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epidimeology&action=edit"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]epidimeology[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]. The mathematical basis for geostatistics derives from [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_analysis"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]cluster analysis[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discriminant_analysis"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]discriminant analysis[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-parametric_statistics"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]non-parametric statistical tests[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], and a variety of other subjects. Applications of geostatistics rely heavily on [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_Information_Systems"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Geographic Information Systems[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3], particularly for the [/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpolation"][COLOR=windowtext][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]interpolation[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/URL][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman] (estimate) of unmeasured points. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][LIST][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][I]Geographic qualitative methods[/I], or [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnography"][COLOR=windowtext]ethnographical[/COLOR][/URL]; research techniques, are used by human geographers. In cultural geography there is a tradition of employing [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative_research"][COLOR=windowtext]qualitative research[/COLOR][/URL] techniques also used in [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology"][COLOR=windowtext]anthropology[/COLOR][/URL] and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology"][COLOR=windowtext]sociology[/COLOR][/URL]. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participant_observation"][COLOR=windowtext]Participant observation[/COLOR][/URL] and in-depth interviews provide human geographers with qualitative data. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]In their study, geographers use four interrelated approaches:[/FONT][/SIZE][LIST][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Systematic - Groups geographical knowledge into categories that can be explored globally. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Regional - Examines systematic relationships between categories for a specific region or location on the planet. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Descriptive - Simply specifies the locations of features and populations. [/FONT][/SIZE][*][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Analytical - Asks [I]why[/I] we find features and populations in a specific geographic area. [/FONT][/SIZE][/LIST]