Local Geography

Local Geography

image courtesy: Kyle Glenn

§  Elements of Local Geography

              The prominent features, facts and factors which are interacting with each other and responsible for the development of a limited geographical area may term as a local area following are the elements of local area and so the factors of local geography.

(1)  Location (2) Climate (3) Landforms

1. Location - Location means the actual place of local area in the map.  In the map it shown by a point.  Actually, when we talk about the place, we ask the question ‘Where’ we answer this question by telling the direction and distance with respect to a prominent place.  In short for the location of Pune following information is useful in understanding geographical local.

Pune – A district in Maharashtra.

An important city in India.

A place in Asia.

              But in political map of India, it is shown by a point to the south of Mumbai or to the north of Kolhapur and at a distance of 225 km. 

2. Climate - The type of air, atmosphere etc.  The temperature, the winds, the rainfall all are the elements of climate.  Their knowledge is essential in interpreting the local area maps for rain occurs in rainy season.  We also try to compare this type of climate in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

3. Landform - The regional area has a physical built up.  It has some particular landform.  It may be a region of hills, hillocks, mountain range, a plane and undulating surface.

              All these are the factors of local geography.  Because of particular properties, their usefulness, their distribution, the region gets an important place, we get an idea of new conception.

§  Importance of Local Geography

              Local Geography is a part of Geography at large.  It is studies in the wider perspective of the aim and objects of the teaching of Geography.  It also has certain immediate objects.  The first object is to link the study of the local geography with the Geography of the world.  Truly speaking study of the local geography is the study of the World Geography in miniature.

              In this way it is possible to understand the Geography of the world in the proper manner.  In short following are the aims and objects of the study of local geography.

1. It helps in the study of the future geography.  Actually, it is the local practical study of the Geography which enable the students to understand and realization wider perspective of the Geography.  Through the study of local geography, it is possible to have a clear picture of the geographical control.

2. The psychological principle of the teaching of a subject is to proceed from concrete to abstract.  Local Geography gives the concrete knowledge of certain facts.  It also helps teaching of the subject on the basis of maxim of proceeding from known to unknown.  Local Geography is a known fact and the Geography of the world is unknown.  It is therefore, advisable to proceed from local geography to the geography of the whole world.

3. To have a clear picture of the geographical factors, it is wise to study the local Geography.  In fact, local Geography is a medium of the study of Geography at large.

4. The study of the local Geography helps the imagination of the students.  On the basis of the knowledge gained it is possible for the students to have a realistic imagination about the things they have not seen.  A student may have seen a hill on the basis of this knowledge he can imagine about Himalayas.

5. Through the study of local geography, it is possible to have an idea of the study of geography in its complete from.  In fact, local geography is a part of the whole of Geography.  But study of the local geography it is possible to connect it with the whole of it.

6. By seeing the local geography such as markets, centers of industry and trade etc. it is possible to follow easily the changes that take place and may take place in the world at large.

7. Local Geography can be studied in correlation with history, Civics, General Science, etc. if these subjects correlate at the local level, they can be properly, understand at higher level.

8. The direct knowledge of the local geography provides a scientific background for the study of Geography.

9. To understand basic physical systems that affect everyday life (e.g. earth-sun relationships, water cycles, and wind and ocean currents).

10. To learn the location of places and the physical and cultural characteristics of those places in order to function more effectively in our increasingly interdependent world.

11. To understand the geography of past times and how geography has played important roles in the evolution of people, their ideas, places and environments.

12. To develop a mental map of your community, province or territory, country and the world so that you can understand the “where” of places and events.

13. To explain how the processes of human and physical systems have arranged and sometimes changed the surface of the Earth.

14. To understand the spatial organization of society and see order in what often appears to be random scattering of people and places.

15. To recognize spatial distributions at all scales — local and worldwide — in order to understand the complex connectivity of people and places.

16. To be able to make sensible judgements about matters involving relationships between the physical environment and society.

17. To appreciate Earth as the homeland of humankind and provide insight for wise management decisions about how the planet’s resources should be used.

18. To understand global interdependence and to become a better global citizen.