Scope of Geography

Scope of Geography

1. Physiographic: - This branch studies relief, soil and structure of the earth.  It is the source for the other branches and is, therefore, the most important branch of geography as the whole superstructure of the discipline of geography is built upon it.  Its spilt up into several sub branches making the subject matter of geography most comprehensive but at the same time immensely interesting.  Some of its important branches are geomorphology, glaciology, seismology, hydrology, climatology, Pedology, biogeography, medical geography and pale geography. Geomorphology studies the earth structure comprising various types of rocks, mountains and their evolution and it receives inspiration and guidance from the works of geologist.  Its study comprises dividing a country into physiographic regions.  For instance, India is divided into five major physiographic divisions: -

1. North Mountain

2. Great Plains.

3. Peninsular plateaus.

4. West coastal plains

5. Islands.

Glaciology is concerned with the study of glaciers.  In India glaciers originate only in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas where there are perennial accumulations of show above the snow line which is situated above 4500 meters.

The cause of earthquakes and their bearing on the interior structure of the earth are dealt with in the science of Seismology.  The hydrological characteristics of rivers, lakes, Fluvial morphology, peculiarities of flood genesis, fluctuation of water table and underground water resources, genesis of coastal features and many other hydrological problems are the domains of hydrology.  Climatology is not a new science in India.  The study of causes is distribution of temperature and winds, rainfall and runoff, weather and climate, vegetation and topography, etc.  Thus, geographers along with chemists, geologists and biologists feel interested in the study of soil science called Pedology.

2. Economic Geography - This concerns the production and distribution of the raw materials in the country.  The internal, external and international trades come within its domain.  It studies the influences, both physical and political, which operate on man’s economic life and conditions of development in the fields of agriculture, manufacture and commerce the study also includes the impact of constructional investment on the socio-economic life of people.  The problems of movement of labour and industrial locations are tackled both by geographers and economists.  The location and distribution of mine-based raw materials and agricultural-based industries are also some of the subject of study of the geography of powers which is the basis of all industrial branch of economic geography.  Soil erosion is the greatest single evil to agriculture and animal husbandry.  The agricultural practices are usually dependent of the working of livestock which suffer from under starvation due to scarcity of adequate fodder resources.  This is another problem which attracts the attention of both geographers and the agriculturists.

3. Human Geography - The subject covers, the evolution of mankind it is an established fact that no man’s life today it toed up completely to his immediate surroundings and that human life is to be treated as a partial adoption to the geographical.  The influence of environments on the mode of life is a subject in which geographers are as much interested as the anthropologist.  The geography of population studies.  The various causes of regional various in population distribution settlement geography deals with the size, form and functions of settlement built up by the man and analyses their historic growth.  The study of urban geography there is less of the theory of environment determinism.  It is widely accepted today that it is not the physio-biological environments alone that determine  man’s ability to make the best use of the natural resources around him but the philosophy of life and technical skill that he has acquired are the main determining factors.

4. Political Geography - This branch deals with the government of state and countries Geography had its birth in the research of finding out the relations between man, his physical environments and the state to which the individual belonged.  This gave birth to political geography in Greece, Great Britain, USA & Germany.  It is the least developed branch of geography, through there is more than ample scope to expand its horizons.

5. Cartography :-  The term is applied to the conceptions the design and the execution of maps of the art drawing maps and charts.  This branch is responsible for geodetic and topographic surveys and preparation of aps on certain selected scale.  Even though a geographer has no monopoly on cartography, it is important that every geographer (has no monopoly) should have a working knowledge of cartographic presentation not only to read maps but also to make them.

6. Urban Geography  :-  Urban Geography brings clear focus to the concepts of location, interaction and accessibility as well as distribution and movements of population.  It deals with land use patterns and classifications of cities according to their function.  Basic and non-basic urban employments are described in the urban geography.  Level of hierarchy of towns, functions of the towns, land use pattern and structure of the towns are explained with reference to the models.  Socio-economic composition, age structure, journey to work movements, modes of travel and housing sites of the urban are dealt with.

7. Anthropogeography:-  The study of the distribution of human communities on the earth in relation to their geographical environment is Anthropogeography, it thus bears the same relation to anthropology as biography does to biology and zoogeography does to zoology.

8. Agricultural Geography: - Agricultural Geography helps a geographer to understand how particular kind's farms and farming systems have developed in particular areas and how they are similar to or different from the farms and farming systems of other areas.  Further, it enables him to understand different kinds of agriculture are distributed over the earth and how they function in this spatial arrangement.

9. Population Geography: - Population geography is a division of human geography. It is the study of the ways in which spatial variations in the distribution, composition, migration and growth of populations are related to the nature of places. Population geography involves demography in a geographical perspective.

10. Phytogeography: Phytogeography is the study of distribution of plant species in their habitats and elucidation of origin and history of development of floras.