Human geography and physical geography are two branches of geography. [1] Human geography studies the relationships between people and their environments and focuses on areas like economic, cultural, political, urban, and environmental geography. [2] Physical geography examines environmental systems and the relationship between the natural environment and human societies. [3] The document provides examples of what each branch studies and how geography developed as a field in Canada.
Human geography and physical geography are two branches of geography. [1] Human geography studies the relationships between people and their environments and focuses on areas like economic, cultural, political, urban, and environmental geography. [2] Physical geography examines environmental systems and the relationship between the natural environment and human societies. [3] The document provides examples of what each branch studies and how geography developed as a field in Canada.
Human geography and physical geography are two branches of geography. [1] Human geography studies the relationships between people and their environments and focuses on areas like economic, cultural, political, urban, and environmental geography. [2] Physical geography examines environmental systems and the relationship between the natural environment and human societies. [3] The document provides examples of what each branch studies and how geography developed as a field in Canada.
Human geography and physical geography are two branches of geography. [1] Human geography studies the relationships between people and their environments and focuses on areas like economic, cultural, political, urban, and environmental geography. [2] Physical geography examines environmental systems and the relationship between the natural environment and human societies. [3] The document provides examples of what each branch studies and how geography developed as a field in Canada.
Within the field of human geography, there are five main areas of study: 1. economic geography 2. cultural geography 3. political geography 4. urban geography 5. environmental geography.
What is Human Geography?
- Human geography studies the relationships between people and the built and natural environments in which they live. - The modern study of human geography puts emphasis on five main areas. Listed above.
Economic geography - How humans make a living - Locations and economic activities - And how these are connected to raw materials. Goods and people
Cultural Geography - Cultural geography studies cultural customs, traditions, developments and issues, and their relationships to the natural world. - Cultural geography searches to uncover how and/or why people function as they do in the areas in which they live.
Political Geography - Political geography examines the various relationships between politics and physical spaces - Political geographers study relationships between physical landforms and political boundaries disputed territories and regions in conflict, or government responses to environmental issues. - Includes technology
Urban Geography - Urban geographers apply the skills and knowledge of geography to the study of urban areas. - They study the design, development and governance of urban areas and attitudes towards urban spaces. - They also study issues relating to the identity, experiences and rights of those living in towns and cities
Environmental Geography - Environmental geographers study the relationships between natural environments and human societies. Physical geography and Canada
Physical geography is that branch of GEOGRAPHY concerned with:
- describing and analyzing the distribution of physical and biochemical elements of the environment - interpreting environmental systems located at or near a boundary between the atmosphere, lithosphere (the rigid part of Earth's crust), biosphere or hydrosphere (Earth's water) - determining the resilience of such systems to human activities at or near the Earth's surface.
Beginnings - Physical geography began with scientific exploration - Explorers use to describe the geography they saw, but David Thomson changed everything - He carefully surveyed the terrain, made regular meteorological and astronomical observations and discussed the hydrology and ecology, in addition to assessing the resource potential and cultural and settlement characteristics, of the Canadian West.
As a Recognized Field of Teaching and Research
- In 1915 the first Canadian university-level course in physical geography was established in the department of geology and mineralogy at UBC - A course in meteorology and climatology was added in 1920. - In 1920, Émile Miller, the first geography-trained geography instructor in Canada, was appointed to the Faculty of Social Science at the Université de Montréal to teach physical and human geography. - In 1922, the name of the department was changed to geology and geography. - Later in the 1920s and the 1930s, extended visits by Jean Brunhes and Raoul BLANCHARD from France made Montréal the Canadian centre of academic geography. - In 1935 Griffith TAYLOR became the founding head of the first full department of geography in Canada, at the University of Toronto. - By 1950 courses were pretty much available everywhere
Applications - Many jobs opened - Meteorological Service of Canada; Institute for Research in Construction, NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL; National Water Research Institute; Natural Resources Canada; GSC; and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
