G 101: Introduction to Economic Geography
and Environment
Course Teacher
Dr. Md. Faruk Hossain
Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Environment
University of Dhaka
Email: faruk.geoenv@du.ac.bd
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Definition of Geography
Geography is the scientific and systematic study of both the
physical and cultural features of the earth’s surface. It is the spatial
perspective looking at patterns and distributions of the earth’s
surface. The word ‘Geography’ was introduced by the Greek
scholar Eratostheness in the third century B.C. It is based on two
Greek words:
Geo----Earth Graphy----to write
Geography is the science of human circumstance. It
describes the earth surface, its inhabitants and discusses
about the relation of different areas.
-Dudley Stamp, 1966
Geography is the study of earth surfaces and its people.
-H. Rojoshky, 1994
Branches of Geography
1.Physical Geography
Biogeography
Geomorphology
Climatology
Oceanography
Hydrology
Geography of Soil
Environmental Geography
Palaeogeography
Zoo-geography
Biodiversity
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2. Human Geography
Cultural Geography
Population Geography
Settlement Geography
Economic Geography
Social Geography
Historical Geography
Political Geography
Regional Geography
Rural Geography
Behavioral Geography
Development Geography
Health Geography
Transportation Geography
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Themes of Geography
1. Location
Most geographic study begins with learning the location of
places. Location can be absolute or relative.
Absolute location provides a definite reference to locate a
place, usually in terms of mathematically based reference
system. The reference can be latitude and longitude, a location of
a building, or an island.
Relative location describes a place with respect to its
environment and its connection to other places, or things.
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2. Place
Place describes the human and physical characteristics of a
location.
Physical characteristics include a description such things as
the mountains, rivers, beaches, topography, and animal and
plant life of a place.
Human characteristics include the human-designed cultural
features of a place, from land use and architecture to forms of
livelihood, and religion to food and human ways to
transportation and communication networks.
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Observations regarding place
A place may be large or small.
A place has location.
A place has both physical and cultural characteristics.
The characteristics of places develop and change over time.
Places interact with other places.
Places may be generalized into regions of similarities and
differences.
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3. Region
A region can be defined as an area of land that has
consistent or easily recognizable features.
Regions have some sort of distinguishing characteristic that
unifies the area.
Formal Regions, e.g. Union, Upazila, District etc.
Functional Regions, e.g. the circulation area of a major city
Vernacular Regions, e.g. "The South," "The North" or the
"Middle East;
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4. Movement
People, goods and ideas move from one place to another.
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5. Human-Environment Interaction
Human-environment interaction looks at the relationships between
people and their environment; how people adapt to the environment and
how they change it.
How do people depend on the environment? (Example: In ancient
times, the annual flooding of the Nile River produced good soil for
growing crops.)
How to people adapt to the environment? (Example: The ancient
Egyptians rebuilt their homes each year, after the annual flooding.
Afterwards, they built their homes above the flood plain.)
How do people modify the environment? (Example: The ancient
Egyptians built irrigation ditches to help water the crops. In modern
times, Egypt built a dam to control the flood waters of the Nile River.)
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Geography searches the answers of the following
questions:
What is it like?
Where is it?
Why is it there?
When did it happen and how does it change?
What impact does it has?
How should it be managed for the mutual benefit of
humanity and the natural environment?
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Approaches in Geography
1.Quantitative and Statistical Approach: This approach
attempts to provide description of geographical structures. Using
data in different perspectives such as maps, graphs, tables and
equations, the expected results are obtained. This approach aims
to provide analysis in such a way that the values and attitudes do
not influence in the results.
A quantitative statement is more perfect in its precision which
allows less room for subjective bias to enter into the construction
and interpretation of the statement.
Advantages of Quantitative Approach
A quantitative statement is more accepted for verification
It is more easily compared with other statement
It is more suitable for testing hypothesis and developing
theory by scientific method
Quantitative techniques meet the following conditions:
Precision
Accuracy
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2. The Behavioral Approach: This approach emerged in the
1960s and 1970s and sought to challenge the model of the
individual as a wholly rational and social individual. It
specifically recognizes the role of cognition and the
importance of social and cultural values and constraints.
Moreover, all the institutional, economic and physical factors,
characterize the development of environment.
Behavioral approach in human geography focus on two
types of study:
Analyze of obvious behavior patters (often travel pattern)
Investigation of perceptions of the environment
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The Behavioral Approach Cont……
The aim of this approach to study particular instances
of environmental perception so as to identify general
principle, the assumption being that comprehension
of the way in which an individual perceives the
environment would help in understanding of
individual's behavior.
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Approaches in Geography cont…
3. Regional Approach studies the characteristics of each
region (or realm) of the world.
4. Systematic Approach illustrates one particular issue
and its spatial variations in all over the world.
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Tools and Techniques in Modern Geography & Environment
Computer and Space Roaming
Areal Photography
Remote Sensing (RS)
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Drone Mapping and Surveying
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What do Geographers do?
Study of locations and spaces
A physical geographer studies the surface of the Earth and
natural phenomena.
A human geographer studies the relationship between people
and places.
Uses different types of maps for the expression of geographical
research along with tables, diagrams and written documents.
Increasingly using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and
computer mapping, rather than the traditional maps.
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What do Geographers do? Cont…..
Geospatial Techniques (GIS, RS) have definitely changed the
methods in Geography. Data from areal photographs, satellite images
with other spatial data, and computer became a powerful tool for
description, analyze, presentation and decision making.
The art of visual expression and analyze are much more closely
associated with geography than other social and natural sciences.
The geographers get essential data from the observation and field
works.
Geographers work in many different areas, such as environmental
management, disaster management, city and country planning,
community development, women and gender and more.
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