Geography - Dictionary Definition and Overview

Geography :  (noun)

1: study of the earth's surface; includes people's responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation [syn: geographics]

Based on WordNet 2.0

Geography : \Ge*og"ra*phy\, n.; pl. Geographies. [F. g['e]ographie, l. geographia, fr. Gr. ?; ge`a, gh^, the earth _ ? description, fr. ? to write, describe. See Graphic.] 1. The science which treats of the world and its inhabitants; a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth, including its structure, fetures, products, political divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited.

2. A treatise on this science.

Astronomical, or Mathematical, geography treats of the earth as a planet, of its shape, its size, its lines of latitude and longitude, its zones, and the phenomena due to to the earth's diurnal and annual motions.

Physical geography treats of the conformation of the earth's surface, of the distribution of land and water, of minerals, plants, animals, etc., and applies the principles of physics to the explanation of the diversities of climate, productions, etc.

Political geography treats of the different countries into which earth is divided with regard to political and social and institutions and conditions.

Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
Copyright 2009 wordIQ.com - Privacy Policy  :: Terms of Use  :: Contact Us  :: About Us