Page 9 - Chapter 1: How Geographers Look at the World

New Orleans,
Louisiana Using aerial photography, geographers can examine
how large cities affect the physical environment.
Place How would you describe New Orleans based on the features
geography. Physical geography
shown in this photograph?
focuses on the study of the earth’s
physical features. It looks at cli-
mate, land, water, plants, and ani-
mal life in terms of their relationships to one Direct Observation
another and to humans. Human geography, or Geographers use direct observation in studying
cultural geography, is the study of human activi- the earth and the patterns of human activities
ties and their relationship to the cultural and phys- that take place on its surface. They will often visit a
ical environments. It concentrates on political, region to gather specific information about the
economic, and cultural factors, such as population region and its geographic features. Geographers
density, urban development, economic produc- also employ remote sensing to study the earth, using
tion, and ethnicity. aerial photographs and satellite images. For exam-
Physical geography and human geography are ple, geographers may use aerial photographs or
further divided into smaller subject areas. Exam- satellite images to locate mineral deposits or to
ples are meteorology, the study of weather and determine the size of freshwater sources. They also
weather forecasting, and historical geography, the might observe a forest that has been damaged by air
study of places and human activities over time pollution.
and the various geographic factors that have
shaped them. Mapping
Making and using maps are basic activities of
geographers. Geographic specialists who make
Geographers at Work and design maps are known as cartographers;
Geographers use specialized research methods their area of work, known as cartography, involves
in their work. These methods include direct obser- studying and making maps.
vation, mapping, interviewing, statistics, and the Many geographic research findings can be
use of technology. shown on maps better than they can be explained

24 Unit 1