Geograf

Geograf, or geography, is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of the Earth. It examines the locations and distributions of various elements, from natural environments to human activities, and seeks to understand the relationships between people and their environments. Geography is generally divided into physical geography, which deals with natural processes such as landforms, climate, water, and ecosystems, and human geography, which focuses on patterns of human activity, cultures, economies, and political systems. Geographers study scale from global patterns to local landscapes, and use spatial analysis to explore how places are connected.

Geography employs a range of methods and tools. Cartography and map-making are fundamental, as are geospatial technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and GPS. Qualitative approaches, like field observations and interviews, are also used to understand place meanings and social processes. Subfields include geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, and biogeography in physical geography; and economic geography, urban geography, cultural geography, population geography, and political geography in human geography. Environmental geography integrates several aspects to address sustainability, natural hazards, and resource management.

Historically, geography emerged in ancient civilizations and evolved through classical Greek and Roman scholarship. In the modern era, geography became systematic alongside advances in science and mapping, culminating in digital geography and spatial analysis in the late 20th and 21st centuries. Today, geography informs planning, policy, and research in areas such as urban development, conservation, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation.