| Non-Rationalised Geography NCERT Notes, Solutions and Extra Q & A (Class 6th to 12th) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chapter 1 Geography As A Discipline
Geography As An Integrating Discipline
Geography is considered a discipline of synthesis, particularly focusing on spatial synthesis. This contrasts with history, which performs temporal synthesis. Geography takes a holistic approach, recognizing the Earth as a system of interconnected parts.
In the modern world, advancements in transportation have reduced distances and increased accessibility, contributing to the concept of a 'global village'. Audio-visual media and information technology provide extensive data that enriches geographical study. Technology also helps monitor natural phenomena and socio-economic factors.
Geography interacts with numerous natural and social sciences. While all sciences aim to understand reality, geography focuses on comprehending the spatial associations of phenomena. As elements studied by other disciplines often vary across space, geography helps understand reality from a spatial perspective, integrating differences across locations holistically.
A geographer needs a broad understanding of related fields to logically integrate information. For instance, geography influences historical events; spatial distance and natural barriers have historically provided defense or routes. Similarly, geographical factors shaped colonisation routes.
Geographical phenomena change over time, meaning they can be analyzed temporally. Changes in landscapes, climate, vegetation, economies, and cultures follow historical paths. Geographical features can also result from historical decisions. Time and space are interconnected; a distance can be described in kilometers ($km$) or travel time. Time is often considered the fourth dimension in geographical studies, alongside the three spatial dimensions (length, width, height).
Geography maintains strong connections with both natural and social sciences, utilizing data from these fields to synthesize spatial patterns. Maps are powerful tools for geographers, visually representing spatial data and patterns that might be presented in tabular format.
Branches Of Geography
Geography is an inherently interdisciplinary subject, with its study broadly divided based on different approaches. The two primary approaches are the Systematic Approach and the Regional Approach.
Branches Of Geography (Based On Systematic Approach)
Introduced by German geographer Alexander Von Humboldt, the systematic approach involves studying a specific phenomenon globally first. After this worldwide study, different types or spatial patterns of the phenomenon are identified and analyzed across various regions.
Physical Geography
Physical geography is a major division under the systematic approach concerned with the study of the Earth's natural environmental aspects.
Geomorphology
This branch focuses on studying the various forms of land surfaces (landforms), understanding how they originated and evolved over time, and the processes that shape them.
Climatology
Climatology involves examining the structure and characteristics of the Earth's atmosphere. It studies elements of weather and climate like temperature, atmospheric pressure, winds, and precipitation, classifying different climatic types and regions globally.
Hydrology
Hydrology is dedicated to the study of water in all its forms on the Earth's surface, including oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and groundwater. It also examines water's influence on different forms of life and human activities.
Soil Geography
This branch investigates the processes by which soils are formed (pedogenesis). It studies different soil types, assesses their fertility levels, maps their distribution across regions, and analyzes how they are used.
Human Geography
Another significant division under the systematic approach, Human Geography focuses on the study of human activities, patterns, and their relationship with the physical environment.
Social/Cultural Geography
This area explores human society from a spatial perspective, looking at how societies are organized and interact in space. It also studies the various cultural elements created and contributed by different societies.
Population And Settlement Geography (Rural And Urban)
This sub-discipline studies characteristics of human populations, such as growth rates, distribution patterns, density, sex ratios, migration movements, and occupational structures. Settlement geography specifically examines the features and patterns of both rural and urban settlements.
Economic Geography
Economic geography analyzes the spatial aspects of economic activities. It covers areas like agriculture, industry, tourism, trade, transportation networks, infrastructure development, and service sectors, understanding their location, distribution, and interactions in space.
Historical Geography
This branch studies how regions and spaces have been organized over time through historical processes. It examines how geographical features and patterns change temporally and are influenced by historical events and developments.
Political Geography
Political geography views space through the lens of political events and structures. It studies international and administrative boundaries, spatial relationships between political entities, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, election results and patterns, and theoretical frameworks explaining political behavior spatially.
Biogeography
Biogeography emerges from the interaction between physical and human geography. It focuses on the study of the geographical distribution and characteristics of living organisms (plants and animals).
Plant Geography
This specialized area within biogeography studies the spatial patterns of natural vegetation types and their distribution across different habitats around the world.
Zoo Geography
Zoo geography focuses on the geographical distribution and characteristics of animal species, examining where different animals live and the features of their natural habitats.
Ecology /Ecosystem
While biogeography is concerned with distribution, ecology is the scientific study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment, including their habitats. Ecosystems are communities of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
Environmental Geography
Environmental geography is a relatively new branch spurred by global environmental challenges like land degradation, pollution, and the need for conservation. It studies the complex interactions between humans and the environment, focusing on environmental problems and sustainable solutions.
Branches Of Geography Based On Regional Approach
Developed by German geographer Karl Ritter, the regional approach involves dividing the world into distinct regions. Within each region, all geographical phenomena (both physical and human) are studied together in a holistic manner, seeking to understand the interconnectedness and unique character of that specific area.
Regional Studies/Area Studies
This involves in-depth study of specific geographical regions, often at different spatial scales such as Macro (large), Meso (medium), and Micro (small) regions.
Regional Planning
Regional planning is concerned with organizing and designing the development of specific geographical areas. This can include planning at the national/country level, rural areas, or urban settlements (town/urban planning).
Regional Development
This branch focuses on understanding and promoting the economic, social, and environmental development processes within particular geographical regions, often addressing disparities between regions.
Regional Analysis
Regional analysis involves using various techniques and frameworks to systematically examine and understand the characteristics, spatial patterns, and internal dynamics of geographical regions.
Common Aspects Of Geography
Regardless of whether a systematic or regional approach is used, certain aspects are fundamental to the study of geography.
Philosophy
Philosophy provides the foundational 'reason for being' (raison d’etre) for the discipline of geography. It includes the study of Geographical Thought, tracing the historical evolution of geographical ideas and concepts. It also encompasses philosophical considerations of the Land and Human Interaction, often referred to as Human Ecology.
Methods And Techniques
These are the practical tools and skills essential for geographical inquiry, data collection, analysis, and representation.
Cartography Including Computer Cartography
Cartography is the art, science, and technology of making maps. Since the Earth is a 3D shape (closer to a geoid), converting it into a 2D map requires map projections. Modern cartography heavily relies on computer tools for map design, production, and analysis.
Quantitative Techniques/Statistical Techniques
Geographers use mathematical and statistical methods to analyze spatial data, identify patterns, and test relationships between phenomena. This often requires a good understanding of mathematics, statistics, and sometimes econometrics.
Field Survey Methods
Directly going to a location for observation and data collection is a crucial method in geography. Field surveys allow geographers to gather first-hand information about physical and cultural landscapes.
Geo-Informatics Comprising Techniques Such As Remote Sensing, GIS, GPS, Etc.
Geo-informatics refers to the science and technology dealing with the structure and character of spatial information, its capture, classification, storage, processing, analysis, presentation, and diffusion. Key techniques include:
- Remote Sensing: Gathering information about Earth's surface from a distance, typically using sensors on satellites or aircraft.
- GIS (Geographic Information Systems): Computer systems designed for managing, analyzing, and displaying all types of geographically referenced data. GIS allows for layering different spatial data to understand relationships.
- GPS (Global Positioning System): A satellite-based navigation system used to determine the precise location of a point on Earth's surface.
Physical Geography And Its Importance
The study of physical geography is crucial for understanding the Earth's natural systems and their significance for human life and development. It encompasses several key components of the physical environment:
- Lithosphere: This includes the study of landforms (like mountains, plateaus, plains), drainage patterns (rivers, lakes), relief features, and the overall physiography of the land. Landforms provide the foundation for all human activities. Plains are essential for agriculture, plateaus often contain valuable minerals and forests, and mountains serve as sources for rivers, tourist destinations, and provide resources like pastures and forests.
- Atmosphere: This involves studying the composition and structure of the air around us, along with elements and controls of weather and climate, such as temperature, pressure, winds, and precipitation. Climate profoundly impacts human life, influencing housing styles, clothing choices, and food habits. It also affects vegetation types, agricultural practices (cropping patterns), livestock farming, and the location of certain industries. While humans use technology like air conditioners to modify climate locally, broader climate patterns remain dominant forces. Temperature and precipitation levels determine the density of forests and the quality of grasslands. In India, the timing and distribution of monsoonal rainfall dictates the rhythm of agricultural seasons.
- Hydrosphere: This component focuses on the realm of water bodies, including oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers. These are vital sources of water for agriculture and domestic use. Precipitation recharges groundwater sources. Oceans are immense reservoirs of resources, providing fish, seafood, and minerals like manganese nodules (India has developed technology to extract these).
- Biosphere: This encompasses all life forms on Earth, from microorganisms to plants, animals, and humans, and the complex mechanisms that sustain them, such as food chains and ecological balance. The physical environment, particularly soils, provides the base for the biosphere.
- Soils: Formed through a process called pedogenesis, soils develop over time influenced by factors like parent rock material, climate, biological activity, and topography. Time allows soils to mature and develop distinct layers (soil profiles). Soils are a renewable resource essential for various economic activities, especially agriculture. Soil fertility is a result of natural processes and can also be enhanced by human practices. Soils support the diverse life forms within the biosphere.
Studying physical geography is increasingly important for the evaluation and management of natural resources. A deep understanding of the intricate relationship between the physical environment, which provides resources, and human beings, who utilize these resources for their development, is critical. The rapid rate of resource utilization, driven by modern technology, has unfortunately led to ecological imbalances globally. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of the physical environment is absolutely necessary for achieving sustainable development – meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What Is Geography?
At its core, geography is fundamentally about understanding and describing the Earth. Historically, the term "geography" was first used by the Greek scholar Eratosthenes between 276 and 194 BC. The word originates from two Greek roots: 'geo' meaning "earth" and 'graphos' meaning "description". Thus, literally, geography means the description of the Earth.
Traditionally, the Earth has been viewed as the home of human beings, leading many early scholars to define geography specifically as "the description of the earth as the abode of human beings".
More contemporary definitions highlight geography's focus on spatial variation and relationships:
According to Richard Hartshorne, geography is concerned with the description and explanation of the areal differentiation of the Earth's surface. This means it studies how places differ from one another and why those differences exist across space.
Hettner defined geography as the study of the differences in phenomena, which are usually related, found in different parts of the Earth's surface. This definition also emphasizes the spatial variation and the interconnectedness of features across places.
In essence, geography seeks to describe, analyze, and explain the patterns and processes that shape the Earth's surface, both physical and human, and the complex interactions between them across space and over time.
Exercises
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Project Work
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