The Branches of Geography are the ones in charge of studying and describing all the phenomena and elements that intervene in the terrestrial surface. Among them are physical, human and biological geography, with their respective subdivisions or disciplines, which are responsible for studying a variety of topics, such as characteristics, location of phenomena, relationships with the natural environment and their relationship with the human being. Learn this and much more by reading the following article!
Branches of Geography
The Branches of Geography are very broad, since they are in charge of studying all the phenomena that occur on the earth's surface, that is, from the division of the territory, distribution of living beings, societies and their cultures, to the geographical accidents, rivers, mountains, landscapes and climates. These branches are known as physical, biological and human geography. Astronomical geography and mathematics can also be included. Each of these branches are subdivided into other subdisciplines in order to cover complete and more specialized studies.
From the evolution of geography it has been taken for granted that it is based on four major approaches: the regional one, which is based on the general culture of the citizen; the environmental one that studies the interrelationship between natural and human systems; the spatial one, which is oriented to territorial planning and the humanist one studies the social balance with everything that that includes. For this reason, geography requires other disciplines to be able to carry out field reconnaissance, the systematic and objective collection of facts, their analysis and subsequent study.
General geography
General geography is the science that determines the differences in spatial distributions as well as those of the earth's surface and its relationship between the natural environment and human beings. This science studies and describes the Earth, pointing out its characteristics, as well as the location of the systems and elements that appear on its surface. At the same time, it scientifically investigates the isolated events and phenomena that occur on the planet. It is divided into three large groups that are physical, biological and human geography.
Types and Branches of Geography
Geography as a science has a very broad field of study, so it is necessary to divide it into different types such as physical, biological, human, astronomical and mathematical. Each of them has large subdivisions and related sciences, hence its interdisciplinary nature, crossing the traditional boundaries between various disciplines in order to achieve their study objectives.
Physical geography
It is one of the branches of geography that is responsible for describing the earth's surface, that is, the physical environment such as water, relief, vegetation, climate, fauna and soil. To do this, it requires analyzing and understanding each phenomenon from its patterns, processes and the elements that intervene. Hence the need to rely on other disciplines that allow more specialized studies. For this reason, physical geography aims at the systemic and spatial study of the earth's surface, from the totality of the phenomenon to the most specific forms of natural geographic space.
geomorphology
This is one of the branches of geography specializing in both geography and geology, understanding the latter as the science that deals with the study of the origin, formation and evolution of the Earth, as well as the materials that compose it and its structure. . Geomorphology studies the various irregularities present in the earth's crust, as a result of the interaction between the force of the tectonic process coming from geothermal energy and the erosive process of modeling and destruction of the relief due to solar energy and the rotation of the earth. .
Geomorphology is interrelated with physical and human geography, since it studies natural risks and how man relates to the environment. For this reason, within this discipline we find some subdivisions that allow the detailed study of certain phenomena that, by joining them, can give a broad vision of what happened. Such is the case of climatic geomorphology, which studies the influence of climate on relief development. Dynamic geomorphology, which seeks to find relationships between processes and forms, that is, erosion, transport agents.
On the other hand, there is applied geomorphology, oriented to the study of the interaction between human actions and the forms of the earth, basically focusing on the management of risks caused by changes in the earth's surface, whether of natural origin or induced by man, this is better known as geohazards.
Weather
Climatology is one of the branches of geography oriented to the study of climate, its varieties, changes and their causes. It analyzes the atmospheric states, that is, temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure and winds, which are recorded at a given time and place, as well as their variations. Even when the climate can be regular for long periods, it is he who determines the paths of plant, animal and even human life in a given region. Climatology requires unified studies of geological, hydrological and atmospheric conditions, hence its interdisciplinary nature.
It is important to clarify that when talking about climatology it should not be confused with meteorology, since this is an auxiliary science of climatology that can help predict the climate, weather, atmospheric environment, the phenomena that produce it and the laws that originate it. . On the other hand, the term climate, which is studied in the long term, should not be mixed with atmospheric weather, which is studied in the short term. Climatology, like the rest of the sciences, requires other disciplines to be able to carry out their studies and advances, in this case there are five subdivisions.
Physical climatology is used to study climatic events such as wind, humidity and precipitation from a statistical point of view. The regional, focuses on the typical climatic factors of a certain region. On the other hand, there is dynamic meteorology, which studies the simulation and determination of climatic changes due to global warming. The bioclimatology oriented to the influence that has climate with life. And lastly, paleoclimatology, which deals with climate since ancient geological eras, based on fossil evidence and the composition of rocks.
Hydrography
This is one of the branches of geography that specializes in the study of bodies of water which occupy 70% of the earth's surface. In it are the seas and oceans, as the largest bodies of water, followed by rivers, lakes, lagoons, aquifers, streams, torrents, wetlands and groundwater. Its objective is to define the properties, distribution, movements and use, through two approaches: the marine and hydromorphometry.
It is important to keep in mind that hydrography is not the same as hydrology, since the latter is one of the disciplines dedicated to the study and distribution of water, which is why it is an essential part of hydrography. There is also geomorphology, which studies the shape of the earth's surface and in this case what is related to the aquifer. Oceanography, seen from the physical, chemical and biological point of view. And of course, the climatology as an influential part in each of the systems.
Edaphology
This relatively new science deals with the study of the nature, properties, composition, formation, evolution, taxonomy, usefulness, conservation, recovery and distribution of soils. Analyze its relationship with the environment and the plants that inhabit it. It is influenced by other disciplines such as geology, biology, agronomy, forest engineering, geography, and climatology, which is why it is considered an auxiliary branch of geography.
glaciology
This is one of the branches of geography that focuses on the study of water in a solid state, that is, glaciers, just as its name indicates. Among his studies is the form that the glacier adopts, the circumstances that originate it and the action of the ice on the relief, as well as its dynamics. It also deals with studying snow, hail, neviza, frost and the ice sheet. In addition to this, it investigates all the phenomena related to sea, lake and fluvial ice.
Human geography
This is the second great branch of geography, since it is in charge of studying the relationship of human groups with their physical environment, that is, the spatial order, as well as their patterns of social interaction. This is referred to the incidences of the distribution of the population, the geographical conditions that delimit it and its relationship with nature. All this is linked to the modifications made by man. The field of study of this science covers the economic, political and social and hence the interdisciplinarity of this science.
population geography
In the case of this discipline, its study focuses on the territorial variations referred to the distribution and concentration of the population, mainly to the structure of ages and sex, as well as the description of sociodemographic events, that is, fertility, mortality and migration, which are the ones that determine the territorial dimension more clearly. Being the overpopulation and its effects on the environment the priority issues.
It is important to note that population geography is not related to demography, as they are different issues. The first is based on the study of spatial structures and demography carries out the studies based on statistical data of said structures. For its part, population geography addresses changes in the population, urban planning and the problems associated with the growth and aging of the population.
Country Geography
This is responsible for the study of these spaces and their activities (agricultural, livestock and commercial), as well as their living conditions and how spaces are modified based on the economy, property distribution, environmental problems and population displacement. . It must be taken into account that in rural areas the population density is low and therefore it has few technological resources.
Urban Geography
It is the one that is in charge of the study of the spaces and forms of the cities, that is to say, the demography, the urban development, the industrial, service and commercial nuclei. In other words, this geography studies the structure and functioning of metropolises, understood as urban landscapes. It also studies the relationship of cities. For his studies he relies on anthropology and the foundations of physical geography.
Economic geography
This is one of the subdivisions of geography that is basically in charge of studying market conditions according to the geographical distribution of producers and consumers. It studies the spatial conditions with respect to natural factors, as well as their economic influence. Its main objective is the study of the different economic activities, the market, supply and demand, all from a spatial perspective.
Historical Geography
This geography studies the phenomena and patterns that occurred in the past, for this it uses maps, books, statistical data and other publications that allow knowing the different processes of demographic, social, economic and cultural changes and thus be able to establish the evolution of the different regions. . In this way, it is possible to understand the growth of nations, the development of routes, settlement patterns, appropriation of spaces and occupation of the land.
Political geography
Political geography is basically based on the study of the distribution and political organization of the earth's surface. This allows knowing the border situations and the relations between States. For this, it is necessary to know the physical data such as the morphology of the land, fluvial and marine conditions, as well as the government systems and their repercussions in terms of political actions. This allows establishing the distribution of the territory with respect to the space occupied by the human being, including population data, culture and territories.
It must be taken into account that political geography is not geopolitics, since the latter belongs to political science, which focuses on the birth, evolution and dynamics of States, which, unlike political geography, is based on territorial aspects.
Cultural Geography
Understanding that culture is the set of material and spiritual assets of a social group, cultural geography studies the phenomena and processes of each one of them, since they are unique depending on the area where they live. It includes economic and social factors. At present, thanks to technology, the processes of globalization have been imposing certain guidelines where the dominant culture is invading the local culture thanks to technology. What is generating a great challenge worldwide.
Biological Geography
Biological geography or biogeography is another of the great branches of geography. His studies focus on the distribution of species and subspecies on the earth's surface and the conditions in which they develop. In this distribution there are factors that must be taken into account, such as biological evolution, modifications in the structure and climatic changes. This branch bases its studies from the point of view of biology, botany, ecology and zoology, that is, taking into account the physiology, morphology, behavior and reproduction of species.
Phytogeography
This branch of geography is oriented to the study of the distribution of plants on the planet. Thanks to it, it is possible to obtain data related to the aspects of functioning, organs, morphology and distribution of the great variety of plants and their adaptation to other living beings.
Ecology
Ecology or also known as ecosystem biology, studies the form of interaction of living beings and their environment. This means that it takes into account the biotic factors or, better said, the living beings of the same habitat and the abiotic ones represented by humidity, temperature and environment to establish their relationship and development. Likewise, it studies the behavior and modifications of the different species.
zoogeography
Zoology is the scientific discipline responsible for the study of animals and their distribution on the planet. That is to say, she studies from morphology and anatomy to the way of life, feeding, reproduction and development. In addition to its behavior and distribution. Zoology is an active part of biogeography, since it also focuses on the origin, the processes that led certain species to settle in certain areas and the factors that affect it.
astronomical geography
This is another of the branches of geography, which is responsible for the study of the celestial bodies present in the solar system, that is, planets, sun and the different moons, comets and asteroids and stars, just to name a few. This science is based on other specialties in order to achieve its goal. Among them is astronomy, with the study of all celestial bodies. The actinology that studies the light and radiation of the stars, as well as its effects on living beings. Astrophysics, on the other hand, deals with the study of the formation and evolution of celestial bodies.
Cosmogony studies the stars that are part of the solar system. Cosmology is intended to study the laws of the universe, that is, origin, history, structure and evolution, and finally cosmonautics, which is in charge of space navigation.
Mathematical Geography
This geographical science studies the relationship between the universe and the planet through mathematical processes. For this, it requires cartography to obtain data on the dimensions of the earth and be able to capture them on maps or globes. Chronology, to study time by relating dates to events. It also requires the study of gravitational fields, which is called geodesy, and topography, which studies the relief characteristics of the earth's surface.
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