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geography as a science - place of geography in classification of sciences


Geography is the scientific study of the Earth, its physical features, human activities, and the relationships between people and the environment.

It answers four basic questions:

  • What is found?

  • Where is it located?

  • Why is it there?

  • How does it interact with other places?

Why is Geography Called a Science?

Geography is a science because it:

  • Observes natural and human phenomena.

  • Collects and analyzes data.

  • Uses scientific methods.

  • Explains spatial patterns and relationships.

  • Uses modern tools such as GIS, Remote Sensing, GPS, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Place of Geography in the Classification of Sciences

Geography is unique because it belongs to more than one branch of science.

Branch of Science Role of Geography
Natural Science Studies landforms, climate, soils, water, vegetation, and ecosystems.
Social Science Studies population, culture, settlements, economy, and human activities.
Earth Science Studies the Earth as a whole.
Environmental Science Studies human–environment interactions.
Spatial Science Studies the location, distribution, and patterns of phenomena.
Geospatial Science (GIScience) Uses GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing, and spatial analysis.


Scholars and Contributions

Scholar Year Contribution
Eratosthenes c. 276–194 BCE Coined the word "Geography."
Aristotle c. 350 BCE Explained that the Earth is spherical using scientific observation.
Ptolemy c. 150 CE Developed latitude, longitude, and map projections.
Bernhardus Varenius 1650 Made geography a systematic scientific discipline (Geographia Generalis).
Immanuel Kant 1756–1798 Geography studies places and spatial relationships (chorology).
Alexander von Humboldt 1845–1862 Founder of Modern Physical Geography; emphasized observation and measurement.
Carl Ritter 1817–1859 Founder of Modern Human Geography; studied people and their environment.
Friedrich Ratzel 1882 Introduced Environmental Determinism.
Paul Vidal de la Blache 1903 Developed Possibilism.
Alfred Hettner 1927 Geography studies areal differentiation (differences between regions).
Richard Hartshorne 1939 Geography is the study of areal differentiation.
Fred K. Schaefer 1953 Geography is a Spatial Science; promoted the Quantitative Revolution.
William Bunge 1962 Introduced theoretical and quantitative geography.
Richard J. Chorley 1962 Applied Systems Theory to geography.
Roger Tomlinson 1963 Developed the first Geographic Information System (GIS).
Michael F. Goodchild 1992 Founder of Geographic Information Science (GIScience).

Development of Geography as a Science

Period Scholar Main Contribution
Ancient Eratosthenes Geography began as the study of the Earth.
Classical Ptolemy Scientific mapping and coordinates.
Modern Varenius Geography became a scientific discipline.
Modern Humboldt Physical Geography.
Modern Ritter Human Geography.
Late 19th Century Ratzel Environmental Determinism.
Early 20th Century Vidal de la Blache Possibilism.
Mid-20th Century Schaefer Spatial Science.
Present Goodchild GIScience and Geospatial Technology.


  • Natural Science → Studies nature (climate, landforms, rivers).

  • Social Science → Studies humans and society.

  • Earth Science → Studies the Earth.

  • Spatial Science → Studies where things are and why they are there.

  • Environmental Science → Studies interactions between humans and the environment.

  • GIScience → Studies geographic information using GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing, and spatial analysis.


  • Eratosthenes → Coined the term Geography.

  • Varenius (1650) → Geography became a systematic science.

  • Humboldt → Father of Modern Physical Geography.

  • Ritter → Father of Modern Human Geography.

  • Ratzel (1882) → Environmental Determinism.

  • Vidal de la Blache (1903) → Possibilism.

  • Hartshorne (1939) → Areal Differentiation.

  • Schaefer (1953) → Geography as Spatial Science.

  • Tomlinson (1963) → First GIS.

  • Goodchild (1992) → Founder of GIScience.


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