New technology and economic and cultural developments continue to change the world, and the discipline of geography is changing with them. New conceptual frameworks for studying and understanding location, space, and connectivity have arisen, and an understanding of these frameworks and the theories and terminology upon which they depend is essential for students and teachers of geography alike, as well as for interested readers who wish to apply geographic thinking to their everyday world.
How did the Greek geographer Eratosthenes make an accurate calculation of the earth’s circumstance more than 1,500 years before the first voyage of Columbus to the New World? What are the “green belts” of England that dominate its rural landscape? And what is regarded as the driest continent on the planet?
This handbook offers a broad coverage of terminology and concepts, serving as both an encyclopedic dictionary of geography terms and an approachable overview to the human and physical aspects of world geography. Approximately 150 geographic terms and concepts are defined and discussed, providing an accessible reference for anyone who requires a deeper knowledge of the language and ideas that are important to geography as a discipline. Helpful sidebars are provided to shed light on unusual or controversial theories and concepts. All major geographic concepts and terms are addressed and comprehensively explained using examples.
