GEOGRAPHY (Lat. geographia, Gk. yew ypacbla, from yeurypd¢or, gedgraphos, geographer, from 11, earth + 7pdq5etv, graphein, to write). Until recent years the scope of this science, if it could be called science, has been confined, in the main, to a bald description of the earth, its phenomena, its countries, and its inhabitants. It has comprised little more than a collection of facts. In recent times, however, in common with other branches of science, it has advanced greatly, especially in the study of the causes of phenom ena. As its scope is now recognized, it may be defined as the science which concerns the earth's surface, including the areal distribution of all phenomena pertaining thereto, with the causes therefor. It may be divided into mathematical, physical, political, and economic geography.
Mathematical geography treats of the form, size, and movements of the earth, and herein is connected closely with astronomy; of parallels, meridians, latitudes, longitudes, projections, and methods of delineating the earth's surface, and hence includes geodesy, surveying, and cartog raphy.
Physical geography treats of climate, including atmospheric pressure, temperature, and rainfall, which is the areal application of meteorology; of hydrography, including waves, tides, and cur rents of the sea, and the physics of the rivers and lakes of the earth; of physiography, or the study of the land forms of the earth, mountains, valleys, and plains, with their genesis, and here it touches closely upon the domain of geology; and of the distribution of life, vegetable and animal, as well as the distribution of minerals, thus apply ing the sciences of biology and mineralogy.
Political geography treats of man's institutions in their distribution over the earth, of countries, governments, cities, etc. It is closely related to the next and last group.
Economic geography treats of man's industries and products, of agriculture, mining, and fish eries, which yield raw materials, of manufactures, by which their forms are changed, and of trade and transportation or commerce, by which com modities are exchanged. The basis of much of this branch of geography is furnished by sta tistics. See GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMIC.