Geography: Meaning, Nature, Scope and Approaches Geography is the systematic study of the Earth's surface, places, people and their relationship with the environment . It examines both the physical characteristics of the Earth and the distribution and activities of human societies. Geographers study natural features such as landforms, climate, rivers, soils, vegetation and oceans , as well as human phenomena such as population, settlements, agriculture, industries, transport and culture . Geography also examines how human activities influence the natural environment and how geographical conditions, in turn, affect human life. In simple terms, geography studies where things are, why they are there, how places are connected, and how people interact with their environment . What is Geography? The word Geography is derived from the Greek words geo , meaning Earth , and graphein , meaning to describe or write . Thus, geography literally means the description of the Earth . Modern geog...