the study of geography

geography - ANS the study of the earth's surface and the processes that shape it, the connections between places, and the complex relationships between people and their environment GIS - ANS a geographic information system, which uses computer technology to collect and analyze data about the earth's surface in order to solve geographic problems absolute location - ANS the position on the earth in which a place can be found hemisphere - ANS a half of the earth; the Equator divides the Northern and Southern hemispheres; the Prime Meridian divides the Eastern and Western relative location - ANS the position of a place in relation to another place character of a place - ANS the physical and human characteristics that help to distinguish a place from other places perception - ANS a viewpoint that is influenced by one's own culture and experiences formal region - ANS a group of places that have similar attributes, for example, a political party functional region - ANS a group of places connected by movement, for example, the region drained by the Amazon River and its tributes perceptual region - ANS a group of places that is defined by people's feelings and attitudes