Geography has historically affected where people can settle, and why they settle there.
Early humans were bound by larger geographical boundaries, that often limited or directed expansion of the human race across the globe.
Prior to large boats certain portions of the world were not habitable or reachable, deserts posed similar problems as they could not sustain any large settlements.
People normally settled along the banks of rivers as these provided water to drink and irrigate with, fruit and vegetables as well as a method of transport. The larger the population the more resources were needed and the more complicated the settlement would become in order to sustain itself (dams, grain storage, Plumbing etc.).
Other geographical concerns are altitude, humans struggle to live in low oxygen environments, therefore many high lying areas are simply uninhabitable, normally with altitude comes cold as well, compounding the problem.
Geography and climate are normally interlinked, equatorial areas have high rainfall, abundant plant growth (which is sometimes also a barrier), but also harbor some of the most horrible diseases and venomous creatures on earth.
Polar regions are harsh, lack of food, and the extreme environment allow only the most adapted and hardy of humans to survive.
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Geography shapes human life by impacting resources, climate, and the physical environment, ultimately influencing cultural practices, settlement patterns, and economic activities of different societies. It can also create barriers or facilitate connections between groups, leading to the development of unique identities and relationships.
Over a long period of time it has produced all the variations that we call "race".
Over short period of time (weeks) we adapt to temperature variations (Watch a New Yorker run around on a beach in Florida in February.) and altitude (Red Blood Count goes up if you stay on a mountain ... athletes do that often to improve their marathon times.)
People want urbanize in places with plenty of Natural Resources. The Push-Pull Theory also explains why people live where they do.
The theme of geography that deals with how people cause places to change is called human-environment interaction. It explores the ways in which human activities impact the physical environment and how the environment, in turn, shapes human societies. This theme emphasizes the dynamic relationship between humans and their surroundings.
Human geography is the study of the relationship between humans and their environments, focusing on how people use and impact the Earth's surface. While humans contribute to shaping human geography through activities like urbanization, agriculture, and resource extraction, the natural features and processes of the Earth also play a role in shaping human geography. So, human geography is not entirely man-made but is influenced by both human actions and natural processes.
Some subfields of geography include physical geography (study of natural features and processes on Earth's surface), human geography (study of human activities and their impact on the environment), environmental geography (study of interactions between humans and their surroundings), and GIS (Geographic Information Systems, which involves mapping and spatial analysis).
The main types of human geography include cultural geography, economic geography, political geography, urban geography, and population geography. Each of these subfields focuses on different aspects of how humans interact with and shape the world around them.
The five main areas of geography are physical geography (study of landforms, climate, etc.), human geography (study of human interaction with the environment), environmental geography (study of the relationship between humans and the environment), regional geography (study of specific regions or areas), and geospatial technology (use of technology in geographic analysis).