Portal:Geography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Wikipedia portals: Culture · Geography · Health · History · Mathematics · Natural sciences · People · Philosophy · Religion · Society · Technology

For a topic outline on this subject, see List of basic geography topics.

edit

The Geography Portal

Shortcut: P:G

Geography is the main study of the location, extent, distribution, frequency and interaction of all significant elements of the human and physical environment on or near the Earth's surface, particularly its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity. The word geography derives from the Greek γη (ge) or γαια (gaia) ("Earth") and γραφειν (graphein) ("to inscribe"). Physical geography focuses on the physical, meteorological and ecological patterns and processes on Earth. Human geography focuses on economic, political and cultural processes and features in their spatial dimensions. Biogeography focuses on the spatial distributions of organisms, species and ecosystems, and how these are affected by climate change. In addition to studying human and natural features of Earth, Geographers also study Earth's place in the Solar System and the Universe and how this affects the Earth features (e.g. climate, sea currents and tides), as well as physical processes on other planets.

More about Geography...

edit

Subportals

Africa	Asia	Europe	North America	Latin America	Oceania	Atlas

edit

Selected article

Marco Polo (c. 1254 – January 8, 1324) was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently met Kublai Khan. Il Milione was dictated by Marco Polo to Rustichello da Pisa while both were prisoners of the Genova Republic. It documents his father's journey to meet the Kublai Khan, who asked them to become ambassadors, and communicate with the pope. This led to Marco's quest, through Acre, and to the Mongol court in China. Marco apparently wrote of his extensive travels throughout Asia on behalf of the Khan, and their eventual return after 15000 miles (24000 km) and 24 years of adventures. Their pioneering journey inspired Christopher Columbus and had an influence on European cartography, leading to the introduction of the Fra Mauro map.

Archive · Geography featured articles

edit

Selected picture

Cerros de Incahuasi, a mountain in northern Chile

Image credit: Luca Galuzzi

More selected pictures...

edit

Did you know...

... that Viedma Glacier (pictured) is part of the huge Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the third largest expanse of continental ice after Greenland and Antarctica?
... that Ridge A in Antarctica has been identified as the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth?
... that Mount Widerøe, Antarctica, is named for Viggo Widerøe, who flew aerial photography planes to map 80,000 km² (31,000 sq mi) of the continent's coast?
... that Lake Bistineau in northwestern Louisiana was originally formed in 1800 by flooding stemming from a large log jam on the nearby Red River?
... that Hurricane Greta in 1956 was the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded?

...Archive/Nominations

More...

edit

Articles

Antarctica	Afro-Eurasia	Americas
Australia	Africa	Eurasia
North America	Oceania	Europe
Asia	South America	Supercontinents: Gondwana • Laurasia • Pangaea • Rodinia