Scope of Human Geography:

The scope of human geography is very wide. The core concern of human geography as
a discipline is to understand the earth as home of human beings and to study all those
elements that have sustained them.

1. Greek and Roman scholars like Aristotle, Herodotus, Strabo recognized the close relationship between man and his physical environment.

2. The Arab Scholars like Al Masudi, Al Bruni also established the relationship between physical environment and cultural characteristics.

3. In the classical period of modern geography, German Geographers Humboldt and Ritter focused on the relationship between social groups and their physical environment. He concluded that the earth and its inhabitants stand in closest reciprocal relation and one cannot be truly presented in all its relationships without the other.

4. German Geographer Ratzel established human geography as an independent discipline.

5. French Geographer Vidalde La Blache published " Principles de Geographie Humaine" which has three major parts:

a. Distribution of men on the globe

b. Forms of civilization

c. Circulation

6. Brunches gave the clear idea of geography of a man with the identification of following scope of human geography:

a. On the basis of Evolution of Civilization

i. Geography of the first vital necessity

It includes primary needs like food, cloth and shelter.

ii. Geography of the Exploitation

It includes the human activities and efforts in which human beings satisfy their needs based on exploitation of natural resources.

iii. Geography of Social and Economic needs

It includes interdependence, cooperation, division of labor and civic system.

iv. Political and Historic Needs

It includes description of political and historical events in relation to geographical facts.

b. On the basis of Positive Classification

i. Facts of unproductive occupation of the soil

ii. Facts of plan and animal conquest

iii. Facts of destructive exploitation

7. Finch and Trewath classified the elements of human geography in the three groups:

a. Physical Elements

It includes topography, climate, soil, minerals, water bodies, natural vegetation and animals.

b. Population

It includes growth, distribution, density, migration and composition.

c. Cultural Elements

It includes settlements, agriculture, manufacturing, industry, trade and commerce.

8. Ellsworth Huntngton took a comprehensive view of physical conditions, forms of life and human responses while determining the elements of human geography. According to him, all elements of bio-physical environment are interrelated and affect each other and their combined affect is reflected in various responses. He grouped these human responses into four categories and identified 21 responses as scope of human geography:

a. Material needs

i. Food and Drink, ii. Clothing, iii. Shelter, iv. Tools and v. Means of Transportation

b. Fundamental Occupation

vi. Hunting, vii. Fishing, viii. herding, ix. Farming, x. Lumbering, xi. Mining, xii. Manufacturing and xiii. Trade and Commerce

c. Efficiency

xiv. Efficiency, xv. Cultural stimulus and xvi. Recreation

d. Higher Needs

xvii. Government, xviii. Education, xix. Science, xx. Religion and xxi. Art and Literature