Geography, like any other subject in the field of social or natural sciences, has its own tools and techniques of analysis. Knowledge of the earth upon which people live is of great importance. Every part of the earth inhabited by mankind presents its own characteristics which are the resultants of the interaction between man and his environment.
\nTo understand the earth as the home of man the geographer's tools are mainly the globe, maps, diagrams, photographs, relevant statistics, books and articles. Now-a-days, aerial photographs and satellite imageries of the earth help us in understanding its surface features.
\nThis book has been written with the hope of bringing out in a practical way several fundamentals of modern geography such as its interdisciplinary character; its concern with the surface features of the earth, both natural and man-made.
\nFirst of all you are introduced to the art of map-reading and the essential features of a map. Scale is an important consideration in the preparation of a map. A knowledge of scale help us to measure the distance between places, the area such as forests, water bodies, cultivated land. Maps are one of the major tools of geographical analysis. Survey of India produces topographical maps which are used in understanding landforms, natural vegetation, cultivated areas, human settlements (rural and urban), patterns of communication, etc.
\nDifferent landforms of the earth and the processes involved in their formation are dealt with specialized skill. Illustrations and diagrams are supplemented to understand various features of the earth.
\nClimate, soil and vegetation of an area are inter related. Different climates, their associated soils and vegetation of grown on them are clearly clarified.
\nField work has an important place in geographical studies. It involves careful design of the project; clear statement of the objectives of the study; and preparation of base maps, data collection and compilation of schedules and questionnaires for local enquiries. Designs of few projects for field study are presented as illustrations.
