GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL RESOURCESOF THE PHILIPPINES 

Human Habitat Man lives on the surface where conditions

for the growth of life are favourable. Four spheres: Atmosphere- gaseous envelope that

surrounds the earth’s surface Hydrosphere- water portion which covers

about 71% of the surface of the earth Lithosphere- solid potion of the earth Biosphere- life sphere which is composed

of plants and animals

Geography: from the Greek word “geographia”; earth description

Science of the earth and its life especially the description of land, sea and air, and the distribution of plants and animas including man and his industries with reference to the mutual relations of these diverse elements

“land and people” Man is the architect of the earth’s surface Study of the earth as the home of man

Cultural environment: man-made features

Geographic environment: physical environment and its relationship with man’s culture

Herodotus: Father of History and Geography; he always placed historic events on their geographic setting

Nature of Geographic Study:

1. Man’s exploration in space through the man-made satellites is dubbed as the new frontier of geography.

2. Physical geography: consists of the systematic study of the origin, distribution, and significance of the major physical features of the earth such as climates, landforms, oceans, and natural resources.

3. Human or cultural geography: gives emphasis to the study of man’s imprints upon the earth such as the population, settlement patterns, and the features resulting from man’s productive activities in earning living.

Nature of Geographic Study:

4. Sir Patrick Geddes called geography the “synthesis and mother of all sciences.” As a natural science, it finds common ground with geology, biology, astronomy, meteorology, pedology, and oceanography. Among the social sciences and the humanities, it is linked with history, economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, and demography.

5. Emmanual Kant called it “the basis of history”.

6. Professor Houston: geography is the study of the earth and its relation to the solar system, government, society and nature. Geography is the core in the unity of knowledge and the queen of the sciences.

Geography and other Social Sciences:

1. Geography as a Natural Science. Geography belongs to the field of natural science because the physical earth is its central theme. Together with geology, they constitute the twin earth sciences. While geography takes up the study of the surface of the earth and its relation to the manifold activities of man, geology takes up the study of the history of the earth and its inhabitants as they are recorded in the rocks.

Geography and other Social Sciences:

2. Geography as Social Science. Geography is history in place and history as geography in time. Geography takes up the study of man as the architect of the earth’s surface.

I

RICE TERRACES -------PAYEW

TARSIER -----NAUMAG

DOLPHIN ------- LUMOD

SEA URCHIN -------- SWAKI

WHALE SHARK ------- BUTANDING

Habal-habal

Geography and other Social Sciences:

3. Geography as Humanities. Humanities is the study of the intangible achievements of man as distinguished from his material accomplishments. The cultural elements of geography include the study of man’s institutions, such as language, religion, and fine arts, which are within the domain of the humanities

Subdivisions of Geography:

1. Climatology: study of the climates of the world and their relationship to man’s activities; related to meteorology which is the study of the atmosphere.

2. Biogeography: study of the physical environment and its relationship to the plant and animal life; related to biology and ecology.

Subdivisions of Geography:

3. Geomorphology: study of the origin and classification of the landforms of the earth; related to geology

4. Mathematical Geography: study of the measurement of the size and shape of the earth as a member of the solar system. It includes some aspects of cartography which portrays the location and features of any place or region on a map.