Geography

(je-og'rah-fe.) [Gr. geo graph i a, a description of the earth.] The description of the earth as a whole, its surface, natural divisions, and local characteristics. The fundamental principles of G. are the spherical figure of the earth, its rotation on its axis, its revolution round the sun, and the position of the axis or line, round which it revolves, with regard to the celestial luminary; whence it follows that Astronomy is the key of all geographical knowledge. General G. comprehends the knowledge of the earth in general, and the phenomena common to the whole globe. Particular G. has relation to particular countries, showing their boundaries, figure, climate, seasons, inhabitants, arts, customs, language, history, & c. When it has reference to regions, districts, or parts of countries, it is called chorography; and when to particular cities, towns, or villages, ., it is called topography. Mathematical G.determines the form and dimensions of the earth; its relations with the celestial bodies; the relative positions and distances of places on its surface, and their representation by globes or maps. Physical G., in its most extended sense, comprises geology, hydrography, meteorology, and a description of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms; but it is usually limited to a description of the outward features of the globe, with an account of their bearings upon one another. In political G., the earth is considered as the abode of rational beings, divided into larger or smaller societies, according to their diffusion over the globe, and their social relations. It considers the language, religion, government, degrees of civilization, population, resources, and local relations of the different countries; and therefore includes history and statistics. As a science, the ancients knew but little of G.; yet we find that they did not overlook or neglect it. It was a constant custom among the Romans, after they had conquered and subdued any province, to have a map of it carried in triumph, and exposed to the view of the spectators. Historians inform us that the Roman senate, about a hundred years before Christ, sent geographers into various countries, that an accurate survey and mensuration of the globe might be obtained; but we now know that they saw scarcely the twentieth part of it. Before them, Necho, king of Egypt, conimanded the Phœnicians to make a survey of the whole coast of Africa, which they accomplished in three years. Darius ordered the Ethiopic Sea and the mouth of the Indus to be surveyed; and Pliny relates that Alexander, in his expedition into Asia, took two geographers to measure and describe the roads; and that from their itineraries the writers of the following ages gleaned the chief portions of their information. The honor of reducing G. to a system was, however, reserved to Ptol-Geometrid aæ emy, who, by adding mathematical advantages to the Geometry, historical method in which it had been treated of before, described the world in a much more intelligible manner; delineating it under more certain rules, and fixing the bounds of places from longitude and latitude. As a work of science, therefore, his system deservedly held the first rank among the ancients; and but little was added to what he achieved until the time of Copernicus, A. D. 1520. From that period to the present, the science of G. has been steadily advancing; continual acce ions to it having been made, by new discoveries, by accurate accounts of travels by land and water, by systematic topographies, and more precise measurements. [s. 401]