Methods of geographical research.

The methods of research in geography today remain the same as before. However, this does not mean that they do not change. Emerging new methods of geographical research, allowing to significantly expand the capabilities of mankind and the boundaries of the unknown. But before considering these innovations, it is necessary to understand the usual classification.

Methods of geographical research are different ways of obtaining information within the science of geography. They are divided into several groups. So, the cartographic method is the use of maps as the main source of information. They can give an idea not only about the location of objects, but also their size, the degree of diffusion of various phenomena and a lot of useful information.

The statistical method suggests that people, countries, natural objects can not be studied and studied without the use of statistical data. That is, it is very important to know what is the depth, height, reserves of natural resources of a particular territory, its area, population size of a particular country, its demographic indicators, and production indicators.

The historical method implies that our world has developed and everything on the planet has its own rich history. Thus, in order to study modern geography, it is necessary to have knowledge about the history of the development of the Earth itself and of humanity living on it.

Methods of geographical research continues the economic-mathematical method. This is nothing but figures: calculations of mortality, fertility, population density, resource availability, migration balance and so on.

The comparative-geographical method helps to more fully assess and describe the differences and similarities of geographical objects. After all, everything in this world is subject to comparison: less or more, slower or faster, lower or higher and so on. This method allows you to make a classification of geographical objects and predict their changes.

Methods of geographical research can not be imagined without observations. They can be continuous or periodic, areal and route, remote or stationary, all the less they provide the most important data on the development of geographical objects and the changes they are undergoing. It is impossible to study geography, sitting at the desk in the office or behind the school desk in the classroom, it is necessary to learn how to extract useful information from what you can see with your own eyes.

One of the important methods of investigating geography has been and remains the method of geographical zoning. This is the allocation of economic and natural (physical and geographical) areas. No less important is the method of geographical modeling. To all of us, even from the school's bench, the most striking example of a geographic model is known - the globe. But modeling can be machine, mathematical and graphical.

A geographical forecast is the ability to predict the consequences that can arise from the development of mankind. This method allows you to reduce the negative impact of people's activities on the environment, avoid undesirable phenomena, rationally use all sorts of resources and so on.

Modern methods of geographic research have shown the world of GIS - geoinformation systems, that is, a set of digital maps, related software and statistics that give people the opportunity to work with cards directly on the computer. And thanks to the Internet there were systems of satellite positioning, known in the people as GPS. They consist of ground tracking, navigation satellites and various instruments that receive information and determine coordinates.