Economic Geography

Contents: Preface. 1. Economic geography. 2. Significance of economic geography. 3. Comparisons between land forms, soils and climate. 4. Oceans and their coasts. 5. Bedrock and mineral deposits. 6. Ground and surface waters of the lands. 7. Elements of the natural environment. 8. Regional geography and the theory of regions. 9. Consequences of weather. 10. Economic geography of the internet. Bibliography. Index.

"Economic Geography shares with other branches of knowledge-economics, agriculture, geology, history--the responsibility of studying economic life. The peculiar contribution of economic geography is an understanding of the relation between natural environment and economic life in the various regions of the earth. Formerly men observed regional differences, such as the fact that there were many people in some regions and few in others, or that certain crops were raised in some regions and quite other crops in other regions, and were content to stop with these observations, or with some fantastic explanation. In recent times, however, men have come to search for the causes of these regional differences in economic life. Such knowledge is inherently interesting. It is also essential if wise use is to be made of the natural possibilities of any given area. The more wisely the natural resources of all regions are used the higher can be the material standard of living of all mankind." (jacket)