Sometimes modern people wonder: "Why do we need geography?" More often than not schoolchildren can ask such a question, but adults. It is clear that in past centuries, geography played an important role, thanks to it, mankind learned about other continents, exotic products and about unusual natural phenomena. It would seem that everyone already knows geography since school. We studied that the Earth is almost a sphere with six continents and four oceans, and this is enough. But it was not there.
Exotic fruits and other foods
Who has not tried bananas and tangerines? Probably all of them ate at least once in a lifetime. But where do they grow? In warm countries. What is meant by warm countries? What are these states? Now we will immediately answer several such questions and at the same time understand why a person needs geography.
To get their favorite bananas and tangerines, as well as other fruits and nuts, the seller travels on his own or orders them from manufacturers in countries such as Abkhazia, China, Morocco, Israel, Turkey. Undoubtedly, the owner of a store or a stall should know the geography in order to have more exotic fruits, nuts, tea and coffee on the shelves. And at the same time, he should have an idea where a particular country is located, how long these products will be transported in time, as well as storage periods.
Time zones and time
Suppose a person from Kaliningrad wants to call his friend from Vladivostok at 16 o'clock in due time. But a friend, most likely, is already sleeping, because it is already 12 o’clock in the morning. And here you can tell why geography is needed in human life. It is this science that explains in which time zones this or that city is located. There are nuances only in the conversion of time to summer or winter. Not all countries do this, so you can get confused. It is better to check with people who know and live there.
Tourists know that in most hotels there are several hours that show what time it is in a city. As a rule, this is Moscow, London, New York, Sydney, Vladivostok and, of course, the locality in which the hotel is located. Why geography is needed here, you don’t even have to ask. This science will help you navigate the world map. If a person is going to move from Moscow to New York, then he must be prepared for what will be in the opposite time zone. If in the Moscow region it is day, then in America at the moment it is deep night. It is important to note that frequent flights can have a bad effect on the human body.
Navigation, cellular and satellite communications
How does this section relate to geography? What do they have in common? Of course, any modern GPS-satellite, mobile operator and navigators can not do without knowledge of the terrain.
Any network operator has its own coverage area. Outside calls cannot be made, or roaming is turned on. Why do we need modern geography in this case? For example, a Megafon subscriber moves from Moscow to Tula. He knows that it is expensive to call in the Tula region, and incoming calls are paid. If a person even has a slight idea of when the Moscow Region will end, then he will be able to take a chance and call at local rates with a favorable price.
And now it's time to talk about modern technology, which is inextricably linked with geography. Navigators are devices that help you get to your destination. Naturally, this technique is not complete without a built-in atlas. This is the answer to the question: "Why do we need geography in the modern world?"
GPS satellites also need mapping. How do they transmit a signal to Earth? Send the coordinates. As a rule, coordinates are indicated in degrees, minutes and seconds. For people to be able to decrypt the signal from satellites, they must be able to navigate and know the geography.
Love of travel
We will not repeat how great travelers discovered various continents, met with natives, brought a lot of exotic fruits and plants. A lot has been written and told about this. Here, perhaps, I’d just like to explain why society needs geography. This is especially true for those who like to travel. Even a camping trip in your region requires knowledge of geography.
And if someone wants to fly from St. Petersburg to rest in Egypt or India? It must be remembered that the flight can take a lot of time, and then other troubles will begin, which will be discussed in the next section.
Where is Australia located? In the south or in the north? Where are Brazil and Canada? Is it far? Naturally, a person should have an idea of where the country he wants to visit is located.
Climate in different cities and countries
A Muscovite and a Petersburger who were born and raised in the northern hemisphere, are accustomed to cold, damp, and can endure drought and extreme heat. It’s risky to go to rest in the same Egypt in the summer. There is extreme heat, the tourist can become ill. As a result, instead of the sea and the desert, he will only see air conditioning in the room.
Is it worth it to wonder why a person needs geography, especially a tourist? Of course it's worth it. Before you go on a long journey, you need to study the climate of the country of interest. Maybe there are those who, on the contrary, love to visit the northern regions, and not the southern ones. But severe frosts and snowstorms can ruin the whole vacation. To prevent this from happening, you need to look at background information about the region.
Knowledge of geography can warn tourists from danger. There are places where earthquakes and hurricanes periodically occur. In order not to risk your life, it is worth knowing all the geographical features.
Watching the weather
Weather conditions are different everywhere and in any season. Every person who knows the geography well will be able to determine where the wind blows from and what weather can expect in a few hours and even days. For example, the wind blows from the south-west, clouds can be seen from afar, so if the wind does not change direction in the coming hours, it will be cloudy.
Why is geography needed in human life in general? Well, with travel and exotic fruits sorted out. Does this science play a role in other matters? Sure. In weather conditions, for example. By the way, it is important for fishing enthusiasts and mushroom pickers to know when successful catch and harvest are possible. Mushrooms grow only when the nights are warm and there is rain. But it’s still important to know in which forests you can pick mushrooms.
There are still interesting points - natural disasters. In the same North America, severe hurricanes, tornadoes, constantly occur. It is important for residents to protect themselves.
Where are these beautiful places?
The dream of visiting Baikal or New Zealand is a different dream for geographical reasons. It is clear that the first place is cheaper to visit than the second. New Zealand is quite far from the European part of Russia. Even if a person has enough money to visit these two places in turn, he will not interfere with knowledge. Why does he need geography? Then, so that he has an idea of what parts of the world they are in, what their climate is.
The most beautiful places in the world are not always accessible all year round. Something can be visited only in the summer, and something in the spring or autumn.
Where better not to go
There are places where it is not recommended to travel. The reason for the ban can be both natural disasters and political problems. Why do people need geography in this case? To understand where what is happening, what is the situation. Those who follow the news are well aware in which country is peaceful and in which there is a war.
Many tour operators, caring for their compatriots, stop selling tickets to troubled places. It is better to wait out a difficult period. For example, let there be a reason to visit no less attractive places in your native land. It is not necessary to go far to get a lot of pleasant experiences.
In conclusion, we can summarize the answer to the question: "Why do we need geography?" So why? To make it easier to navigate in life, learn something new and draw conclusions in various fields: travel, weather forecasting, food, entertainment, traditions and so on.