Alexander von Humboldt
Topic: Geography as a Discipline: Nature, Branches and Approaches · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 1 "Geography as a Discipline"
Meaning
Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was a German geographer and naturalist. He is called the founder of modern physical geography. He introduced the systematic approach, also called general geography. In this approach, one phenomenon is studied across the whole world and then sorted into types and spatial patterns. His major work, Kosmos (1845–1862), drew on his travels in Latin America from 1799 to 1804.
Example
In the Andes mountains of South America, including Chimborazo in Ecuador, Humboldt recorded how plant life changes as you climb higher. He then compared such patterns across the world. Studying one theme worldwide in this way is the core of the systematic approach.
Don't confuse with
- Karl Ritter: Ritter, also German and also died in 1859, developed the regional approach (Erdkunde). "Ritter introduced the systematic approach" is false.
Related concepts
- Systematic and regional approaches
- Systematic geography
- Regional geography
- Karl Ritter
- Dualism in geography
- Nomothetic and idiographic approaches