The fourth edition of this classic in the discipline presents readers with a broad introduction to the field in all of its diversity. The book promotes synthesis, both by stressing the different themes and traditions within the field of geography, and by stressing the synthesizing role of geography as a whole in relation to other fields. Covers the synthesizing role of geography; physical and human geography; globalization; population geography; medical geography. Emphasizes the relationships between humans and the environment, their spatial consequences, and the resulting regional structures that have emerged on Earth's surface. Includes International division of labor; The electronic revolution and its geographic impact; New directions in geography, including plural traditions, gender, and social theory; New coverage of environmental hazards, including the greenhouse effect, ozone layer, and accelerated deforestation; and Added and updated material on remote sensing, GIS, GPS, and the role of microcomputers in geography. Appropriate as an Introduction to Geography, World Regional Geography, and Human Geography.