Human Geography

Human geography is a branch of geography that focuses on the study of the human population and their cultural, economic, and social interactions with the environment. It examines the distribution of human populations across the globe, the impact of human activity on the natural environment, and the ways in which people use and manage natural resources.

Learn about the different areas of human geography including economic geography, population geography, cultural geography, and more.

A black and white dot map of all the centers of ZIP codes in the continental United States.

ZIP Codes in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

It’s likely that if you routinely send mail to a location within the United States, you know how critical it ...

A satellite image of the state of Iowa against a black background with the state flag and USGS and NASA logos in the upper right and left corners.

Geography of Iowa

Marques Hayes

Iowa is a state with many distinct geographies.

Map showing major rivers in the world that form international borders.

Rivers as Borders

Caitlin Dempsey

23% of international borders are rivers.

Satellite image of an algae bloom off the coast of New York and New Jersey, August 3, 2015.

Geography of Sewage Contamination in the Ocean

Elizabeth Borneman

80% of the sewage produced by the global population makes its way into the world’s oceans untreated.

Hiker walking along a narrow trail in Canyonlands National Park.

What are Desire Paths?

Elizabeth Borneman

As the name implies, desire paths (or social trails) are informal pathways made by pedestrians, cyclists, and animals that carve out more desired routes for passengers.