Physical geography is a scientific discipline that addresses the distribution of natural features and processes within a spatial, or geographical, reference frame. This subdiscipline of geography is an interdisciplinary amalgam of such diverse subjects as geology, ecology, environmental science, computer science, and aerospace engineering. When examined, the narrow definition of physical geography as the study and creation of physical maps expands into a broad array of topics from satellite remote sensing to computer-aided mapping known as geographic information systems (GIS), to the study of surficial geological processes. The basic work of physical geology lies in determining how natural phenomena are spatially ordered, and in illuminating these geographic patterns using maps and images; the fundamental question behind physical geographic studies is why these patterns exist in nature.

The history of physical geography spans nearly four thousand years. Archeologists have discovered maps created by ancient Chinese, Phoenician, and...