There are probably as many different definitions for geography as there are introductory textbooks. Although the wording may differ, all do say more or less the same thing. One possible definition for geography is given below.
Other disciplines study the earth, including that portion of the earth that is where our human activities take place. What distinguishes the field from others, as the definition implies, is its emphasis on spatial phenomena. The word "spatial" refers to space on the earth's surface, and spatial phenomena are ones--to put it simply--that may be shown on maps. Geography thus is really a way of looking at things, a point of view.
Because of this emphasis on spatial phenomena, the first question that a geographer will typically ask is "where?" Another discipline with a particular point of view is history. Rather than where something is, the first question that a historian would probably ask is "when?"
