Being a geographer can involve many different types of work. Traditionally a geographer accumulates and analyzes data about people and their environment and examines the relationship between the two. Geographers involved in research may study and analyze environmental phenomena such as landforms, climate, natural resources, and soil distribution. They may also analyze political organizations or urban systems, such as transportation.
Some geographers spend a lot of time in the field gathering data.
Creating maps and graphs may also be part of a geographer's job. Many geographers teach in high schools or colleges. Others may work in governmental agencies such as the National Park Service , Census Bureau , Forest Service , Geological Survey , and Department of State . Geographers work in the private sector as well. Geographers often specialize in one of the main branches of the science.