CC Skills Geography

The "Mother Of All Sciences", this ancient field describes and analyzes the spatial variations in physical, biological, and human phenomena that occur on the surface of the globe and treats their interrelationships and their significant regional patterns.

Geography is the official skill of intelligence and diplomatic agencies around the world. Because of the broad nature of the subject, and the specializations that have emerged, you'll note that each of the major fields requires a great deal of cross-training in related topics. After 15 points in base geography, specify sub-skill.

The physical-human category differentiation is for player reference only. Many of these specialties require cross-discipline training and education.

## **Physical Geography**

Physical geography deals with the actual traits and processes of the planet, also broadly called "Earth sciences."

* Biogeography: the study of animal (zoogeography) and plant (phytogeography) distributions.
* Climatology: This is the study of long-term meteorology. This yet subdivides into Regional and Physical, Dynamic Meteorology (simulating climactic change), Bioclimatology and Paleoclimatology.
* Geology: the study of the rocks of the planet and how they change over time. This can include any terrestrial planet or natural satellite, such the the Moon or Mars. There are a myriad of subdivision to geology as well, and should be specified if relevant to the campaign.
* Geomorphology: describing and classifying the Earth's topographic features (lotsa geology here: tectonics (volcanology), surficial earth movements (landslides and rockfalls), weathering (erosion and deposition). Fluvial, Coastal and Glacial Geology are yet three more specific subdivisions.
* Hydrology: Study of the properties, distribution, and circulation of water near the earth's surface. Two distinct specializations include Limnology (water in lakes and inland seas) and Glaciology (ice on the land surface).
* Meteorology: the science of atmospheric phenomena, including weather prediction.

## **Human Geography**

Human geography explores the distribution and characteristics of people.

* Cultural/Social: Fairly self-explanatory here, and requires sister skills of sociology, psychology and a bit of administration theory.
* Historical: The evolution of the present patterns and a desire to see the underlying cause and effect.
* Economic: How folks satisfy their needs and make a living. It includes a smattering of agriculture, as well as looks at local industry, trade, and transportation.
* Medical: peoples' health and the diseases that affect them. Obviously, some level of medical and biological knowledge is necessary.
* Population: the statistical cataloging of demographics and a search for why things are the way they are.
* Political geography, as well as geopolitics, are forms of comparative political science (the necessary sister skill). These would be the official skills of the Kremlin and the US State Department.
* Urban: The demographic layout, interaction, development and politics on a city scale.
* Regional: Specializations range from worldwide regionalization, to a continent, a major cultural area, a country, a subregion within a country, or a city.
* Linguistic geography: local or regional variations of a language or dialect studied as a field of knowledge—called also dialect geography. This skill, obviously, is interdisciplinary and requires an equal and complementary level of linguistics.