Geography is important because if you don't understand your surrounding environment, and don't consider the context in which you live, you will live a very narrow life indeed.  Geography opens your eyes to the world and allows you to respect other cultures and religions, whilst marvelling in the genius of the world's mechanics.  Geography allows you to learn about all that is around you - surely this makes it the most relevant subject possible?
(Ceri Higgins)

Geography at school is the medium through which an understanding of so much that is current and of concern is taught. Using high quality resources and skilled teachers, information is set in context at a variety of scales. The subject deserves proper recognition for its ability to convey this information and an understanding of how this can be best achieved. Much of the understanding of people, migration, environmental relationships and change, economic development & change and the analytical & synoptic skills to enable us to make good interpretation and intelligent questioning of data are delivered through geography. Without it the synthesis of the plethora of information available in our age of rapid communication remains disparate and unconnected. With it an insight and understanding can evolve, increasing our ability to make rational and pragmatic decisions about our lives and our future.
(Linda Beskeen)

Geography is not important, it is essential. The issues facing us today can only be understood from a geographical perspective.
(Anon)

Geography is important because understanding our planet, its people, and its processes, will enable us to preserve and protect it for future generations. What is more important than that?
(Kate Owen)

I love geography and we are certainly not getting the appropriate amount of geographic information in media coverage.  I work with Google Maps a lot and every time I hear about a story in the news, I want to look at the location on Google Map/Earth, at a minimum for curiosity, if nothing else.  But no news story ever come with latitude and longitude and rarely come with location information up to street level.  Comparing to availability of the technology today, I have to say the effort of putting geographic information into media and journalism is pathetic, as if all the reporters in the world are simply working for paychecks.  Where are the depth and dimensions of news stories?  Even amateur photographers on flickr.com will try to attach "geotag" these days.  The spirit of adventure and discovery are usually associated with geography.  It's scary to think about a society that no longer even care about geography.
(John Lu)

Geography is important because it enables us to map the land and oceans and helps us to understand our changing environment and what effects those changes can have on all our lives.
(Jennifer Walsby)

I love geography as it is the study of everything around us, every where you look there are questions to be asked and so much to find out and understand.  Where would the world be without the study of the world?
(Rebecca Woods)

Geography is important because it helps students to understand the world in a global sense, where the actions of people in one country can have far reaching global impacts, rather than simply having a limited knowledge of matters in their own comfort sphere.
(Katie Chater)


Geography is everything - The world is fast becoming a global village yet some pupils can't find themselves on a map! Geography teaches them to be part of something bigger. 
(Victoria Humphries)

Anyone that has ever shown an interest in the world around them is a Geographer whether they realise it or not. 
(Siobhan Hewitt)

Geography is an interactive subject crucial in putting our lives and those of others into context. It is through geography that other subjects come alive and real. Without geography our world is meaningless. Geography is my 'meaning of life' .
(Paul Jenkins)

Geography brings balance to a world full of specialists, who know more and more about less and less. Geography is a light in the mind, not a load on the brain. History without Geography is meaningless, how can temporal differentiation be more useful than spatial differentiation?
(Robert Lord, USA)