geography is a systematic study of the universe and its features. traditionally, geography has been associated with cartography and place names. although many geographers are trained in toponymy and cartology, this is not their main preoccupation. geographers study the space and the temporal database distribution of phenomena, processes, and features as well as the interaction of humans and their environment. because space and place affect a variety of topics, such as economics, health, climate, plants and animals, geography is highly interdisciplinary. the interdisciplinary nature of the geographical approach depends on an attentiveness to the relationship between physical and human phenomena and its spatial patterns.