What does "human geography" study?

Human geography focuses on the spatial aspects of human existence, exploring how people interact with their environments and how they utilize space. This branch of geography examines a range of topics, such as the distribution of populations, the development of cities, cultural landscapes, and human-environment interactions. By analyzing these elements, human geography provides insights into patterns of behavior and the organization of space in various contexts, from local to global scales.

In contrast, while the effects of climate on human health might be studied within human geography, it is more specifically concerned with a biological interaction rather than the broader spatial dynamics. The physical characteristics of Earth's landforms fall under physical geography, which emphasizes natural features instead of human impacts. Finally, the history of human civilization, while relevant to understanding cultural geography, primarily involves chronological events and could be more closely aligned with historical studies rather than the spatial analysis that defines human geography.