The International Geographical Union (IGU; french: Union Géographique Internationale, UGI) is an international

geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

society. The first International Geographical Congress was held in Antwerp in 1871. Subsequent meetings led to the establishment of the permanent organization in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

, in 1922. The International Geographical Union adheres to the

International Science Council The International Science Council (ISC) is an international non-governmental organization that unites scientific bodies at various levels across the social and natural sciences. The ISC was formed with its inaugural general assembly on 4 July 20 ...

(ISC), which it recognizes as the coordinating body for the

international organisations An international organization or international organisation (see spelling differences), also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is a stable set of norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states an ...

of science.

Objectives

The IGU has seven objectives or aims: # to promote the study of geographical problems; # to initiate and co-ordinate geographical research requiring international co-operation and to promote its scientific discussion and publication; # to provide for the participation of geographers in the work of relevant international organizations; # to facilitate the collection and diffusion of geographical data and documentation in and between all member countries; # to promote International Geographical Congresses, regional conferences and specialized symposia related to the objectives of the Union; # to participate in any other appropriate form of international co-operation with the object of advancing the study and application of geography; # to promote international standardization or compatibility of methods, nomenclature, and symbols employed in geography.

Senior Officers

The following lists contain the Senior Officers of the IGU from 1922 to present:

Presidents

* 2021–present Michael Meadows,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

* 2016–21 Yukio Himiyama, Japan * 2012–16 Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov,

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

* 2008–12 Ronald Francis Abler,

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

* 2006–08 José Palacio-Prieto,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, acting * 2004–06 Adalberto Vallega,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, died in office * 2000–04

Anne Buttimer Anne Buttimer (31 October 1938 – 15 July 2017) was an Irish geographer. She was emeritus professor of geography at University College, Dublin. Background Buttimer grew up in Ireland with strong Catholic convictions. She studied at University ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

* 1996–2000 Bruno Messerli, Switzerland * 1992–96 Herman Th. Verstappen,

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

* 1988–92 Roland J. Fuchs,

* 1984–88 Peter Scott, Australia * 1980–84 Akin L. Mabogunje,

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

* 1976–80 Michael J. Wise,

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

* 1972–76 Jean Dresch,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

* 1968–72

Stanisław Leszczycki Stanisław Leszczycki (8 May 1907, in Mielec – 17 June 1996, in Warsaw) was a Polish geographer. He was a professor at the University of Warsaw since 1948 and the Polish Academy of Sciences since 1952 (in each of them he created an Institute ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

* 1964–68 Shiba P. Chatterjee,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

* 1960–64

Carl Troll Carl Troll (24 December 1899 in Gabersee – 21 July 1975 in Bonn), was a German geographer, brother of botanist Wilhelm Troll. From 1919 until 1922 Troll studied biology, chemistry, geology, geography and physics at the Universität in München. ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

* 1956–60 Hans Wilhelmsson Ahlmann, Sweden * 1952–56 L. Dudley Stamp,

* 1949–52 George B. Cressey,

* 1938–49 Emmanuel de Martonne,

* 1934–38 Sir Charles Close,

* 1931–34

Isaiah Bowman Isaiah Bowman, AB, Ph. D. (December 26, 1878, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada – January 6, 1950, Baltimore, Maryland), was an American geographer and President of the Johns Hopkins University, 1935–1948, controversial for his antisemitism and ...

* 1928–31 General Robert Bourgeois,

* 1924–28 General Nicola Vacchelli,

* 1922–24 Prince Roland Bonaparte,

Secretaries-General and Treasurers

* 2021–present Barbaros Gönençgil,

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

, acting * 2010–20 Michael Meadows,

* 2008–10 Yu Woo-ik,

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

* 2000–08 Ronald Francis Abler,

* 1992–2000 Eckart Ehlers,

* 1984–92 Leszek A. Kosiński,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

* 1976–84 Walther Manshard,

* 1968–76 Chauncy D. Harris,

* 1956–68 Hans Boesch, Switzerland * 1949–56 George H. T. Kimble,

* 1940-49 Marguerite Lefèvre,

* 1938–40 Paul Michotte, Belgium * 1931–38 Emmanuel de Martonne,

* 1928–31 Filippo De Filippi,

* 1922–28 Sir Charles Close,

Commissions and Task Forces

The IGU is organized into a number of commissions and task forces that deal with specific topics. The commission topics include e.g. specific approaches (e.g. Applied Geography), topics (e.g. Climatology, Health and Environment), methods (e.g. Geographical Information Science), and spatial examples (e.g. Mediterranean Basin). There are also commissions for the International Olympiad and Geographical Education. The two task forces are "Young and Early-Career Geographers" and "Centennial and Sesquicentennial".

IGU-CGE

The IGU-CGE (Commission on Geographical Education) focuses on geography education. It is currently headed by co-chairs Clare Brooks (UK) and Chew-Hung Chang (Singapore). It publishes the IRGEE journal and organizes yearly conferences. The "International Charter on Geographical Education" constitutes an international agreement on different aspects of geography education with global impacts. The 2016 charter features important geography education research questions and policy recommendations. As such the charter is: Convinced that geographical education is indispensable to the development of responsible and active citizens in the present and future world; Conscious that geography can be an informing, enabling and stimulating subject at all levels in education, and contributes to a lifelong enjoyment and understanding of our world; Aware that students require increasing international competence in order to ensure effective cooperation on a broad range of economic, political, cultural and environmental issues in a shrinking world; Concerned that geographical education is neglected in some parts of the world, and lacks structure and coherence in others; Ready to assist colleagues in counteracting geographical illiteracy in all countries of the world. In the 1992 charter there is also information on geographic questions, key concepts, approaches and the selection of spatial examples.

List of congresses

International Geographical Congresses have been held as follows: ;Notes

References

* Kish, George (1992) "International Geographical Union: A Brief History" ''GeoJournal'' 26, No. 2:224-228 ISSN 0343-2521 * Marie-Claire Robic, Anne-Marie Briend, Mechtild Rössler (eds.) (1996) ''Geographers to the world. The International Geographical Union and the International Geographical Congress'' Paris: L'Harmattan * Dunbar, Gary S. (2001
''Geography: Discipline, Profession and Subject since 1870: An International Survey''
Kluwer Academic Publishers pg 36 * Lidstone, John; Williams, Michael (2006
''Geographical Education in a Changing World: Past Experience, Current Trends and Future Challenges''
Springer pg 39 * International Geographical Union (IGU) * Royal Irish Academy (RIA)

External links

International Geographical Union/Union Géographique Internationale

International Geographical Union - Russian National Committee
{{Authority control Geographic societies International organisations based in Belgium Members of the International Council for Science International geographic data and information organizations Members of the International Science Council