Applied geography is the application of geographic knowledge and skills to identify the nature and causes of social, economic and environmental problems and inform policies which lead to their resolution. Applied geography has undergone remarkable changes in the last 20 years. Powerful new technologies have emerged that greatly improve the ability to collect, store, manage, view, analyze, and utilize information regarding the critical issues of our time. These technologies include geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), satellite-base remote sensing, and a great variety of remarkable software that allows for the analysis of the compelling problems. The issues include globalization, global warming, pollution, security, crime, public health, transportation, energy supplies, and population growth. Geographic Information Science (GIScience) has given rise to an essentially multidisciplinary approach to applied problems.
Applied Geography offers an invaluable introduction to useful research in physical, environmental and human geography and provides a new focus and reference point for investigating and understanding problem-orientated research which include; natural and environmental hazards, environmental change and management, challenges of the human environment and techniques of spatial analysis.