The Concept of Shape in Geography

Bibliographic Data

ID4491546
AuthorsRonald R Boyce, W A V Clark (0000-0003-4944-1926)
Year1964
Volume54
Issue4
Pages561
Publication date1964-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7428 • E-ISSN: 1931-0846
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/212982
OpenAlexW2312660048
LanguageEN
Citations received46

S HAPE has always been of concern in geography. Indeed, many geographical features such as deltas, oxbow lakes, and island chains are named from their distinctive shapes or forms, and shape has been found to be extremely useful for describing towns, trade areas, and political units. Although shape has been primarily used in geography as a descriptive device, it has also been of value as an analytical tool. But it is in the related disciplines, such as the biological sciences and mineralogy, that shape has been productive of theories.' However, lack of adequate methods for measuring shape has restricted its widespread use. Two methods of measurement have now been developed and are presented here, together with a review of some of the more pertinent articles concerned with shape or form and an example of the application of shape in urban geography. It is hoped that the study will lead to further applications of shape in solving gogeraphical problems

Economic geography · Geography · Categorization, perception, and language · Geographic Information Systems Studies · Remote Sensing and Land Use

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub