Cartographers are trained in the art and science of producing maps. Several companies in the United States employ cartographers to research location information, design, and construct maps for many uses such as navigation, population analysis, and politics. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer applications used to perform spatial analysis on spatial data. A GIS technician may perform tasks closely related to a cartographer, but are also involved in maintaining databases of spatial information, and creating web-based map services.
Economic geographers are responsible for analyzing and understanding the spatial concepts involved in retail services, trade, agriculture, and industry. Geographers in this field may perform such tasks as determining optimal site locations for new retail stores, analyzing patterns of purchasing activity, and analyzing transportation and shipping networks.
Environmental geographers work in fields related to the study of the physical earth and the interaction between humans and their environment. Tasks related to phenomena such as pollution, resource management, climate, and environmental change all require an understanding of the physical mechanisms that operate on our planet. Many environmental geographers (also referred to as physical geographers) find employment in the government sector, such as with the National Weather Service, The Department of Agriculture, or the Geography Division of the United States Census Bureau.
Understanding the physical and cultural processes at work in our world are important to a well-rounded education. Geography teachers instruct students from kindergarten through college on such topics as regional, world geography, environmental, human and cultural geography. Geography professors at the college level usually teach these same courses, but also instruct students in their own area of expertise as well as the focus of the department curriculum.
The sub-discipline of geography referred to as remote sensing is concerned with collecting and analyzing information about the earth and the atmosphere through the use of satellites. Remote sensing technicians used satellite-based imagery to observe such phenomena as vegetation change, weather, and ocean, river and other water-based processes. Government agencies that employ remote sensing techniques include the Central Intelligence Agenc, The Department of State and the Department of Defense.