International Geographical Union

The IGU has seven objectives or aims:

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

The following lists contain the senior officers of the IGU from 1922 to present.

• 2024–present {{Flagicon|France}} Nathalie Lemarchand
• 2021–24 {{Flagicon|South Africa}} Michael Meadows
• 2016–21 {{Flagicon|Japan}} Yukio Himiyama
• 2012–16 {{Flagicon|Russia}} Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov
• 2008–12 {{Flagicon|United States}} Ronald Francis Abler
• 2006–07 {{Flagicon|Mexico}} José Palacio-Prieto (acting)
• 2004–06 {{Flagicon|Italy}} Adalberto Vallega (died in office)
• 2000–04 {{Flagicon|Ireland}} Anne Buttimer
• 1996–2000 {{Flagicon|Switzerland}} Bruno Messerli
• 1992–96 {{Flagicon|Kingdom of the Netherlands}} Herman Th. Verstappen
• 1988–92 {{Flagicon|United States}} Roland J. Fuchs
• 1984–88 {{Flagicon|Australia}} Peter Scott
• 1980–84 {{Flagicon|Nigeria}} Akin L. Mabogunje
• 1976–80 {{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Michael J. Wise
• 1972–76 {{Flagicon|France}} Jean Dresch
• 1968–72 {{Flagicon|Polish People's Republic}} Stanisław Leszczycki
• 1964–68 {{Flagicon|India}} Shiba P. Chatterjee
• 1960–64 {{Flagicon|West Germany}} Carl Troll
• 1956–60 {{Flagicon|Sweden}} Hans Wilhelmsson Ahlmann
• 1952–56 {{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} L. Dudley Stamp
• 1949–52 {{Flagicon|United States}} George B. Cressey
• 1938–49 {{Flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} Emmanuel de Martonne
• 1934–38 {{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Sir Charles Close
• 1931–34 {{Flagicon|United States}} Isaiah Bowman
• 1928–31 {{Flagicon|French Third Republic}} General Robert Bourgeois
• 1924–28 {{Flagicon|Italy}} General Nicola Vacchelli
• 1922–24 {{Flagicon|French Third Republic}} Prince Roland Bonaparte

• 2021–present {{Flagicon|Turkey}} Barbaros Gönençgil
• 2010–20 {{Flagicon|South Africa}} Michael Meadows
• 2008–10 {{Flagicon|South Korea}} Yu Woo-ik
• 2000–08 {{Flagicon|United States}} Ronald Francis Abler
• 1992–2000 {{Flagicon|Germany}} Eckart Ehlers
• 1984–92 {{Flagicon|Canada}} Leszek A. Kosiński
• 1976–84 {{Flagicon|West Germany}} Walther Manshard
• 1968–76 {{Flagicon|United States}} Chauncy D. Harris
• 1956–68 {{Flagicon|Switzerland}} Hans Boesch
• 1949–56 {{Flagicon|Canada}} George H. T. Kimble
• 1940-49 {{Flagicon|Belgium}} Marguerite Lefèvre
• 1938–40 {{Flagicon|Belgium}} Paul Michotte
• 1931–38 {{Flagicon|French Third Republic}} Emmanuel de Martonne
• 1928–31 {{Flagicon|Italy}} Filippo De Filippi
• 1922–28 {{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Sir Charles Close

The IGU is organized into a number of commissions and task forces that deal with specific topics.{{Cite news|url=https://igu-online.org/organization/commissions/|title=Commissions|work=IGU Online|access-date=2018-06-28|language=en-US}}

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".

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).{{Cite news|url=http://www.igu-cge.org/steering-committee/|title=People - IGU CGE|work=IGU CGE|access-date=2018-06-28|language=en-US}}

It publishes the IRGEE journal and organizes yearly conferences.{{Cite web|url=http://www.igu-cge.org/|title=Home - IGU CGE|website=IGU CGE|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-28}} 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.

{{Cite news|url=http://www.igu-cge.org/2016-charter/|title=2016 Charter - IGU CGE|work=IGU CGE|access-date=2018-06-28|language=en-US}} In the 1992 charter there is also information on geographic questions, key concepts, approaches and the selection of spatial examples.{{Cite news|url=http://www.igu-cge.org/1992-charter/|title=1992 Charter - IGU CGE|work=IGU CGE|access-date=2018-06-28|language=en-US}}

International Geographical Congresses have been held as follows:{{cite news|url=https://igu-online.org/events/international-geographical-congress/|title=List of congresses|language=English|publisher=International Geographical Union|date=3 August 2021}}

{{legend||Extraordinary Congress|text={{asterisk}}}}

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{{reflist}}

• 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 {{ISBN|9782738445735}}
• Dunbar, Gary S. (2001) [https://books.google.com/books?id=cdKdjqnbnRgC&pg=PA36 Geography: Discipline, Profession and Subject since 1870: An International Survey] Kluwer Academic Publishers {{ISBN|1-4020-0019-7}} pg 36
• Lidstone, John; Williams, Michael (2006) [https://books.google.com/books?id=w9UQmnHApF0C&pg=PA39 Geographical Education in a Changing World: Past Experience, Current Trends and Future Challenges] Springer {{ISBN|978-1-4020-4806-7}} pg 39
• International Geographical Union (IGU)
• Royal Irish Academy (RIA)

• [http://www.igu-online.org/ International Geographical Union/Union Géographique Internationale]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090926084314/http://igu.org.ru/en/ International Geographical Union - Russian National Committee]

{{International Science Council}}

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Category:Geographic societies

Category:International organisations based in Belgium

Category:Members of the International Council for Science

Category:International geographic data and information organizations

Category:Members of the International Science Council