Economic Geographer

As an Economic Geographer, you study the physical distribution of resources, the goal being to discover the principles behind, and the consequences of, wealth distribution. You follow the flow of funds, trades, and supplies to determine where production and wealth are concentrated. Coffee beans and wine are just two examples of worldwide products that have specific production hot spots. Local topography plays heavily into an Economic Geographer’s research, but social and political influences are just as important.

As an Economic Geographer, you spend your day working on a given assignment. Perhaps you’re researching the production locations of a particular product, or the resources of a particular geographical location. Either way, you study the characteristics of the location, and the organizational and behavioral qualities of the people involved with the specific product or area.

Your work sheds light on why some countries are economically ahead of others. You research uneven development, technological advancements, gender splits, labor force, consumption, ethnicity, and even transportation options. All of those elements play into a country’s economic development, almost as much as its climate and proximity to natural resources.

In other words, you figure out the relationship between physical location and economic success and failure. Your findings help businesses decide on new locations and expansions based on the local labor markets and economic production.