International Geographical Union

The International Geographical Union (IGU; Union géographique internationale, UGI) is an international geographical society. The first International Geographical Congress was held in Antwerp in 1871. Subsequent meetings led to the establishment of the permanent organization in 1922 in Brussels, Belgium.

The International Geographical Union adheres to the International Science Council (ISC), which it recognizes as the coordinating body for the international organisations of science.

Objectives
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.

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

Presidents

 * 2021–present 🇿🇦 Michael Meadows
 * 2016–21 🇯🇵 Yukio Himiyama
 * 2012–16 🇷🇺 Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kolosov
 * 2008–12 🇺🇸 Ronald Francis Abler
 * 2006–07 🇲🇽 José Palacio-Prieto (acting)
 * 2004–06 🇮🇹 Adalberto Vallega (died in office)
 * 2000–04 🇮🇪 Anne Buttimer
 * 1996–2000 🇨🇭 Bruno Messerli
 * 1992–96 Herman Th. Verstappen
 * 1988–92 🇺🇸 Roland J. Fuchs
 * 1984–88 🇦🇺 Peter Scott
 * 1980–84 🇳🇬 Akin L. Mabogunje
 * 1976–80 🇬🇧 Michael J. Wise
 * 1972–76 🇫🇷 Jean Dresch
 * 1968–72 Stanisław Leszczycki
 * 1964–68 🇮🇳 Shiba P. Chatterjee
 * 1960–64 Carl Troll
 * 1956–60 🇸🇪 Hans Wilhelmsson Ahlmann
 * 1952–56 🇬🇧 L. Dudley Stamp
 * 1949–52 🇺🇸 George B. Cressey
 * 1938–49 Emmanuel de Martonne
 * 1934–38 🇬🇧 Sir Charles Close
 * 1931–34 🇺🇸 Isaiah Bowman
 * 1928–31 General Robert Bourgeois
 * 1924–28 🇮🇹 General Nicola Vacchelli
 * 1922–24 Prince Roland Bonaparte

Secretaries-General and Treasurers

 * 2021–present 🇹🇷 Barbaros Gönençgil (acting)
 * 2010–20 🇿🇦 Michael Meadows
 * 2008–10 🇰🇷 Yu Woo-ik
 * 2000–08 🇺🇸 Ronald Francis Abler
 * 1992–2000 🇩🇪 Eckart Ehlers
 * 1984–92 🇨🇦 Leszek A. Kosiński
 * 1976–84 Walther Manshard
 * 1968–76 🇺🇸 Chauncy D. Harris
 * 1956–68 🇨🇭 Hans Boesch
 * 1949–56 🇨🇦 George H. T. Kimble
 * 1940-49 🇧🇪 Marguerite Lefèvre
 * 1938–40 🇧🇪 Paul Michotte
 * 1931–38 Emmanuel de Martonne
 * 1928–31 🇮🇹 Filippo De Filippi
 * 1922–28 🇬🇧 Sir Charles Close

Commissions and Task Forces
The IGU is organized into a number of commissions and task forces that deal with specific topics.

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".

IGU-CGE
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).

It publishes the IRGEE journal and organizes yearly conferences. 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. In the 1992 charter there is also information on geographic questions, key concepts, approaches and the selection of spatial examples.

List of congresses
International Geographical Congresses have been held as follows:

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