ABSTRACT
Although facts in abundance are available concerning different individual geographical societies, little has been done to correlate these facts, and no studies of any consequence have been made of such institutions as viewed collectively or comparatively. Hence this paper is no more than a brief introduction to an almost wholly virgin field. After an outline of the development of geographical societies in modern times and an attempt to classify them, attention is directed to the nine leading geographical societies of the English-speaking world. The principal activities in which these nine engage and the broader educational and research functions which they perform are summarized, and their work as a whole is contrasted with comparable work done in the government, in the universities, and in business. The societies are shown to have especially valuable intangible assets, in that their motives are disinterested and they are free to shape their own policies.
