ABSTRACT
Terrestrial life depends on a surface mantle of rock and soil not more than a few metres deep and the associated plant cover. The character and behaviour of this mantle under the influence of climate determine its suitability for all types of land use. Terrain represents one of the triad of factors of production: land, labour, and capital. It differs from the others in being relatively fixed in location and extent and in being more amenable to geographical forms of analysis. Accelerating population growth and earth-transforming technologies are changing the environment at an unprecedented rate, often for the worse. At the same time, modem methods of data processing make it possible to gather and manage information much more efficiently and rapidly than hitherto. There is an urgent need to harness this capability in order to improve land use and management.
