Ritter, Karl (1779-1859), a German geographer, did much to make geography a scientific study. He wrote Earth Science in Relation to Nature and to the History of Man (1817-1818). Its 19 volumes describe the surface and resources of Asia and Africa and show how they influenced the progress of races and nations. Ritter never visited Africa or Asia, but he was able to develop his ideas by reading a wide variety of sources. He also wrote Europe, a Geographical, Historical, and Statistical View (1804-1807), developing similar ideas for Europe. Ritter is considered, along with the German scientist Baron von Humboldt, to be among the founders of modern geography.
Ritter was born in Quedlinburg, Germany, on Aug. 7, 1779, and studied in Halle. He served as a tutor in Frankfurt, lived in Gottingen and Berlin, and traveled throughout Europe. In 1820, he became the first professor of geography at the University of Berlin. He remained with the university until his death on Sept. 28, 1859.
