Royal Geographical Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Geographical Society, founded in London in 1830, began as the Geographical Society of London and later received its royal charter in 1859. Over time it became one of the best-known institutions devoted to geography, supporting research, fieldwork, publications, lectures, and public engagement.

Its history is closely tied to exploration and mapmaking, and it has also built major collections and archives that preserve records of travel, expeditions, and geographical scholarship. In 1995 it merged with the Institute of British Geographers, and today it is commonly known as the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

When this name appears as the author of a book, it usually points to a work issued by the society itself rather than by one individual writer. That often means the book reflects the society’s wider mission: sharing geographical knowledge, documenting exploration, and supporting the study of places, peoples, and environments.