发展地理学（Development geography）是研究人类发展水准和生活品质的地理学。发展虽然可以提高人类的生活品质，但也会导致地区差异等问题。发展地理学研究发展的空间格局，并试图寻找发展与经济、政治和社会等要素的关系。此外，他们也对发达国家和发展中国家进行比较探究。而国家内部的发展差距（如意大利的南北问题）也是研究的对象。可持续发展也属于发展地理学的研究范围之内。

Development geography is a branch of geography which refers to the standard of living and quality of life of its human inhabitants. In this context, development is a process of change that affects people's lives. It may involve an improvement in the quality of life as perceived by the people undergoing change. However, development is not always a positive process. Gunder Frank commented on the global economic forces that lead to the development of underdevelopment. This is covered in his dependency theory.