中国历史地理学是从传统的沿革地理学发展而来的。本世纪30年代现代科学方法的传入,促使中国学者将传统的沿革地理学向现代科学的历史地理学转变。中国历史地理学真正得到充分的发展是在1949年新中国成立以后的事。
四十年余来,中国历史地理学的进展和成就大体可有下列几个方面:
(1)学科理论的探讨确定历史地理学是现代地理学的一个组成部分,研究对象是历史时期地理环境变化及其规律的学科。其上限应与古地理学衔接,下限与当代地理学挂钩,将整个地理现象变化连贯起来,以便更好地认识和改造现有的环境。
(2)学科基本建设《中国历史地图集》和《中国历史大辞典历史地理分册》是现今研究历史地理各分支最基本的工具。
(3)研究领域的扩大与深入四十余年来,历史自然地理中的气候、水文、植被、灾害、沙漠、海岸各分支都有重要的研究成果出现。近十余年来,人类生存环境变化的研究已成为历史地理学界热门的课题。历史人文地理自80年代以来开始兴旺起来,政区、农业、人口、城市、交通、工矿业、商业以及社会、文化各分支都有明显的进展和成就,估计到下一世纪,历史人文地理学将有更大的发展。
(4)研究方法、手段的革新近三十年来新技术的运用给历史地理学的发展带来极大的推动力。许多过去无法进行的课题,由于新技术的运用而得到解决。

Chinese Historical Geography originated from traditional Yan Ge biography (Geography of Historical Administration). The 1930s witnessed a shift from Yan Ge Geography to modern Historical Geography with the introduction of modern scientific methodologies. It was only after the establishment of P. R. of China in 1949 that Historical Geography was well developed.
The development and achivements of Chinese Historical Geography for over 40 years can be concluded as follows:
1. The discussion on the theory of this discipline.
Historical Geography is ascertained as a component of Modern Geography with its research objects being the changes of geographical environment and the law for these changes during historic times. The temporal scope of this research should be confined between Palaeogeography and Contemporary geography, in order to link up the changes of the whole geographical phenomena to let man recognize and reform his current environment better.
2. Fundamental construction of this discipline.
The Historical Atlas of China and Historical Geography (included in Dictionary of His tory of China) serve as the most essential references for every branch of Historical Geography at present.
3. The expanding and deepening of the research fields
The study in all fields of Historical Physical Geography such as climate, hydrology, vegetation, hazards, deserts, coastlines has achieved great success in the past 40 years.Since the last decade, the changes of the living environment of man have become a hot topic in the society of Historical Geography. Historical Human Geography has been thriving since the 1980s. There are distinctive development and achivevmehts in the fields of administrative regionalization, agriculture, population, city, transportation, industry and mining industry, commerce, society and culture, etc.
It is predicted that there will be further development in the study of Historical Human geography in the next century.
4. The innovation of Research Methods and Means
The application of new technology in the past 20 years strongly prompts the development of Historical Geography. Many problems which were unable to be dealt with before can be solved with the help of new technology.