Final answer:
A geographer would likely use a political map to study the countries and cities in a location, as these maps show governmental boundaries and major cities, aiding in the understanding of human settlements and geopolitical significance.
Step-by-step explanation:
A geographer would most likely use a political map to study the countries and cities in a location. Political maps are designed specifically to show governmental boundaries of countries, states, and counties, the location of major cities, and they often include significant bodies of water. Unlike physical maps that detail geographical landscapes, or thematic maps that focus on specific themes such as climate or population density, political maps provide a clear representation of human-established divisions and urban areas, which is essential for understanding the geography of human settlements and geopolitical significance.
Maps play a crucial role in the study of world history and understanding geopolitical landscapes. Early maps like the 19th-century reconstruction of Eratosthenes' map of the known world show how geography has been central to civilizations throughout time. However, contemporary geographers rely on up-to-date political maps found in atlases like the Hammond World Atlas and various educational resources to provide accurate information on current geopolitical realities.