Final answer:
The term geographers use to describe the immediate physical setting of a place is 'physical landscape.' This encompasses the natural terrain of a location and includes geological and environmental features as studied in physical geography.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that geographers use to refer to the immediate physical setting of a place is physical landscape. The physical landscape encompasses the natural terrain and physical features of a given location, shaped by geological processes like erosion, tectonic plate action, and by forces such as weather and water. This term is an essential aspect of physical geography, which is the branch of geography that studies the natural phenomena and physical characteristics of the Earth's surface, including its lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
In a narrative context, setting includes not only the geographical backdrop but also the temporal dimensions in which the story unfolds. However, when discussing setting within geography specifically, it refers to the physical environment where the geographical and natural elements create a place's character. Understanding this helps to grasp the importance of geography in storytelling and in our understanding of the world.