Royal Geographical Society

Royal Geographical Society

Main entrance from the Exhibition Road extension, with the original Lowther Lodge to the right
Abbreviation	RGS-IBG
Formation	1830; 194 years ago (1830)
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	1 Kensington Gore, London
Membership	16,500
President	Professor Dame Jane Francis
Director	Joe Smith
Patron	Anne, Princess Royal
Website	www.rgs.org

The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences, the society has 16,000^[1] members, with its work reaching the public through publications, research groups and lectures.

The RGS was founded in 1830 under the name Geographical Society of London as an institution to promote the 'advancement of geographical science'. It later absorbed the older African Association, which had been founded by Sir Joseph Banks in 1788, as well as the Raleigh Club and the Palestine Association. In 1995 it merged with the Institute of British Geographers, a body for academic geographers, to become officially the Royal Geographical Society with IBG.

The society is governed by its council, which is chaired by the society's president, according to a set of statutes and standing orders. The members of council and the president are elected from and by its fellows, who are allowed to use the postnominal title FRGS. As a chartered body, the RGS holds the Register of Chartered Geographers in the public interest, a source of qualified, practising and experienced professional geographers. Fellows may apply for chartership if they fulfil the criteria.