Tribute to geographer Fany Davidovich
October 13, 2025 11h30 AM | Last Updated: October 14, 2025 03h17 PM
The IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) pays tribute to geographer Fany Rachel Davidovich, who passed away last Saturday (11), at the age of 103.
Born on October 9, 1922, in Rio de Janeiro, and graduated in 1942 with degrees in Geography and History from the National School of Philosophy of the University of Brazil, Fany was a pioneer in the research and study of the Brazilian geography.
She first joined the IBGE in 1941, remaining there until 1942. She returned in 1960. She participated in the development of the regional geographic thought, working to define and delimit homogeneous and polarized spaces. She dedicated herself to the study of Industrial Geography, a recurring theme in her research, which includes, among other studies, Urban Geography. She developed the study "Types and Brazilian Cities," presented at the International Congress in London, as well as innovative work on urban clusters and the scale of urbanization.
She was a researcher at the Institute of Urban and Regional Planning and Research at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and developed important studies on Brazilian urban geography of immense value to regional planning. Urban issues and planning occupied a central place in her numerous works, many published in the Brazilian Journal of Geography, published by the IBGE between 1960 and 1990.
IBGE President Marcio Pochmann stated that "geographer Fany leaves an extremely positive legacy. A true example to be followed of technical and scientific commitment to geography which over time has proven fundamental, as we can see in her trajectory and institutional commitment."
She taught at several academic institutions in Brazil, where she contributed to the training of new generations of geographers.
Even after her retirement in 1992, she remained active, participating in government programs, conferences, and university partnerships, maintaining her commitment to knowledge production and to the development of geography in Brazil.
Throughout her career, she maintained an interdisciplinary approach, integrating geography with other fields of knowledge to propose innovative solutions to environmental and urban problems.
Fany Davidovich's career exemplifies her dedication and passion for geography, and her legacy will continue to influence generations of geographers and scholars in Brazil and around the world.
Please, click here to watch the IBGE Memory video about Fany Davidovich and Pedro Geiger, who, together for over 30 years at the Institute, produced groundbreaking studies that helped interpret Brazil's urban development.
If the video does not open directly, copy and paste the address: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=THfqYYGuaSk in your browser.
Sources: Memória IBGE e Conselho Regional de Engenharia e Agronomia do Rio de Janeiro
