Who among the following first used the term Ecumene and Non-ecumene to distinguish between inhabited and uninhabited portions of the Earth's surface?

Correct option is B

The Greeks were the first to use the terms "Ecumene" and "Non-ecumene" to distinguish between the inhabited and uninhabited portions of the Earth's surface. The term "Ecumene" referred to the inhabited part of the Earth, typically the areas known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. "Non-ecumene" was used for regions that were uninhabited or unknown to them, such as the polar regions or remote parts of the Earth. These terms were used to discuss human settlement patterns and geographical understanding in ancient times.

Information Booster:

1. The term "Ecumene" originates from the Greek word "oikoumene," meaning "the inhabited world."
2. The Greeks used "Non-ecumene" to refer to uninhabited or largely unexplored regions.
3. The division between Ecumene and Non-ecumene helped in early geographical thought and in understanding human expansion.
4. These terms were instrumental in ancient Greek and Roman geographical literature, which laid the groundwork for later developments in cartography.
5. Today, the terms have evolved to reflect both human settlement and ecological suitability, but the original Greek usage was foundational.

Additional Knowledge:

• (a) Romans also used similar concepts, but it was the Greeks who first coined and conceptualized the distinction between inhabited and uninhabited areas.
  
• (c) German geographers like Alexander von Humboldt made significant contributions to modern geography, but they did not use the terms Ecumene and Non-ecumene.
• (d) French cartographers, such as Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville, contributed to geographical studies, but the specific terminology for Ecumene and Non-ecumene came from Greek sources.