Geografski inštitut je leta 1946 ustanovila Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti in ga leta 1976 poimenovala po največjem slovenskem geografu, akademiku Antonu Meliku (1890–1966). Od leta 1981 je sestavni del Znanstvenoraziskovalnega centra Slovenske akademije znanosti in umetnosti (ZRC SAZU). Zdaj je s 33 raziskovalci največja slovenska geografska ustanova. Izdaja šest periodičnih znanstvenih publikacij: revijo Acta geographica Slovenica in pet knjižnih zbirk. Njegovi raziskovalci se ukvarjajo predvsem s temeljnimi in z uporabnimi geografskimi raziskavami Slovenije in njenih pokrajin. Pripravljajo temeljne geografske knjige o Sloveniji, sodelujejo pri številnih domačih in mednarodnih projektih, organizirajo znanstvena srečanja, izmenjujejo znanstvene obiske, izobražujejo mlade raziskovalce, poučujejo na fakultetah.The Geographical Institute was founded in 1946 by the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 1976 it was named after Slovenia’s greatest geographer, academy member Anton Melik (1890–1966). Since 1981, the Institute has been one of the members of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU). With 33 researchers the Institute is now the largest Slovenian geographical institution. The institute issues six scientific periodical publications: the Acta geographica Slovenica journal and five book series. The Institute researchers are engaged in basic and applied geographic research on Slovenia and its landscapes. They prepare basic geographical books on Slovenia, participate in numerous national and international projects, organize scientific conferences, participate in professional exchanges, train junior researchers, and teach at universities.