The Human Terrain System (HTS) is a United States Army, military intelligence support program employing personnel from the social science disciplines – such as anthropology, sociology, political science, regional studies and linguistics – to provide military commanders and staff with an understanding of the local population (i.e. the "human terrain") in the regions in which they are deployed. The public debate surrounding HTS has received widespread coverage in the media, and has been the topic of numerous articles in academic journals.