Regions & Regional Analysis (College Board AP® Human Geography): Study Guide

Definition of regions

• Regions are defined based on one or more distinctive characteristics or patterns of activity

  • Regions have boundaries and common characteristics and are distinct from the area bordering or surrounding them

  • When you change the scale, regions may change or become splintered

  • Regions can exist at every scale of analysis

  • Examples of unifying characteristics include:

    • a shared language, such as French-speaking Quebec in Canada

    • a similar type of farming, such as the Corn Belt of the US Midwest

    • a shared climate and vegetation, such as the tropical rainforest of the Amazon Basin

  • Examples of regions based on patterns of activity include:

    • the area around a city from which people commute into it for work

    • the area served by a single newspaper or TV station

Types of regions

• Geographers classify regions into three types: formal, functional, and perceptual regions

Formal regions

• Formal regions are characterized by unifying physical or human characteristics, such as language, religion, political boundaries, climate, or land use patterns

  • Formal regions are also known as uniform or homogeneous regions

  • Individual countries, ecological zones, and language regions are examples of formal regions

Functional regions

• Defined by an activity that takes place across the region, functional regions are organized around a node or center point

  • The activities usually focus on networks of communication, economic activity, or transportation 

  • Functional regions center on a focal point, known as a node. Functional regions are, therefore, also known as nodal regions

  • School zones, bus system maps, and the Eurozone are examples of functional regions

Perceptual regions

• Perceptual regions are defined by:

  • informal and subjective criteria, unlike formal and functional regions

  • the sense of place people feel about a location

• Perceptual regions are also known as vernacular regions

• The Middle East and the American South are the most common examples of perceptual regions 

Regions

• Geographers divide the world into multiple regions

• Large world regions commonly used in geography include:

  • North America

  • South America

  • Central America

  • Europe

  • Asia

  • Africa

  • Sub-Saharan Africa

  • Oceania

  • Antarctica

  • The Russian Federation

• Geographers further divide regions into subregions

  • Subregions share common characteristics with the larger region but are unique in other ways

• The map below shows common world regions and subregions.

Regional boundaries

• Regions are often contested and overlapping

  • Different data applies to different scales of analysis within a region

    • South America is generally a Spanish-speaking region

    • The majority language of Brazil is Portuguese

    • Many people in Sao Paulo may speak English, while rural Brazilians do not

    • Maps of Brazil at different scales would produce different data regarding languages spoken

• Regional boundaries are usually transitional rather than sharp lines

  • One region gradually merges into the next, so there is a zone of transition where characteristics of both are found

  • For example, the Sahel is a transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the savanna grasslands to the south

• Regional boundaries are often contested, meaning people disagree about where they lie

  • For example, people disagree about which states belong to the American South or the Midwest

• Regions often overlap, so one place can belong to several regions at the same time

  • For example, Texas is part of the American South, the Southwest, and the Sun Belt

Application of regional analysis

• Regional analysis refers to the study of the physical and human characteristics of a particular area

  • Regional analysis can be done at any scale of analysis

  • Regional analysis can be used by individuals, organizations, and governments to make decisions based on data and patterns

Regional analysis at different scales

• At the local scale, city planners analyze neighborhoods to decide where to build new schools, housing, or public transportation

• At the national scale, governments compare regions within a country to target funding and policies, for example at areas with high unemployment

• At the global scale, organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank group countries into world regions to compare levels of development