Regions of the world An overview. What defines a region? –Regions are areas defined by specific factors, like vegetation, river systems, and climate,

Regions of the worldRegions of the world

An overviewAn overview

What defines a region?What defines a region?– Regions are Regions are areas areas

defined by specific defined by specific factors, like factors, like vegetation, river vegetation, river systems, and climate, systems, and climate, which arewhich are physical physical factors.factors.

– Regions may also be Regions may also be defined by language, defined by language, religion, cultural religion, cultural traditions, forms of traditions, forms of government, and trade government, and trade networks , which are networks , which are human factorshuman factors..

Three types of regionsThree types of regions

Formal regions- Functional regions- Perceptual regions-

Formal Regions (Uniform) Def. Def. everyone shares in common 1 or more distinctive everyone shares in common 1 or more distinctive characteristicscharacteristics– Can be Can be identified by both physical and cultural featuresidentified by both physical and cultural features

Examples:Examples:– 90% French speaking region90% French speaking region– Andes Mountain RegionAndes Mountain Region– United StatesUnited States– Wheat BeltWheat Belt

Functional Region (Nodal) Def. Def. area organized area organized

around a node or focal around a node or focal pointpoint– Product of interactions, or Product of interactions, or

movements of various movements of various kindskinds

– Defined as a spatial systemDefined as a spatial system Its boundaries are defined Its boundaries are defined

by the limits of that by the limits of that systemsystem

Example:Example:– San Antonio Metropolitan San Antonio Metropolitan

RegionRegion– WiFi RegionWiFi Region

Perceptual Regions Perceptual Regions (Vernacular)(Vernacular)

Region Region primarily primarily in the minds of in the minds of the peoplethe people– Mental maps used Mental maps used

to create these to create these regionsregions

Internal Internal representation of a representation of a portion of the portion of the EarthEarth

Examples:Examples:– SouthSouth– The NEThe NE– The Middle EastThe Middle East

What are the different What are the different regions around the regions around the globe?globe? USA & Canada Latin America Europe Russia North Africa-Southwest Asia-Central As

ia Africa South of the Sahara South Asia

Regions continuedRegions continued East Asia South East Asia Australia- Oceania- Antarctica

The USA and Canada Cover Cover most of North most of North

AmericaAmerica Have the Have the world world

oldest unarmed oldest unarmed borderborder

Share many Share many landforms and landforms and vegetationvegetation, such as , such as the Great Plains and the Great Plains and the Rocky the Rocky Mountains.Mountains.

Population: over 331 Population: over 331 millionmillion

Major Languages: Major Languages: English, French, and English, French, and Spanish Spanish

Latin AmericaLatin America Is Is Mexico, Central America, South America, Mexico, Central America, South America,

and the Caribbean Islandsand the Caribbean Islands.. Population: 525 million.Population: 525 million. Covers 85 degrees of LatitudeCovers 85 degrees of Latitude A A collision of culturescollision of cultures, mixing Native , mixing Native

American, European, and African traditions to American, European, and African traditions to influence music, art, food, and religion.influence music, art, food, and religion.

Inca, Aztec, and Maya cultures once Inca, Aztec, and Maya cultures once flourished in Latin America.flourished in Latin America.

The The longest river in the Western Hemisphere longest river in the Western Hemisphere is the Amazon Riveris the Amazon River..

Latin AmericaLatin America

EuropEuropee

43 nations43 nations create this region. create this region. Most people live within 300 mile of a major Most people live within 300 mile of a major

body of water. body of water. Population: 583 millionPopulation: 583 million The The explorationexploration of Western European nations of Western European nations

in the late 1400’s in the late 1400’s gave Europe an advantage gave Europe an advantage of colonizing the Western Hemisphereof colonizing the Western Hemisphere. .

EuropeEurope

Today Europe Today Europe

is working on is working on

uniting the many uniting the many

nations into thenations into the

European UnionEuropean Union. .

RussiaRussia

The worlds The worlds largest countrylargest country.. The The Ural Mountains are the natural Ural Mountains are the natural

boundary between Europe and boundary between Europe and RussiaRussia..

Has vast natural resources, such Has vast natural resources, such as oil and natural gas.as oil and natural gas.

Population: 144.4 million Population: 144.4 million

Russia continuedRussia continued

After the After the communist government of communist government of the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, , the Russian people have struggled the Russian people have struggled with gaining economic strength.with gaining economic strength.

Despite these difficulties Russians Despite these difficulties Russians today enjoy many more liberties today enjoy many more liberties than in the past.than in the past.

North Africa, North Africa, Southwest Asia, Southwest Asia, and Central Asiaand Central Asia

Home to the Home to the Nile River—the longest river Nile River—the longest river in the world.in the world.

Also has the Also has the largest desert in the World largest desert in the World the Saharathe Sahara. Which has the highest Temp. . Which has the highest Temp. ever recorded in the world—136 degrees ever recorded in the world—136 degrees F.F.

Region has seen the Region has seen the rise of Great rise of Great civilizations, such as the Egyptians, civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Sumerians, Persians, and Phoenicians.Sumerians, Persians, and Phoenicians.

As well as the As well as the birth of three major birth of three major religions– Christianity, Islam, and Judaismreligions– Christianity, Islam, and Judaism..

North Africa, North Africa, Southwest Asia, Southwest Asia, and Central Asiaand Central Asia

The most important The most important resource in the resource in the area is petroleumarea is petroleum. To better control . To better control oil as an economic advantage, oil as an economic advantage, eight eight countries in this region have formed countries in this region have formed OPEC– Organization for Petroleum OPEC– Organization for Petroleum Exporting CountriesExporting Countries..

Africa South Africa South of the Saharaof the Sahara

Population:673 millionPopulation:673 million Rich in mineral Rich in mineral resources– fossil resources– fossil fuels, ores and gemsfuels, ores and gems.. Fossils found in Eastern Africa point to Fossils found in Eastern Africa point to

this region as the this region as the home of our earliest home of our earliest ancestorsancestors..

Area has an abundance in plant and Area has an abundance in plant and animal life, which have given rise to animal life, which have given rise to poachingpoaching- illegal hunting.- illegal hunting.

Africa South Africa South of the Saharaof the Sahara

Africa has Africa has struggled to struggled to regain economic regain economic stability for stability for African citizensAfrican citizens. .

Many Africans Many Africans struggle for basic struggle for basic healthcare, healthcare, employment, and employment, and educational educational needsneeds..

South AsiaSouth Asia Population: over 1.3 Population: over 1.3

billion people, billion people, one-one-fifth of the worlds fifth of the worlds populationpopulation..

This area has many This area has many different religions– different religions– Hinduism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and SikhismJainism, and Sikhism. .

tea, curries, spices, tea, curries, spices, and the practice of and the practice of yoga have become yoga have become popular around the popular around the world.world.

South AsiaSouth Asia Feeding the Feeding the

enormous enormous population of this population of this area has been met area has been met through through scientific scientific advances of advances of farming and food farming and food production.production.

East AsiaEast Asia Population 1.5 billion people– Population 1.5 billion people– about 25% of world about 25% of world

populationpopulation.. Largest country is China.Largest country is China. Volcanic activity in the Ring of Fire created the islands Volcanic activity in the Ring of Fire created the islands

of Japan and Taiwan.of Japan and Taiwan. Created great civilizationsCreated great civilizations, such as the Shang, Zhou, , such as the Shang, Zhou,

and the Ming Dynasties.and the Ming Dynasties. Great Wall of China was built in 200’s B.CGreat Wall of China was built in 200’s B.C. to keep out . to keep out

foreign invaders.foreign invaders.

East AsiaEast Asia Areas are Areas are suffering suffering

from rapid from rapid population growthpopulation growth, , which lead to air, which lead to air, soil and water soil and water pollution. pollution.

South South East East AsiaAsia

An area full of An area full of peninsulas and archipelagospeninsulas and archipelagos. . MostMost SE Asian islands are SE Asian islands are covered in Rain covered in Rain

forests. forests. This area is also home to the Komodo This area is also home to the Komodo

dragon –the worlds largest lizard.dragon –the worlds largest lizard. About 520 million people live in SE Asia.About 520 million people live in SE Asia.

South East South East AsiaAsia

Rice farmingRice farming is the is the most important most important agricultural activityagricultural activity..

Economic prosperity Economic prosperity of the region has of the region has hurt the hurt the environmentenvironment. In . In Thailand only 25% Thailand only 25% of it’s original of it’s original forests still remain. forests still remain.

Australia, Australia, Oceania, and Oceania, and AntarcticaAntarctica

Australia is the Australia is the smallest continentsmallest continent..

Two of the Two of the Seven Seven Wonders of the WorldWonders of the World—Uluru (Ayers Rock), —Uluru (Ayers Rock), and The Great Barrier and The Great Barrier ReefReef. .

Australia Australia receives less receives less precipitation than any precipitation than any other continentother continent excluding Antarctica. excluding Antarctica.

Antarctica has the Antarctica has the highest elevationhighest elevation, of , of any continent helping any continent helping to make it the coldest.to make it the coldest.

Australia, Australia, Oceania, Oceania, and and AntarcticaAntarctica

During World War II During World War II western nations western nations tested nuclear tested nuclear weapons on islands weapons on islands in Oceaniain Oceania..