WHY ARE REGIONS WHY ARE REGIONS SO HARD TO DEFINE?SO HARD TO DEFINE?

Let’s do a couple of activitiesLet’s do a couple of activities

► In one color draw a line around what In one color draw a line around what you think is, “THE SOUTH”you think is, “THE SOUTH”

► In another color draw a line around, In another color draw a line around, “THE MIDWEST”“THE MIDWEST”

► In yet another color, draw a line In yet another color, draw a line around, “THE NORTHEAST”around, “THE NORTHEAST”

►What about “THE SOUTHWEST”What about “THE SOUTHWEST”

First, Regions are aboutFirst, Regions are about

SCALESCALE

Global ScaleGlobal Scalehttp://www.funpartystores.com/images/wbd_world-map.jpghttp://www.funpartystores.com/images/wbd_world-map.jpg

National ScaleNational Scalehttp://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/images/map_us.gifhttp://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/images/map_us.gif

State and County ScaleState and County Scale

Wards, Precincts, Census TractsWards, Precincts, Census Tracts

What is a Region?What is a Region?

A region is an area with A region is an area with one or more traits, one or more traits,

characteristics, features characteristics, features that are common and that are common and make it different from make it different from

surrounding areas.surrounding areas.

What regional maps are What regional maps are these?these?

The College Board® by The College Board® by RegionRegion

http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_images/about/association/cbregion.gifhttp://www.collegeboard.com/prod_images/about/association/cbregion.gif

The Southeastern The Southeastern ConferenceConference

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sec3.gifhttp://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sec3.gif

What about population and What about population and area?area?

The WAC membersThe WAC membershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Athletic_Conferencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Athletic_Conference

The “Fed” has regionsThe “Fed” has regionshttp://midnight.hushedcasket.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/federal_reserve_districts_map.pnghttp://midnight.hushedcasket.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/federal_reserve_districts_map.png

Another regionAnother regionhttp://orgs.unt.edu/geography/Images/swaag.logohttp://orgs.unt.edu/geography/Images/swaag.logo

Transition Zones in RegionsTransition Zones in Regions► The boundaries are not The boundaries are not

in stone – change in stone – change happens along the wayhappens along the way

► Is Arkansas “southern” Is Arkansas “southern” or not? How Southern or not? How Southern are we?are we?

► Compare the breakfast Compare the breakfast menu in Ft. Smith with menu in Ft. Smith with MemphisMemphis

► What about iced tea?What about iced tea?► What about other What about other

places and iced tea places and iced tea (Boston, South (Boston, South Carolina, others)Carolina, others)

► What about lacrosse?What about lacrosse?

Regions are defined by Regions are defined by their physical and human their physical and human

characteristicscharacteristics

There are 3 There are 3 types of types of regionsregions

FORMAL REGIONFORMAL REGIONhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.htmlhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.html

► Also known as a Also known as a uniform uniform regionregion► It is characterized by a It is characterized by a commoncommon human property, such as human property, such as

the presence of people who the presence of people who share a particular share a particular language, language, religion, nationality, political identity or culture, or by a religion, nationality, political identity or culture, or by a common physical property, such as the presence of a common physical property, such as the presence of a particular type of climate, landform, or vegetation. particular type of climate, landform, or vegetation.

► Political entities such as counties, states, countries, and Political entities such as counties, states, countries, and provinces are formal regions because they are defined by provinces are formal regions because they are defined by a a common political identitycommon political identity. .

► Other formal regions include Other formal regions include climate regions climate regions (e.g., (e.g., Mediterranean)Mediterranean)

► Landform regions (e.g., Piedmont region of Pennsylvania)Landform regions (e.g., Piedmont region of Pennsylvania)► Economic regions (e.g., wheat belt of Kansas)Economic regions (e.g., wheat belt of Kansas)► Formal regions can be Formal regions can be defined by measures defined by measures of of

population, per capita income, ethnic background, crop population, per capita income, ethnic background, crop production, population density and distribution, or production, population density and distribution, or industrial production, or by mapping physical industrial production, or by mapping physical characteristics such as temperature, rainfall, growing characteristics such as temperature, rainfall, growing season season

Germany is formal regionGermany is formal regionhttp://harryallen.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/germany_map.jpghttp://harryallen.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/germany_map.jpg

Corn Production Corn Production (and Ethanol Plants)(and Ethanol Plants)http://www.dailyyonder.com/files/imagecache/story_default/imagefield/cornp-production-and-ethano.jpghttp://www.dailyyonder.com/files/imagecache/story_default/imagefield/cornp-production-and-ethano.jpg

Piedmont Region of Piedmont Region of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Map_of_PA_Highlands.gifhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Map_of_PA_Highlands.gif

FUNCTIONAL REGIONSFUNCTIONAL REGIONShttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.htmlhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.html

► Organized around a Organized around a nodenode or or focal point focal point with the with the surrounding areas surrounding areas linkedlinked to that node to that node by by transportation systemstransportation systems, , communication systemscommunication systems, or , or other other economic associationeconomic association involving such activities involving such activities as manufacturing and retail trading. as manufacturing and retail trading.

► A typical functional region is a metropolitan area A typical functional region is a metropolitan area (MA) as defined by the Bureau of Census. For (MA) as defined by the Bureau of Census. For example, the New York MSA is a functional region example, the New York MSA is a functional region that covers parts of several states. It is that covers parts of several states. It is linkedlinked by by commuting patterns, trade flows, television and commuting patterns, trade flows, television and radio broadcasts, newspapers, travel for recreation radio broadcasts, newspapers, travel for recreation and entertainment. and entertainment.

► Other functional regions include Other functional regions include shopping regions shopping regions centeredcentered on malls or supermarkets, area served by on malls or supermarkets, area served by branch banks, and ports and their branch banks, and ports and their hinterlandshinterlands. .

A less formal look at functional A less formal look at functional regionsregions

►Defined by a Defined by a setset of of activitiesactivities, , connectionsconnections or or interactionsinteractions

►For example: For example: ►Newspaper circulation areaNewspaper circulation area►Commuter traffic patternsCommuter traffic patterns►Subway systems in NYC, Boston, Subway systems in NYC, Boston,

etc. etc. ►Highway systemsHighway systems

NYC Subway – a functional NYC Subway – a functional regionregion

http://www.johnsonbanks.co.uk/up_images/228_MTA_current_400.jpghttp://www.johnsonbanks.co.uk/up_images/228_MTA_current_400.jpg

Functional RegionFunctional Region

Perceptual RegionPerceptual Regionhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.htmlhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/05/index.html

► Construct that reflects human Construct that reflects human feelings feelings andand attitudes attitudes about areas and is therefore defined by about areas and is therefore defined by people’s shared subjective imagespeople’s shared subjective images of those areas of those areas

► Tends to reflect the element of people’s Tends to reflect the element of people’s mental mental mapsmaps, and, although it may help to , and, although it may help to impose a impose a personal sense of order and structurepersonal sense of order and structure on the world, on the world, it often does so on the basis of it often does so on the basis of stereotypes that stereotypes that may be inappropriate or incorrectmay be inappropriate or incorrect. .

► Examples such as: Examples such as: Southern California, Dixie, and Southern California, Dixie, and the upper Midwest are perceptual regions that are the upper Midwest are perceptual regions that are thought of as being spatial unitsthought of as being spatial units, although they , although they do do not have precise borders not have precise borders or or even commonly even commonly accepted regional characteristics and namesaccepted regional characteristics and names. .

Let’s look at our own Let’s look at our own perceptions, stereotypes and perceptions, stereotypes and

attitudesattitudes►What’s the first thing that comes to What’s the first thing that comes to

your mind…….your mind…….►Southern CaliforniaSouthern California►The South or DixieThe South or Dixie► IraqIraq►New York CityNew York City►UtahUtah►DetroitDetroit

Just where is Dixie?Just where is Dixie?http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/US_map-The_South_Modern_.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/US_map-The_South_Modern_.png

What about Pearcy’s What about Pearcy’s Proposed Regions?Proposed Regions?

Examples of Perceptual Examples of Perceptual Regions based on politicsRegions based on politics

????????

Not exactly perceptual – but Not exactly perceptual – but does have those does have those characteristicscharacteristics

Not Really Regions – What does your Not Really Regions – What does your state do well (in a negative way)? state do well (in a negative way)?

Opportunities for thinking and researchOpportunities for thinking and researchfrom bigthink.comfrom bigthink.com

Perceptual, maybe – but how Perceptual, maybe – but how could this region be formalized?could this region be formalized?

http://cartophilia.com/blog/uploaded_images/nikeucob-713437.jpghttp://cartophilia.com/blog/uploaded_images/nikeucob-713437.jpg