Types of Regions

Types of Regions

Theme #3: Regions

How are places similar or different?

• Area of the earth distinguished by a distinctive combination of cultural and physical features

• Types of Regions

  • Formal

  • Functional

  • Perceptual

Formal Region: a specific type of region that is characterized by a very uniform attribute that is found across the entire region.

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Formal Region

​Formal Region

Limited number of regional characteristics

• The attribute could be anything from climate to political as long as the attribute is common and distributed throughout the region

• Examples

  • Climate

  • Religion

  • Government

• Can be determined by the scale at which you view an area (country, state, county, city, etc.)
  

Functional Region: type of region that is defined by a specific social or economical attribute.

Functional Region

​Functional Region

• The attribute is generally positioned in the center of the region and serves as a type of focal point.

• Also be known as Nodal Regions

• Examples

  • Pizza Delivery Radius

  • Radio/News Station Radius

• Functional regions are commonly used in commerce and business. THey help businesses and consumers understand how they can interact with products and service based on location
  

Vernacular Region: a region that is often defined in different ways amongst many different people.

Vernacular Region

Vernacular Region

• Based a lot on a persons sense of place and can mean different things to different people

• Also be known as Perceptual Regions

• Examples

  • The South

  • Braves Country

  • The rough part of town

• Vernacular regions are often based on stereotypes or perceptions. Many cities have localized vernacular regions called Chinatown or Little Italy and those places don't have a specific border
  

Multiple Choice

A state is an example of ________ region

• Functional

• Informal

• Formal

• Vernacular

Multiple Choice

The Metro Atlanta area is an example of _________ region

• Vernacular

• Informal

• Formal

• Functional

Multiple Choice

The "hood" is an example of ________ region

• Informal

• Functional

• Vernacular

• Formal

Multiple Choice

An area that is distinguished from other places by physical and cultural characteristics is called a ________

• Geopolitical Unit

• Political Arena

• Region

• Geography