World Geography Chapter 9 - Cultural Regions

Cultural Geography Concepts

• Cultural Region: An area with shared culture and language among a group of people.
• Functional Region: Defined by a central point and characterized by diminishing importance as distance increases; connected by transport, communication, or economic ties.
• Perceptual Region: Conceptual areas that exist in perceptions rather than physical boundaries, such as "the South" in the U.S.

Significant Regions

• Middle East: A geo-political area from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the western Indian subcontinent, including Israel, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Region south of the Sahara Desert with rich mineral deposits but substantial undeveloped natural resources.
• Oceania: A collection of islands in the South Pacific, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
• Latin America: Parts of the Americas influenced by Spanish, French, or Portuguese cultures.

Notable Canals

• Suez Canal: Located in northeastern Egypt, linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
• Panama Canal: Connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, built by the U.S. from 1904 to 1914.

Political and Economic Entities

• European Union (EU): An organization of European countries aimed at reducing trade barriers and enhancing cooperation post-World War II.
• Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Formed after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, created for collaboration among former Soviet republics.
• USSR: United Soviet Socialist Republics, established post-World War I, centered on communist ideology.

Geographical Regions

• North Africa: Comprises seven countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco.
• East Asia: Includes China, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea.
• South Asia: Encompasses India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
• Southeast Asia: Known for Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
• North America: Encompasses Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Central America.
• Australia: The smallest and driest inhabited continent, with Canberra as the capital.
• New Zealand: Consists of North Island and South Island, located in the South Pacific.
• West Indies: A Caribbean region comprising islands in the Antilles and Lucayan Archipelago.

Social and Economic Systems

• Communism: A social organization theory advocating for communal property ownership, with actual ownership ascribed to the community or state.