Texas Geography Final Exam (Part 5)

What is a “perceptual region” and how does a geographer create a map of perceptions?

Regions that are perceived by ordinary people, Terry Jordan’s geography survey was conducted to find specific vernacular.

What are some of the new types of regions that may come about in Texas?

Interconnected economic “megaregions” and specialized industrial hubs. Key developments would be the filling in of the Urban/Texas Triangle.

How are these new organizational schemes formalized/promoted in media?

The Councils of Governments stand out in this regard because they actively promote economic investment and tourism activities, with promotional names and contestable borders.

What are tourist regions? How many are there?

1. Big Bend Country

2. Panhandle

3. Hill Country

4. South TX Plains

5. Prairie and Lakes

6. Piney Woods

7. Gulf Coast

What are the major regions and how do they differ between popular and scholarly?

1. Central

2. South

3. East

4. North

5. West

6. Panhandle

7. Gulf Coast

8. Borderland

9. German Hill Country

10. Metropolitan

They differ by diffusion (Meinig) and differentiation (Jordan).

How did historical use of Central Texas and compass terms evolve?

In 1860, “Central Texas” referred to a coastal region centered around Galveston–Houston, but by 1960 it had shifted inland toward the state’s geographic center as Texas became more regionally differentiated. This change reflects broader development patterns, including the emergence of new regions like West Texas and the Gulf Coast as settlement and industry expanded.