APHUG 1.2

Types of Regions

• Culture Regions:
  • Have fuzzy borders.
• Political Regions:
  • Boundaries are finite and well-defined.
• Environmental Regions:
  • Boundaries are transitional and measurable.
  • The transition zone between two bioregions is called an ecotone.
• Functional Regions (Nodal Regions):
  • Areas with a central place or node.
  • The node serves as a focus or point of origin for a practical purpose.
  • Market areas are a type of functional region.
  • Outlet malls, often placed far apart, have a larger area of influence with shoppers traveling long distances.
  • An intervening opportunity is an attraction at a shorter distance that takes precedence over a more distant attraction.
• Vernacular Regions:
  • Based on the perception or collective mental map of the region's residents.
  • The overall concept can vary within the region due to personal or group variations.

Location

• Location is considered in both absolute and relative terms.
• Absolute Location:
  • Defines a point or place on the map using coordinates (latitude and longitude).
  • The Prime Meridian is 0 degrees longitude and runs through Great Britain because the British Royal Navy developed the means to accurately calculate longitude at sea.
  • The Equator is 0 degrees latitude.
  • The North and South Poles are 90 degrees latitude.
  • Time zones are divided into 15 degree wide longitudinal zones globally with some exceptions because \frac{360}{24} = 15.
• Relative Location:
  • Refers to the location of a place compared to a known place or geographic feature.
• Site and Situation:
  • Locational concepts that work together.
  • Site refers to the physical characteristics of a place.