Typology of Regions – Geography – UGC NET – Detailed Notes

Introduction

• In geography, regions are the areas that are broadly divided by its physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity an d the environment (environmental geography).
• Geographic regions and sub-regions are mostly described by their imprecisely defined, and sometimes transitory boundaries, except in hu man geography, where jurisdiction areas such as national borders are defined in law.
• ‘Regions’ or ‘Landschaft’ is similar concept which was came in existence in Mid 19th centaury from “German School”.
• At first geographers where trying to classify world into natural region by the homogeneity and uniformity between physical attributes of the area or space.
• In 20th century regions were classified into different categories ( differ ent functional regions or planning regions) with the help of different st atistical methods showing functional hogeninity in multiple attributes.
• At present, the Region and regionalisation get wide spectrum through the planning process in any country or a state or small unit of a natural, functional or vernacular region of the word; to achieve the go al of sustainable development.

Definitions

Some important definition given by geographers are below:

1. The Region is an area of the earth Surface. ~ Taylor
2. A region is an unit area of the earth surface differentiated by its specific characteristics. ~ F. J. Monkhouse
3. The Region is a geographic Area or areas which given civilisation, standard of a people seems to require for the fulfillment of the aspiration through material resource. ~ C Aronovic
4. Any Surface over the earth surface where physical conditions are homogenous is region. ~ Woolfgang & Joerg
5. Regions are genuine entities, each of Which express both natural and cultural differentiation from its neighbours. ~ G. T. Ranner
6. “ A region is a complex of land, water, air, plant, animal and man, regarded under their spatial relationship as together constituting a definite portion of the earth surface.” ~ A .J. Herbertson
7. “A region is a domain where many dissimilar things are artificially brought together have subsequently adopted themselves to a common existence.” ~ Vidal-de-La-Blache
8. “A region is an area of specific location which in some way very distinctive from other areas and which extends as far as the distinction extends.” ~Richard Hartshorne
9. “ A region is an area within which the combination of environment and demographic factors have erected a homogeneity of economic and social structure.” ~ T.T. Woofer 
10. “An area throughout which a particular set of physical type of economic life.” ~ R.E.Dicknision
11. Region is an are delineated on the basis of homogeneity of land –character and occupance. ~ R.S. Platt
12. “Region is an ecological aggregation of persons and economic framework and cultural order. It is at once a faithful expression of the distribution of population, resource, occupation and the inter-related cultural unity. ~ R.K. Mukherjee