Defining Spaces: Understanding regions and boundaries Delaware Recommended Curriculum Regional Planning Course Adapted by Maggie Legates, DGA from a presentation by P.W. Rees, UD Department of Geography

A region is a basic building block for geography Just as a cell is to biology a concept – a mental construct.

Why do people use regions? What uses can you think of?

Outline of topics Defining regions Types of regions Defining boundaries Why are regions useful and important? How do planners use regional analysis

To define (or establish) a region Identify places with one or more similar characteristics Circumscribe (draw a line around) the area of the earth’s surface occupied by those places!

And you have made a region! an area of the earth’s surface that contains within it places with one or more similar characteristics AND is separate from other areas that contain places with different characteristics

Easy to do! Not so easy!

How is a region different from a place? Place has to do with the qualities or attributes of a location Region has to do with the area occupied

Some examples of regional maps What characteristics is each classification system based on? What kinds of data were used to generate this regionalization system?

Types of regions Formal: defining characteristic is uniform across the entire area of the region (Often the data is reported for the whole jurisdiction, so we can’t know the exact distribution)

Types of regions Formal: defining characteristic is uniform across the entire area of the region Functional (based on usage or function)

With functional regions- the defining characteristic is strongest in the center (“core”) and declines in intensity towards the edges (“periphery”) Some examples:

The core might not be at the center!

Other functional regions: Marketing regions Service areas for businesses Metro areas Sports teams fan base

Types of regions Formal: defining characteristic is uniform across the entire area of the region Functional: defining characteristic is strongest in the center (“core”) and declines in intensity towards the edges (“periphery”) Perceptual – based on personal beliefs – subjective rather than objective

Defining boundaries A region cannot exist until its boundaries are defined. Formal regions usually have definitive boundary lines. (What are the advantages and disadvantages of knowing where the line is?)

Do mountain peaks make good border markers? How about rivers? Lines of latitude have pros and cons too!

Over the years, the Rio Grande has changed frequently. Does this make a good international border?

This map of Africa shows two types of boundaries: The red lines show tribal boundaries as they existed before European colonization. The black boundaries are modern national boundaries. What can be the result of many cultural groups within a country?

Defining boundaries A region cannot exist until its boundaries are defined Formal regions usually have definitive boundary lines. Functional regions often have boundary zones Core, Domain, Sphere

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Defining boundaries Some methods of defining boundaries Identifying the core: orthogonal medians Identifying the periphery: Theissen polygons

Identifying the core: Finding orthogonal medians Use this method when data is represented in dots. Draw a line across the space at a place where half of the dots are above and half are below the line. Then draw a second line from top to bottom at a place where half of the dots are to the right and and half are left of the line. The core of this region is at the intersection of the lines. The boundary can be established as a line around the outside.

Would this be a good way to pick a site for a new national capital?

Thiessen polygons- splitting the difference This method is used when locations or data are represented by dots or points. On the dot map, mark a halfway point between each dot and those surrounding it. Then connect the dots! The resulting “regions” look strange, but they mark off the area that should be most convenient for travel to each center. This method does NOT take into account road systems, barriers, or personal preferences.

Do large Thiessen areas guarantee a good fan base?

On this map, the Thiessen lines are drawn halfway between hospitals . The green circles symbolize populations using the hospitals. Which Delaware hospital serves the least people?

Planners must be aware of requirements and boundaries of many types of regions. Consider this map of the public health district of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois!

Over lapping regional jurisdictions: City boundaries Township boundaries Fire protection districts Sanitary districts Mass transit districts School districts Grade school attendance areas

Regional analysis Used in business, government, and non-profit sectors

Regional analysis Determining service areas Making comparisons Identifying departures from the norm Predicting trends Planning for the future

Regional analysis Determining service areas Making comparisons Departures from the norm Anticipating change Promoting equity; exposing inequality