1. Regions

2. Regions
Regions are areas of the earth’s surface that share unifying characteristics
Regions can be defined by physical or cultural characteristics
Regional labels may reflect people’s changes in perceptions

3. Physical Regions Sahara Desert Taiga Rain forest Great Plains
Low Countries

4. Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert is the largest dry desert in the world. It is located in North Africa and has an arid climate.

5. Taiga
The taiga is a coniferous forest located in Siberia, Russia.

6. Coniferous forest located in Russia and Canada
Taiga
Coniferous forest located in Russia and Canada

7. Rain Forest
Rain forests are located around the world near the equator in tropical wet climates.

8. Forests composed of broadleaf trees in tropical areas
Rain Forest
Forests composed of broadleaf trees in tropical areas

9. Great Plains
The Great Plains is a region in the central U.S. of flat land.

10. A flat region in the central U.S.
Great Plains
A flat region in the central U.S.

11. Low Countries
The Low Countries are Belgium and the Netherlands. These countries are low in elevation. Polders are areas of reclaimed land from the sea.

12. The Netherlands and Belgium are low in elevation
The Low Countries
The Netherlands and Belgium are low in elevation

13. Cultural Regions Language Economic Latin America Wheat Belts
Francophone World
Ethnic
Chinatowns
Kurdistan
Religion
Islam
Buddhism
Economic
Wheat Belts
European Union
Political
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
African Union

14. Most people in Latin America speak Spanish
Most people in Latin America speak Spanish. People in Brazil speak Portuguese.

15. The Francophone world is a group of countries or areas where people speak French.

16. Chinatowns
Chinatowns are ethnic neighborhoods, or areas where people of the same ethnicity live. Other examples of ethnic neighborhoods are:
Little Saigon in Los Angeles
Little Havana in Miami

17. Kurdistan
Kurdistan is an area in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey where Kurdish people live. Kurdish people do not have their own country. An ethnic group without a country is called a stateless nation.

18. Religions
Islam is a major religion in North Africa and the Middle East
Buddhism is a major religion in Southeast Asia
Hinduism is a major religion in India
Most people in Latin America are Roman Catholic

20. The Wheat Belt is a region in the U.S. where grain is grown.

21. Wheat Belt

22. The European Union is an economic union in Europe
The European Union is an economic union in Europe. Most countries in Europe are members of the EU.

23. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a group of countries in Europe with the purpose of defending democracy.

24. The African Union is a political union in Africa
The African Union is a political union in Africa. Morocco is the only country in Africa that is not a member.

25. Middle East
The Middle East is also called Southwest Asia

26. Sun Belt
The Sun Belt is a region located in the southern United States
The population in this region has grown since the invention of the air conditioner

27. Rust Belt The Rust Belt is a region in the northeastern United States
Heavy industry such as steel and automobile manufacturing was located in this region

28. Regions of the World (How they are linked or divided)

29. Essential Understanding
Cultural differences can link or divide regions.

30. Language
Arab world - The Arab world is a cultural region that is unified by the Arabic language. This region is found in North Africa and the Middle East.

31. The Arab World

32. Language
Hispanic America is a region that is unified by language. The major language in this region is Spanish.

33. Hispanic America

34. Language
Brazil - The major language in Brazil is Portuguese because Brazil was colonized by Portugal.

35. Language
Canada is a good example of a country that is divided by language. In the province of Quebec, Canada there are many people who speak French. The rest of the people in Canada speak English.

36. Language
Switzerland is a good example of a country that has multiple languages but the country is still unified. Some of the languages spoken in Switzerland are: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, and Italian (official) 6.5%.

37. Language
English as a world language - English is a language that has become an international language of business and finance.

38. Ethnic Heritage
Examples of countries or regions that have experienced ethnic conflict:
The Balkans (Former Yugoslavia)
Rwanda
Cyprus

39. Balkan Peninsula
The Balkan Peninsula has many different ethnic groups such as; Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and Albanians. The most recent conflict lasted from , when Serbia invaded Bosnia. Thousands of Bosniaks were killed by Serbian and Croatian forces.

40. Balkan Peninsula

41. Rwanda
Rwanda is a small country in East Africa with two major ethnic groups, the Hutu and the Tutsi. In 1994, the Hutu controlled military and militia groups began killing Tutsis. Over a period of three months at least 800,000 Tutsis were murdered.

42. Cyprus
Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean. The country is divided into two countries based on ethnicity. One country is primarily Turkish and the other country is primarily Greek.

43. Cyprus

44. Ethnic Heritage
Examples of countries or regions that have many ethnic groups but are unified:
The United States
Switzerland

45. Switzerland
Switzerland has remained unified despite having several ethnic groups. The ethnic groups in Switzerland are as follows: 65% German, 18% French, 10% Italian.

46. Ethnic Heritage Examples of countries that have a single ethnic group:
Korea
Japan

47. Religion (Divisive Force)
There are religious conflicts in the following areas:
Kashmir (conflict between Hindus and Muslims.
Northern Ireland (conflict between Protestants and Catholics)
Jerusalem (Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim it as a holy city)

48. Kashmir
India and Pakistan both claim a region called the Kashmir. Part of the problem is based on religion. Pakistan is a Muslim country and India is Hindu.

49. Kashmir

50. Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. The country is about evenly divided between Protestants and Catholics. The Protestants want to remain part of the U.K. and the Catholics want to be part of Ireland.

51. The Peace Wall

52. Murals in Belfast

53. Murals in Belfast

54. Jerusalem
Christians consider Jerusalem to be holy because Jesus was crucified there.
Jews consider Jerusalem to be holy because there temple was located there.
Muslims consider Jerusalem to be holy because Muhammed ascended to heaven there and received the word of Allah.

55. Dome of the Rock

56. Western Wall