A "region" generally means a large area or part of a surface, space, or body that is distinct from other areas. It can refer to:
- A particular area or part of the world, often a division within a country or a geographic zone with specific physical or cultural characteristics. For example, a mountain region or the Nordic region
- An administrative division within a country, such as regions in Italy, France, or Chile, which are official territorial units
- A part of the body, like the abdominal or pelvic region
- More broadly, a region can be any space or area distinguished by certain features, whether natural, cultural, or functional
In social sciences, a region is a cohesive area defined by homogeneous criteria that distinguish it from neighboring areas, such as climate, culture, economy, or administrative boundaries. Regions can be nodal (organized around a central place) or uniform (defined by consistent characteristics throughout)
. The term comes from Latin regio , meaning "direction" or "boundary," reflecting the idea of an area with definable limits or identity
. In summary, a region is a distinct area or division of land, space, or body part, often characterized by shared features or administrative purposes.
