A formal region, also known as a uniform region or a homogeneous region, is an area that shares a uniform attribute, such as language, culture, or political organization. These regions are usually well-defined and can be identified through political or scientific means. Some examples of formal regions include cities, towns, states, and countries.
Formal regions are characterized by the following:
- Uniformity: They exhibit a high level of consistency in a certain cultural or physical attribute.
- Agreement: They are distinct and agreed upon by everyone, often through political or scientific means.
- Delineation: They may have clear boundaries, which can be drawn on a map.
Formal regions can exist on local, national, and international scales. For example, a nation-state is a political formal region, while a continent is a scientific formal region. The Arctic Circle is another example of a formal region that is scientifically defined, based on the area in the northern hemisphere where, for at least a day each year, the sun does not set or rise.
