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Cultural region is a term used mainly in the study of geography. Geography (from Greek γεωγραφία - geografia) is the study of the Earth and its lands features inhabitants and phenomena Distinct cultures often do not limit their geographic coverage inside the borders of a nation state, or to smaller subdivisions of a state. For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy To 'map' a culture, we often have to identify an actual 'cultural region', and when we do this we find that it bears little relationship to the legal borders drawn up by custom, treaties, charters or wars.

There are different kinds of cultural regions that can be delineated. A map of culture that maps 'religion & folklore' may have slightly different shape to one which, in the same region, maps 'dress and architecture'.

Contents

Types of Cultural Region

Cultural Region –places and regions provide the essence of geography. A culture region is a geographical unit based on characteristics and functions of culture. Three types of culture regions are recognized by geographers: formal, functional, and vernacular.

Formal Culture Region- an area inhabited by people who have one or more cultural traits in common, such as language, religion or system of livelihood. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos It is an area that is relatively homogeneous with regard to one or more cultural traits. The geographer who identifies a formal culture region must locate cultural borders. Because cultures overlap and mix, such boundaries are rarely sharp, even if only a single cultural trait is mapped. For this reason, we find cultural border zones rather than lines. These zones broaden with each additional cultural trait that is considered, because no two traits have the same spatial distribution. As a result, instead of having clear borders, formal culture regions reveal a center or core where the defining traits are all present. Away from the central core, the characteristics weaken and disappear. Thus, many formal culture regions display a core-periphery pattern.

Functional Culture Regions- the hallmark of a formal culture region is cultural homogeneity. It is abstract rather than concrete. By contrast, a functional culture region need not be culturally homogeneous; instead, it is an area that has been organized to function politically, socially, or economically as one unit. A city, an independent state, a precinct, a church diocese or parish, a trade area or a farm. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Functional culture regions have nodes, or central points where the functions are coordinated and directed. Ex: city halls, national capitals, precinct voting places, parish churches, factories, and banks. In this sense, functional regions also possess a core-periphery configuration, in common with formal culture regions. Many functional regions have clearly defined borders that include all land under the jurisdiction of a particular urban government; clearly delineated on a regional map by a line distinguishing between one jurisdiction and another.

Vernacular Culture Regions- is one that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants, as evidenced by the widespread acceptance and use of a special regional name. Some vernacular regions are based on physical environmental features; others find their basis in economic, political, or historical characteristics. Vernacular regions, like most culture regions, generally lack sharp borders, and the inhabitants of any given area may claim residence in more than one such region. It grows out of people’s sense of belonging and identification with a particular region. Ex: one popular region in the US “Dixie”. They often lack the organization necessary for functional regions, although they may be centered around a single urban node, and they frequently do not display the cultural homogeneity that characterizes formal regions.

Cultural regions of the world

the regions of the world

Cultural "spheres"

Cultural "worlds"

IGOs with cultural bonds

See also:

French America (Amérique française is the French-speaking community of peoples and Diaspora, notably those tracing back origins to New France Slavic Europe is a region of Europe where Slavic people live This area corresponds more or less to East-Central, Eastern Europe and Southeastern Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term The word Anglosphere describes a concept of a group of Anglophone ( English -speaking nations which share historical political and cultural characteristics rooted Indosphere is a subgrouping of Tibeto-Burman languages as defined by linguist James Matisoff, which includes languages that are typologically and morphologically Sinosphere, also known as Chinese world, Chinese cultural sphere or Chinese-character cultural sphere ( a term coined by linguist James Matisoff For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various Cultures social structures and philosophical systems of " the East " The concept of the Malay World is based on the idea of a Malay race, and refers to a cultural and linguistic sphere of influence covering the archipelago of modern-day The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings International Organization is a peer-reviewed Academic journal that covers the entire field of International affairs. The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language The Community of Portuguese Language Countries ( Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, pron. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in La Francophonie is an international organisation of French-speaking countries and governments and in French, the community of French-speaking peoples The Latin Union is an International organization of nations that use a Romance language. In Politics, regionalism is a Political ideology that focuses on the interests of a particular Region or group of regions whether traditional or formal Bioregionalism is a term used to describe a political cultural and environmental system based on naturally-defined areas called bioregions or Ecoregions Bioregions are defined Spirit of place refers to the unique distinctive and cherished aspects of a place often those celebrated by artists and writers but also those cherished in Folk tales, Cultural Landscapes have been defined by the World Heritage Committee as distinct geographical areas or properties uniquely " Deep map refers to an emerging practical method of intensive Topographical exploration popularised by author William Least Heat-Moon with his book PrairyErth ' Cultural tourism' (or culture tourism) is the subset of Tourism concerned with a country or region's Culture, especially its Arts.
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