12 World Regions

1. 12 World Regions And Review

2. We divide our world into 12 regions • 7) Southwest Asia • 8) East Asia • 9) Southeast Asia • 10) South Asia • 11) Central Asia • 12) Oceania • 1) North America • 2) Latin America • 3)Western Europe • 4) Eastern Europe • 5) North Africa • 6) Sub-Saharan Africa

3. World Regions

4. Region1: North America

5. Region 1: North America • North America: includes the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada Economic: • Believe in free enterprise, laissez-faire, have a “mixed economy” Social: • Protestant Religion is prévalent Political: • Features democratic forms of Government eNvironmental: • Region features several mountain ranges including the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. America is also home to the “great plains”

6. Region 1: Economic • Canada and the United States have significant and multifaceted economic systems. • “The United States has the largest economy in North America, and in the world.[47] In 2011, the US has an estimated per capita gross domestic product (PPP) of $47,200, and is the most technologically developed economy in North America.” • [47] The United States' services sector comprises 76.7% of the country's GDP (estimated in 2010), industry comprises 22.2% and agriculture comprises 1.2%.[47] • Canada's economic trends are similar to that of the United States, with significant growth in the sectors of services, mining and manufacturing

7. Region 2: Latin America

8. Region 2: Latin America • This region includes Mexico, Central America, South America • Economic • Latin America has 2 of the fastest growing economies: Brazil and Mexico • Social • Many share a common Spanish Heritage • Political • Many countries have a democratic form of government (ex, Brazil and Mexico) • wave of left-wing politicians who also often declare themselves socialists, Latin Americanists, or anti-imperialists (often implying opposition to US policies towards the region). There are also some leaders who, although aren't exactly leftist, are closer to the centre-left in the political spectrum • eNvironmental • Home to several mountain ranges—including which range in Peru? • Languages of Latin America • Green: Spanish • Yellow: Portuguese • Blue: French • Gray: English

9. Region 3: Western Europe

10. Region 3: Western Europe • Region 3 includes: All European countries until Poland Economic • In Western Europe the counties all have fully developed economies—A developed economy is when the country has a set up government and has a good way to deal with money. Social • They will probably have a good school system, paved roads, clean cities, social security, and a strong government. Political • Countries described as Western European are invariably high-income developed countries, characterized by democratic political systems, mixed economies combining the free market with aspects of the welfare state, and most are members of NATO and the EU. eNvironmental • The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. The western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean; Iceland, though on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and nearer to Greenland (North America) than mainland Europe, is generally included in Europe for cultural reasons. There is ongoing debate on where the geographical center of Europe is.

11. Region 4: Eastern Europe

12. Region 4: Eastern Europe • Region 4 includes: all countries in Europe after Germany and Italy (to right of Germany and Italy) until the Ukraine and Belarus Economic • Mixed economies that are considered weak by today’s standards Social • Many share a common heritage/ancestry back to the byzantine empire and ottoman empire= mixed heritages of Orthodox Religions, Muslim Heritage, and Jewish descent Political • These states are former Soviet states from the days of the Soviet Union—ex communist entities, now=weak governments eNvironmental • The Ural Mountains are the geographical border on the eastern edge of Europe

13. Region 5: North Africa

14. Region 5: North Africa • Region 5 Includes: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia Economic • Mixed levels of economic development Social • Huge influence of Islam found in North Africa Political • Mixed level of Political Development—Egypt claims democratic development (??but the man was considered by many to be a dictator) eNviromental • North Africa is separated from the rest of Africa by the Sahara Dessert

15. Region 6: Sub-Saharan Africa

16. Region 6: Sub-Saharan Africa • This region includes all African countries south of the Sahara Dessert • Economics • Africa is the world's poorest inhabited continent, as measured by GDP per capita. However, parts of the continent have made significant gains over the last few years. In recent years, African countries consist of the fastest growing economies in the world • Fifty percent of Africa is rural with no access to electricity. Africa generates 47 GW of electricity, less than 0.6% of global market share. Many countries are besieged by power shortages. • Social • It contrasts with North Africa, which is considered a part of the Arab world. Somalia, Djibouti, Comoros and Mauritania are geographically part of Sub-Saharan Africa, but also part of the Arab world • Political • Includes several types of government including traditional/tribal and monarchy • eNvironmental • The Sahel is the transitional zone between the Sahara and the tropical savanna (the Sudan region) and forest-savanna mosaic to the south.

17. Region 7:South-West Asia

18. Region 7: Southwest Asia • This region includes the areas typically considered the middle east • Economics • The economy of Western Asia is diverse and the region experiences high economic growth. Turkey has the largest economy in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran. Petroleum is the major industry in the regional economy, as more than half of the world's oil reserves and around 40 percent of the world's natural gas reserves are located in the region. • Social • Southwestern Asia is the birthplace of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and other monotheistic religions.

19. Political • When the U.S declared its “War on Terror” the areas of Afghanistan and Iraq became involved • The Saudi Arabian Government is a monarchy that frequently is an ally of the U.S • eNvironmental • Western Asia is located directly south of Eastern Europe. The region is surrounded by seven major seas; the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. • To the north, the region is separated from Europe by the Caucasus Mountains, to the southwest, it is separated from Africa by the Isthmus of Suez, while to the east, the region adjoins Central Asia and South Asia. The Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut deserts in eastern Iran somewhat naturally separate the region from Asia itself.

20. Region 8: East Asia

21. Region 8: East Asia • This region includes: China, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Japan Economic • The economy of East Asia is one of the most successful regional economies of the world.[1] It is home of some of the world's largest and most prosperous economies : China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. • Major positive factors have ranged from favorable political-legal environments for industry and commerce, through abundant natural resources of various kinds, to plentiful supplies of relatively low-cost, skilled and adaptable labor. Social • The region is one of the world's most populated places, with a population density of 133/km2, being about three times the world average of 45 /km2—although Mongolia has the lowest population density of a sovereign state. Using the UN sub region definitions, it ranks second in population only to South Asia.

22. Political • Most of East Asia embraces some form of democracy—usually the version that includes a prime minister rather than a president—however it still includes the three branches of government (legislative, judicial, and executive) • China officially calls itself the “People’s Republic of China” and is governed under a single party system under the communist party (aka it’s a communist dictatorship) • eNvironmental • Environmentally East Asia consists of Islands and areas of mainland Asia. Both areas are near the Pacific Ring of Fire which explains the recent occurrence of earthquakes and a tsunami in Japan.

23. Region 9: Southeast Asia

24. Region9: Southeast Asia Southeast Asia consists of two geographic regions: Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as Indochina, comprises Cambodia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia, and Maritime Southeast Asia, comprises Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Christmas Island, and Singapore. Economic • Indonesia is the largest economy in this region. • Newly industrialized countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, while Singapore and Brunei are affluent developed economies. • The rest of Southeast Asia is still heavily dependent on agriculture, but Vietnam is notably making steady progress in developing its industrial sectors. • The region notably manufactures textiles, electronic high-tech goods such as microprocessors and heavy industrial products such as automobiles. Reserves of oil are also present in the region.

25. Region10: Southeast Asia Social • The culture in Southeast Asia is very diverse, on mainland Southeast Asia, the culture is a real mix of Indian and Chinese, in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, the culture is a mix of Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Indian and the indigenous Malay culture. Also Brunei shows a strong influence from Arabia. Political • All of the countries excluding East Timor are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The area, together with part of South Asia, was widely known as the East Indies or simply the Indies until the 20th century. eNvironmental • The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity

26. Region 10: South Asia

27. Region 10: South Asia • This region includes: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, The Maldives, and Sri Lanka Economics • South Asia has formed the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation which is an economic cooperation organization in the region. South Asia is the poorest region on the earth after Sub-Saharan Africa. • Three South Asian nations — Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal — are characterized as least developed country. Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of World Bank, more than 40% of the population in the region lived on less than the International Poverty Line of $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa Social • According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asia's poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood.[105] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world Political • India is the largest democracy in the world; the other nations are at various forms of self rule eNviromental • South Asia is home to well over one fifth of the world's population, making it both the most populous and most densely populated geographical region in the world.

28. Region 11: Central Asia

29. Region 11: Central Asia • This area consists of the “stans” excluding Pakistan and Afghanistan which are part of Southwest Asia Economics • Traditionally the economies of this region have depended on the sale of oil Social • For one, Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the Silk Road.[4] As a result, it has acted as a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe, West Asia, South Asia, and East Asia—The majority of people still earn a living by herding Political • This region once belonged to both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union eNviromental • This is the landlocked region of Asia

30. Region 12: Oceania

31. Region 12: Oceania • This region includes: Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zeeland, and other Pacific Islands not claimed within the Southeast Asia Region • Economic • This region has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial market of Australia to the much less developed economies that belong to many of its island neighbors. New Zealand is the only other 1st world nation in the region, although the economy of Australia is by far the largest and most dominant economy in the region and one of the largest in the world. • Social • This region consists of many countries with European ancestry and of native ancestry (aborigines in Australia) • Political • The Pacific Union is a proposed development of the Pacific Islands Forum, suggested in 2003 by a committee of the Australian Senate, into a political and economic intergovernmental community. The union, if formed, will have a common charter, institutions and currency

32. Region12: Oceania • eNviromental • This region consists of 3 types of islands • 1) islands found on the collision boundaries between the Earth's crustal plates: These are found specifically in the South Pacific. For example at the collision boundary between the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates are places like New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. • 2) Volcanic islands: These islands typically rise from the seafloor through hotspots in the Pacific Ocean basin. Most of these areas consist of very small islands with high mountain ranges. • 3) Coral reef islands and atolls: such as Tuvalu are the last type of landscape found in Oceania. Atolls specifically are responsible for the formation of low-lying land regions, some with enclosed lagoons.