Subregion

The definition of continental subregions in use by the United Nations.

A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger region or continent and is usually based on location. Cardinal directions, such as south or southern, are commonly used to define a subregion.

Subregions by continent

Here are a few examples of subregions sorted alphabetically by UN continent designations:

Africa

by UN subregion:
** Northern Africa
** Western Africa
** Middle Africa
** Eastern Africa
** Southern Africa
by geography:
** North Africa
*** Maghreb
** Sub-Saharan Africa
*** West Africa
*** East Africa (Horn of Africa)
*** Central Africa
*** Southern Africa
by geology:
*** Kaapvaal craton
*** Zimbabwe craton

Americas

* see also: Americas (terminology)

North America

by UN subregion:
** Northern America - chiefly Canada, USA, Greenland
** Central America - including Mexico
** Caribbean
by geography:
** Canadian Arctic
** Great Basin
** Great Plains
** Great Lakes
** The Greater Antilles
** The Lesser Antilles
by geology:
** Canadian Shield
** North American craton
** Slave craton
** Superior craton
** Wyoming craton

South America

by geography:
** Altiplano
** Amazon Basin
** Andes
** Caribbean South America
** Gran Chaco
** Guianas
** Pampa
** Pantanal
** Patagonia
by economics (South American Community of Nations):
** Andean Community
** Mercosur

Eurasia

Asia

* by UN subregion:
** Western Asia
** Central Asia
** Southern Asia
** Eastern Asia
** Southeastern Asia
* by geography:
** Central Asia
** West Asia (or Middle East)
*** Gulf States
*** Near East
*** Anatolia
*** Caucasus
*** Arabian Peninsula
*** Levant
*** Kurdistan
** North Asia (see Siberia)
** East Asia
** South Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent
*** Bengal
*** Himalayan states
*** Punjab region
** Southeast Asia
*** Maritime
*** Mainland
*** Indochina

Europe

* by UN subregion:
** Western Europe
** Northern Europe
** Southern Europe
** Eastern Europe
* by peninsula:
** Balkan Peninsula
** Iberian Peninsula
** Italian Peninsula
** Scandinavian Peninsula
* by other groupings:
** Baltic States
** Benelux or the Low Countries
** British Isles
** Central Europe
** Nordic States
** Visegrad Group
* by geology
** Baltic shield
** Ukranian shields
** East European craton

Oceania

* Australasia or Australia
* by geography
** Australian Capital Territory
** New South Wales
** Northern Territory
** Queensland
** South Australia
** Tasmania
** Victoria
** Western Australia
** Jervis Bay Territory
* by geology
** Yilgarn craton
** Pilbara craton
* Melanesia
* Micronesia
* Polynesia

See also

* continent for definitions of large land masses such as Africa-Eurasia.
* subcontinent
* supercontinent

External links

*UN's grouping into continents and subregions
*UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names
*UN subregions as used by GeoHive

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