Subregion
A subregion is a part of 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.
United Nations subregions
The Statistics Division of the United Nations is in charge of the collection, processing, and dissemination of statistical information for the UN. In 1999, it developed a system of macro-geographical regions, subregions, and other selected economic groups to report advances towards achieving numerous millennial development goals worldwide. These statistical divisions were devised for statistical purposes and is used for carrying out statistical analysis. The division's first publication was the book World's Women 2000: Trends and Statistics in 2000.According to the UN, the assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings is for statistical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories.
Subregions by continent
The following is a non-exhaustive list of subregions, arranged alphabetically by region ; in the UN geoscheme, higher-level, macro-geographical regions are arranged to the extent possible according to continents.[Afro-Eurasia]
[Africa]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme :
- * Northern Africa
- * Sub-Saharan Africa
- ** Eastern Africa
- ** Middle Africa
- ** Southern Africa
- ** Western Africa
- by geography:
- * North Africa
- ** Maghreb
- * Sub-Saharan Africa
- ** Central Africa
- ** East Africa
- *** Horn of Africa
- *** Southeast Africa
- ** Southern Africa
- ** West Africa
- by physiography:
- * Congo Basin
- * Guinea
- * Sahara
- * Sahel
- * Sudan
- ** Sudanian Savanna
- *** East Sudanian Savanna
- **** Sudd
- *** West Sudanian Savanna
- by economics:
- * African Monetary Union
- * Arab League
- * Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
- * Common Monetary Area
- * Community of Sahel–Saharan States
- * Council of Arab Economic Unity – including some Western Asian countries
- * Economic Community of Central African States
- * Economic Community of West African States
- * EMEA
- * Southern African Customs Union
- * Southern African Development Community
- * Union for the Mediterranean
- by geology:
- * Kaapvaal Craton
- * Zimbabwe Craton
[Eurasia]
[Asia]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme :
- * Central Asia
- * Eastern Asia
- * Southeastern Asia
- * Southern Asia
- * Western Asia
- by geography:
- * Central Asia
- * East Asia
- ** Greater China
- *** China
- **** Hong Kong
- **** Macau
- **** Mainland China
- ***** North China
- ***** Northeast China – also a part of Northeast Asia
- ***** Southeast China
- ****** East China
- ****** South Central China
- ******* Central China
- ******* South China
- ***** Western China
- ****** Northwest China
- ****** Southwest China
- *** South China Sea Islands
- **** Paracel Islands
- **** Pratas Islands
- **** Spratly Islands
- ***** James Shoal
- ***** Taiping Island
- ***** Zhongzhou Reef
- **** Zhongsha Islands
- ***** Macclesfield Bank
- ****** Walker Shoal
- ***** Scarborough Shoal
- *** Taiwan
- ** Mongolia
- ** Northeast Asia
- *** China
- **** Eastern Inner Mongolia
- **** Northeast China
- *** Japan
- *** Korea
- **** North Korea
- **** South Korea
- *** Russian Far East
- **** Kolyma
- **** Outer Manchuria
- **** Sakhalin
- * North Asia
- ** Russian Far East
- *** Kolyma
- *** Outer Manchuria
- *** Sakhalin
- * South Asia
- ** Eastern South Asia
- ** India
- *** Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- *** Lakshadweep
- *** Mainland India
- **** Central India
- **** East India
- **** Northeast India
- **** North India
- **** South India
- **** Western India
- * Southeast Asia
- ** Mainland Southeast Asia
- *** Malay Peninsula
- **** Peninsular Malaysia
- **** Southern Thailand
- ** Maritime Southeast Asia
- *** Nusantara
- **** Borneo
- ***** Brunei
- ***** East Malaysia
- ****** Labuan
- ****** Sabah
- ****** Sarawak
- ***** Kalimantan
- **** Western New Guinea
- ***** Papua
- ***** West Papua
- * Western Asia
- ** Arabia
- ** Asia Minor
- ** Caucasus
- *** North Caucasus
- *** South Caucasus
- by physiography:
- * Arabian Peninsula
- * Caucasus Mountains
- * Deccan Plateau
- * Eurasian Steppe
- * Fertile Crescent
- ** Mesopotamia
- * Himalayas
- * Indian subcontinent
- * Indochinese Peninsula
- * Indo-Gangetic Plain
- * Indus Valley
- * Iranian Plateau
- * Korean Peninsula
- * Malay Archipelago
- ** Indonesian Archipelago
- *** Maluku Islands
- *** New Guinea
- *** Sunda Islands
- **** Greater Sunda Islands
- ***** Borneo
- ***** Java
- ***** Sulawesi
- ***** Sumatra
- **** Lesser Sunda Islands
- ***** Alor Archipelago
- ***** Bali
- ***** Barat Daya Islands
- ***** Flores
- ***** Komodo
- ***** Lombok
- ***** Sumba
- ***** Sumbawa
- ***** Tanimbar Islands
- ***** Timor
- ** Philippine Archipelago
- *** Luzon
- *** Mindanao
- *** Visayan Islands
- * Mongolian Plateau
- by geopolitics:
- * Asia-Pacific – including Oceania
- ** Far East
- *** Farther India
- *** Greater China
- **** China proper
- **** Manchuria
- **** Tibet
- *** Korea
- *** Russian Far East
- * MENASA
- ** Greater Middle East – including some African countries
- *** Middle East – including Egypt
- **** Arab League – including some African countries
- ***** Mashriq – including Egypt and Sudan
- ****** Arabia
- ****** Levant
- ******* Southern Levant
- *** The 'stans
- ** Indian subcontinent
- by economics:
- * Arab League
- * ASEAN Free Trade Area
- * Asia Cooperation Dialogue – including Russia
- * Asian Clearing Union
- * Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation – including Oceania
- * Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- * Bamboo network
- * Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Initiative
- * Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
- * Council of Arab Economic Unity – including some African countries
- * EMEA
- * Eurasian Customs Union – including Belarus
- * Eurasian Economic Union – including Belarus
- * Greater Mekong Subregion
- * Gulf Cooperation Council
- * South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
- * South Asian Free Trade Area
- * South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation
- * Union for the Mediterranean
- by culture:
- * Eastern world
- ** East Asian cultural sphere
- *** Greater China
- **** China proper
- ***** Northern and southern China
- **** Manchuria
- **** Mongolian Plateau
- **** Tibet
- **** Xinjiang
- ***** Dzungaria
- ***** Tarim Basin
- *** Korea
- *** Nanyang
- ** Greater India
- *** Farther India
- **** Malay world
- ***** Greater Indonesia
- ****** Nusantara
- *** Indian subcontinent
- * Muslim world
- ** Arab world
- *** Mashriq
- by religion:
- * Abrahamic religions
- * Eastern religions
- ** Dharmic religions
- ** Taoic religions
- by biogeography:
- * Malesia
[Europe]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme :
- * Eastern Europe – the UN includes North Asia and part of Central Europe in this subregion
- * Northern Europe – the UN includes the British Isles and the Baltic states in this subregion
- * Southern Europe – the UN includes Slovenia in this subregion
- * Western Europe – the UN includes part of Central Europe in this subregion
- by geography:
- * Central and Eastern Europe
- * Central Europe
- * Eastern Europe
- * Northeastern Europe
- * Northern Europe
- ** Scandinavia
- * Northwestern Europe
- * Southern Europe
- ** Southeastern Europe
- ** Southwestern Europe
- * :de:Westmitteleuropa#Weitere Verwendung des Begriffes|West-Central Europe
- * Western Europe
- by physiography:
- * Balkan Peninsula
- * British Isles
- ** Great Britain
- ** Hebrides
- ** Ireland
- ** Isle of Man
- ** Isle of Wight
- * Caucasus
- ** North Caucasus
- ** South Caucasus
- * Channel Islands
- ** Guernsey
- ** Jersey
- * Eurasian Steppe
- * Fennoscandian Peninsula
- ** Kola Peninsula
- ** Scandinavian Peninsula
- * Great European Plain
- ** East European Plain
- * Iberian Peninsula
- * Italian Peninsula
- * Mediterranean Basin
- by geology:
- * Alpine orogeny
- * East European craton
- ** Baltic Shield
- ** Ukrainian Shield
- by geopolitics:
- * East-Central Europe
- * Post-Soviet states
- ** Baltic states
- ** Commonwealth of Independent States
- *** Union State
- * Western world
- ** European Union
- ** NATO
- ** North Sea Commission
- by economics:
- * Central European Free Trade Agreement
- * Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area – including Armenia and most Central Asian countries
- * Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement – including Canada
- * EMEA
- * Eurasian Customs Union – including Armenia and Kyrgyzstan
- * Eurasian Economic Union – including Armenia and Kyrgyzstan
- * European Economic Area – including Cyprus
- * European Free Trade Association
- * European Single Market
- * European Union Customs Union – including Cyprus and Turkey
- * European Union–Turkey Customs Union
- * Eurozone
- * North Sea Region
- * Union for the Mediterranean – including some Western Asian countries and some African countries
- * Union State
- by culture:
- * Balkans
- ** Eastern Balkans
- ** Western Balkans
- * Baltic states
- * Benelux
- ** Belgium
- ** Netherlands
- ** Luxembourg
- * Mediterranean Region
- * Nordic countries
- * North Sea Region
- * Sápmi, since 1809 divided between Finland and Sweden
- * Scandinavia
- * Visegrád Group
- by language:
- * Germanic-speaking Europe
- ** DACH
- *** Germany
- *** Austria
- *** Switzerland
- * Romance-speaking Europe
- * Slavic-speaking Europe
- by religion:
- * Eastern religions
- ** Indian religions
- *** Buddhism in Europe
- * Western religions
- ** Christianity
- *** Catholic Church
- *** Eastern Orthodox Church
- *** Protestantism
- ** Islam in Europe
- by biogeography:
- * Mediterranean Region
- by historical division:
- * Celtic tribes
- * East–West Schism
- ** Catholic Church
- ** Eastern Orthodox Church
- * Germanic tribes
- * Greco-Roman world
- ** Hellenistic world
- ** Roman Empire
- *** Eastern Roman Empire
- *** Western Roman Empire
- * Iranian tribes
- * Iron Curtain
- ** Eastern Bloc
- ** Western Bloc
- * Reformation
- * Slavic tribes
- * Turkic tribes
[Americas]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme :
- * Latin America and the Caribbean
- ** Caribbean – the UN includes the Lucayan Archipelago in this subregion
- ** Latin America
- *** Central America – the UN includes Clipperton Island and Mexico in this subregion
- *** South America
- * Northern America
- by culture:
- * Anglo-America
- * French America
- * Latin America
- ** Ibero-America
- *** Hispanic America
- **** Mesoamerica
- *** Portuguese America
- by economics:
- * Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
[North America]
- by geography:
- * Middle America
- ** Central America
- ** Clipperton Island
- ** Mexico
- ** West Indies
- *** Caribbean
- **** Antilles
- ***** Greater Antilles
- ****** Hispaniola
- ***** Lesser Antilles
- ****** Leeward Islands
- ******* SSS islands
- ****** Southern Caribbean
- ******* Leeward Antilles
- ******** ABC islands
- ******* Windward Islands
- **** Bajo Nuevo Bank
- **** San Andrés and Providencia
- **** Serranilla Bank
- *** Lucayan Archipelago
- * Northern America
- ** Bermuda
- ** Canada
- *** Eastern Canada
- **** Atlantic Canada
- ***** The Maritimes
- **** Central Canada
- *** Northern Canada
- **** Canadian Arctic Archipelago
- *** Western Canada
- **** Canadian Prairies
- **** West Coast
- ** Greenland
- ** Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- ** United States
- *** Alaska
- *** Contiguous United States
- **** Central United States
- ***** Midwestern United States
- **** Eastern United States
- ***** Northeastern United States
- ***** Southeastern United States
- **** Northern United States
- ***** Great Lakes region
- **** Southern United States
- ***** South Central United States
- **** Western United States
- ***** Northwestern United States
- ***** Southwestern United States
- by physiography:
- * Atlantic coastal plain
- * Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line
- * East Coast of the United States
- * Great Basin
- * Great Basin Desert
- * Great Lakes
- * Great Lakes Basin
- * Great Plains
- * Gulf Coast of the United States
- * Piedmont
- * West Coast of the United States
- by geopolitics:
- * Dutch Caribbean
- ** Caribbean Netherlands
- * Heartland
- * Middle America
- * Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
- * Red states and blue states
- * Virgin Islands
- ** British Virgin Islands
- ** Spanish Virgin Islands
- ** United States Virgin Islands
- * Western Caribbean Zone
- by economics:
- * Caribbean Community
- * Central America Free Trade Agreement
- * Great Lakes Megalopolis
- * Mesoamerican region
- * North American Free Trade Agreement
- * Northeast megalopolis
- * Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
- * Petrocaribe
- by geology:
- * Canadian Shield
- * North American craton
- * Slave craton
- * Superior craton
- * Wyoming craton
[South America]
- by geography:
- * Altiplano
- * Amazon Basin
- * Andean states
- * Andes
- * Brazilian Highlands
- * Caribbean South America
- * Gran Chaco
- * Guianan states
- * Pampa
- * Pantanal
- * Patagonia
- * Southern Cone
- by economics:
- * Andean Community
- * Mercosur
- * Union of South American Nations
- by geology:
- * Guiana Shield
[Antarctica]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme:
- * Antarctica
- by geography:
- * Antarctic and subantarctic islands
- ** Bouvet Island
- ** French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- *** Crozet Islands
- *** Kerguelen Islands
- *** Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands
- ** Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- ** Macquarie Island
- ** New Zealand Subantarctic Islands
- *** Antipodes Islands
- *** Auckland Islands
- *** Bounty Islands
- *** Campbell Islands
- *** Snares Islands
- ** Peter I Island
- ** Prince Edward Islands
- ** South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- ** South Orkney Islands
- ** South Shetland Islands
- * Mainland Antarctica
- ** East Antarctica
- ** Transantarctic Mountains
- ** West Antarctica
- *** Antarctic Peninsula
[Oceania]
- by the United Nations Statistics Division's geoscheme :
- * Australia and New Zealand – the UN includes the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, Lord Howe Island Group and Norfolk Island in this subregion
- * Melanesia – the UN includes New Caledonia and New Guinea in this subregion
- * Micronesia
- * Polynesia – the UN excludes New Zealand from this subregion
- by geography:
- * Australasia
- ** Australia
- *** Australia
- **** Ashmore and Cartier Islands
- **** Coral Sea Islands Territory
- **** Mainland Australia
- ***** Australian Capital Territory
- ***** Jervis Bay Territory
- ***** New South Wales
- ***** Northern Territory
- ***** Queensland
- ***** South Australia
- ***** Victoria
- ***** Western Australia
- **** Tasmania
- *** New Guinea
- **** Papua New Guinea
- **** Western New Guinea
- ***** Papua
- ***** West Papua
- ** Australian Indian Ocean Territories
- *** Christmas Island
- *** Cocos Islands
- ** Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- ** Macquarie Island
- ** Zealandia
- *** Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
- *** Lord Howe Island Group
- *** New Caledonia
- *** New Zealand
- **** New Zealand outlying islands
- ***** Chatham Islands
- ***** New Zealand Subantarctic Islands
- ****** Antipodes Islands
- ****** Auckland Islands
- ****** Bounty Islands
- ****** Campbell Islands
- ****** Snares Islands
- ***** Solander Islands
- ***** Three Kings Islands
- *** Norfolk Island
- * Pacific Islands
- ** Melanesia
- *** Island Melanesia
- **** Solomon Islands
- ***** Bougainville
- ***** Solomon Islands
- ** Micronesia
- ** Polynesia
- by human geography:
- * Near Oceania
- * Remote Oceania
- by biogeography:
- * East Melanesian Islands
- by geology :
- * Archaean
- * Australian Shield
- * Centralian Superbasin
- * Gawler Craton
- * Narryer gneiss
- * Ore genesis
- * Perth Basin
- * Pilbara Craton
- * Western Plateau
- * Yilgarn Craton