1. Regions = places united by specific characteristics
Formal Regions = a region defined by a common characteristic. Ex. New England, Silicon Valley in California, The Great Plains
Functional Regions = a central point and the surrounding territories linked to it. Ex. City of Houston or Power Companies
Perceptual Regions = a region defined by popular feelings and images rather than by objective data
Ex. The Deep South, the Rust Belt, the Corn Belt, and the Sun Belt
Cultural Regions = a region defined many factors such as government, social groups, economic systems, language, or religion
Ex. The Middle East or Siberia in Russia

2. Map Types Physical – Shows land & water features
Political – Shows political boundaries (man made)
Thematic – Shows anything (weather map, natural resource map, road map, population map)