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[edit]

The UN geoscheme, created by the UN Statistics Division. For statistical consistency and for convenience, each country or area is shown in one region only: e.g., Russia (Eastern Europe), which is in Europe and Asia.

The Statistics Division of the United Nations (UN) is in charge of the collection, processing, and dissemination of statistical information for the UN.^[1] In 1999, it developed a system of macro-geographical (continental) regions, subregions, and other selected economic groups to report advances towards achieving numerous millennial development goals worldwide. This geoscheme was devised for statistical purposes and is used for carrying out statistical analysis.^[2] 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.^[3]

Subregions by continent[edit]

The following is a non-exhaustive list of subregions, arranged alphabetically by region (i.e., by continent); in the UN geoscheme, higher-level, macro-geographical regions are arranged to the extent possible according to continents.

Afro-Eurasia[edit]

Africa[edit]

by the United Nations Statistics Division's subregions (see also: UN geoscheme for Africa):

by geography:
- North Africa
  - Sahara
    - Maghreb
  - Sahel
- Central Africa
  - Congo Basin
- East Africa (aka Horn of Africa)
- Southern Africa
- West Africa
  - Sudan (region)

by geopolitics:
- The Greater Middle East (including the Middle East and the 'stans)
  - Saharan Africa
  - The Middle East (aka the Near East, also part of Asia)
    - The Arabian Peninsula (aka Arabia)
  - The 'stans (also part of Asia)
- Sub-Saharan Africa

by geology:
- Kaapvaal craton
- Zimbabwe craton

Eurasia[edit]

Asia[edit]

by the United Nations Statistics Division's subregions (see also: UN geoscheme for Asia):

by geography:
- Central Asia
  - Indus Valley
- East Asia
  - Greater China
    - China
      - Hong Kong (some geographers consider it as part of Northeast Asia)
      - Macau (some geographers consider it as part of Northeast Asia)
      - Mainland China
        
        East China (some geographers include the Taiwan Island, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu Islands and Senkaku Islands in this subregion)
        
        North China (Eastern Inner Mongolia is also part of Northeast Asia)
        
        Northeast China (also part of Northeast Asia)
        
        South Central China (including the Hainan Island, Paracel Islands, Pratas Islands, and Macclesfield Bank, some geographers also include Hong Kong and Macau in this subregion)
        
        Western China
        
        Northwest China (some geographers consider Xinjiang and Qinghai as part of Central Asia)
        
        Southwest China (some geographers consider Tibet as part of Central Asia)
    - Taiwan (some geographers consider it as part of Northeast Asia)
    - The Spratly Islands
      - James Shoal
  - Mongolia (some geographers consider it as part of Northeast Asia or Central Asia)
  - Northeast Asia
    - Japan
    - Manchuria
      - Eastern Inner Mongolia
      - Northeast China
      - Outer Manchuria (also part of North Asia)
      - Sakhalin (also part of North Asia)
    - The Korean Peninsula (aka Korea)
      - North Korea
      - South Korea
- North Asia (aka Siberia)
  - Russian Far East
    - Outer Manchuria (also part of Northeast Asia)
    - Sakhalin (also part of Northeast Asia)
- South Asia (mainly the Indian subcontinent)
- Southeast Asia
  - Mainland/Indochina and Malay Peninsula
  - Maritime/Malay Archipelago or Malesia
- Western Asia (aka Southwest Asia)
  - Asia Minor
  - Kurdistan
  - Levant
  - Mesopotamia
  - The Arabian Peninsula (aka Arabia)
  - The Caucasus
    - The North Caucasus
    - The South Caucasus

by geopolitics:
- Eastern world
  - The Far East
    - ASEAN
    - China proper
    - The Russian Far East
  - The Greater Middle East (including Saharan Africa)
    - Saharan Africa (also part of Africa)
    - The Middle East (aka the Near East)
      - The Arabian Peninsula (aka Arabia)
    - The 'stans
  - The Indian subcontinent

by economics:
- Eurasian Economic Community
- Greater Mekong Subregion

by religions:
- Abrahamic religions (aka Western Asian religions or Western religion)
- Eastern religions
  - Dharmic religions (aka Indian religions)
  - Taoic religions (aka East Asian religions or Far Eastern religions)

Europe[edit]

by the United Nations Statistics Division's subregions (see also: UN geoscheme for Europe):
- Eastern Europe – the UN includes North Asia (aka Siberia) and Central Europe in this subregion
- Northern Europe – the UN includes the British Isles in this subregion
- Southern Europe
- Western Europe – the UN includes Germany and other DACH countries in this subregion