Functional region

Region is a geographical term used in different senses in different branches of geography. It is created to better understand or know our world. There are three main types of regions. These are the formal region, functional region, and perceptual/ vernacular region. Among these three regions, the functional region is discussed below.

A region refers to a large area divided by natural, anthropogenic features, and human-environment interactions. It is a large and undefined part of the Earth’s surface. In human geography, regions and subregions are described about ethnographic knowledge of mankind.

A functional region is a sub-region of a geographical region. In other words, it is an area that is homogeneous in natural and cultural aspects, such as the tropics, polar regions, etc. Here, two areas can be identified separately based on climate criteria. It is a very important part of an area. This region is discussed in detail below (1).

Definition and Characteristics of Functional Regions

Definition

The functional region is not homogeneous. Functional regions are geographical areas that are interrelated.

According to B. J. Berry, “the regions on the earth that are connected based on some function are called functional regions”.

Characteristics

1. Areas adjacent to functional regions may have a diversity of natural environments.
2. If one part of this region is excluded, the other does not exist.
3. The different parts of this region work together and are somewhat interdependent.
4. A functional region is sometimes called a nodal region or polarized region.
5. This region consists of generally heterogeneous parts such as cities, villages, mountain sediments, and plains.
6. Demarcation of the region depends on the economic activity.
7. Here we see the overlap of one region with another region.
8. This region has no specific space (1) & (3).

Functional Region vs. Formal Region: Understanding the Difference

Some differences are observed between functional regions and formal regions. Before discussing these differences, let’s look at what a formal region is.

Formal region

A formal region refers to a spatial unit with one or more homogeneous properties. It is customary or based on economic factors such as per capita income level, consumption pattern, unemployment status, etc.

Difference between functional region and formal region

Similarities

Functional regions and formal regions are not the same. A similarity can be observed between these two regions. These are both functional and formal regions that have a social, political, and cultural system along with their living population (3).

Examples of Functional Regions

Metropolitan areas, megaregions, school districts, and the range of broadcasting technology.

Components and Connectivity in Functional Regions

A functional region is an area that has three components. These are a node, focal point, or central hub. A node of a functional region characterizes surrounding areas with common social, political, or economic objectives related to trade, communication, or transportation. The functional region develops around a center or a focal point. Surrounding areas depend on the focal point’s political, social, and economic ties, such as trade routes, ratio, television networks, internet connectivity, and the development of transport systems (1).

Economic Functions of Functional Regions

• Functional regions provide a place for the development of various industries, including manufacturing, services, and information technology.
• These regions combine various resources, such as skilled labor, capital, technology, etc. They are all essential for industrial growth in the functional region.
• Functional regions facilitate trade by providing some marketing places.
• These regions serve as production and service centers.
• Functional region facilitates trade and accelerates economic growth (1) & (2).

Transportation and Communication Networks in Functional Regions

Transportation

A functional region is a place with a facelifted integrated transport system. Transport systems in functional regions describe an innovative solution for organizing urban and regional transportation systems. They are the integration of individual transport systems such as bus, rail, and urban transport into one interconnected and coordinated system.

Communication network

Communication networks in functional regions are sources of transferring information from one person to another. The main sources of communication in the functional region are telephone, telegraph, mobile, computer, TV cable, etc. The sources of this system can be divided into electric and non-electric. They are the sources of an input or message signal (1).

Social and Cultural Dynamics within Functional Regions

Social development in a functional region is the capacity of individuals and communities to take upon themselves the direction of their development. It can refer to the behavior of groups that results from the interactions of individual group members.

Cultural systems of functional regions are the process of enabling cultural activities, including the arts, towards the realization of a desired future, particularly of a culturally rich community. In functional regions, it can affect how humans build language, cultural effects, belief systems, and an understanding of themselves as individuals and as members of society (1).

Administrative and Governance Systems in Functional Regions

An administrative system is a department formed for the administration of a region. There are some responsibilities of administrative and governance systems in functional regions. Administrative systems in functional regions are administered through their local governments. The government of the functional region divides these departments into smaller units to facilitate the task of serving their localities and their people (2).

Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Functional Regions

Some technical problems may be encountered in isolated parts of the functional area. Very small administrative units that are highly fragmented may raise the question of how to integrate and cluster them. This issue can be particularly a big challenge in the functional region. Overcrowding and pressure on resources are also big problems in functional regions. Population density at the central node of a functional region can lead to overcrowding, environmental degradation, and pressure on resources such as water, energy, and housing (2).

Case Studies: Examining Successful Functional Regions

A functional region is a region where the aggregate supply and demand for various social and economic goods are fulfilled. These regions are also characterized by a high frequency of inter-regional economic interaction, such as intra-regional trade of goods and services, labor mobility, and a field of activities, which facilitates significant mobility of goods, people, and information.

However, the gradual increase in population and the number of new growing nearby cities and towns surrounding the metropolis or any functional area exchange their services in an interconnected network frame (1).

Future Trends and Implications for Functional Regions.

The functional region is closely linked to selectivity in human interactions, and the ratio of within-region interactions is often cited as a possible basis for delimiting functional regions.

These regions develop healthcare ecosystems that focus not only on diagnosing and treating illness but also on supporting wellness through early intervention and prevention while leveraging digital technologies. Inclusive services have evolved across functional regions (1).

Q&A

1. What is an example of a functional region?

Metropolitan areas, megaregions, school districts, and the range of broadcasting technology.

2. What are the types of functional regions?

There are three types of functional regions. These are the city region, industrial region, and administrative region.

3. What is the difference between a functional region and a perceptual region?

 4. What is a functional region in China?

Yangtze River is a functional region in China. It is a political boundary arranged around a focal point. So it is called the functional region in China.

Closing summary

• A functional region is a geographical area whose parts are functionally equivalent and interdependent.
• Although these regions are different, their function is the same.
• There is no way to generalize this region. Its main feature is heterogeneity.
• Functional regions may or may not be contiguous.
• They can also overlap with each other.
• Functional regions are mainly urban, towns, and villages. The interrelationships between these regions are reflected in people, goods, and services.
• These regions continue to expand.
• The demarcation of this region poses several problems
• These zones are demarcated depending on the economic activity.
• It is a metropolitan area consisting of a large city and a number of smaller towns or cities around it.
• This region is bound to a central point by transport or communication systems, or by economic or functional associations.
• This region is an area that surrounds some sort of focal point.
• The purpose of a functional region is to study the structure and function of communities within a place.
• These regions are more economically developed.
• Some examples of functional regions include newspaper circulation areas, passenger traffic patterns, subway systems in NYC, Boston, etc. Los Angeles metropolitan area, etc. (1) & (3).

References

1. https://is.muni.cz/do/econ/soubory/katedry/kres/4884317/41725568/12_2013.pdf
2. https://www.young-adulllt.eu/glossary/listview.php?we_objectID=196
3. https://www.narajolerajcollege.ac.in/document/sub_page/20200422_201429.pdf

Written By: Manisha Bharati