As a geographer, one of the most important elements of geography that you will use is called "places and regions." What does it mean to study this element of geography? Explain your answer in at least two sentences.

Places are locations on Earth with distinct characteristics - both human and physical - that give them meaning and distinguish them from other locations. Places are created on a variety of scales, from local to global, and often influence how people identify themselves. A person may introduce themselves as an Austinite, a Texan, an American, and/or an Asian American. Physical characteristics of place include landforms and climate while cultural characteristics include language, economic systems, and population.

Regions are areas defined by unifying physical and/or human characteristics. A region is a space that shares one or more qualities or characteristics. A region is a basic unit of study in geography. There are three types of regions:

- Formal, defined by related, measurable characteristics such as climate, vegetation, or religion (ex. North America, Sahara desert)

- Functional, organized around a central place and its connections (ex. Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Alamo Area Council of Governments, Texas Education Agency Education Service Center regions)

- Perceptual, defined by people's perceptions or attitudes (ex. the baseball map above)