Topic #2-Regions and how they define the world

The picture represents the harvested acres of corn for grain in 2002. Corn for grain is the only common characteristic of the depicted region. This is what defines it as a formal region, an area inhabited by people who have one or more traits in common. The region where corn is used for grain is largely concentrated in the northern part of the Midwest. The states mainly include Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. It is interesting that the entire Midwest and Texas are heavily agricultural regions, yet only a few select states are involved in the production of corn for grain. The number in the bottom right hand corner shows the total acres of land in the United States used in the production of corn for grain total 68,230,523.

The McDonald's industry stretches from the east coast to west coast and from north to south in the United States. The map indicates that the McDonald's restaurant is highly concentrated on the east coast and slowly disperses as you move west. I find it intriguing that McDonald's does not appear very much in Nebraska, as compared to surrounding states. A functional region is an area that functions as a unit. The McDonald's industry functions as one unit and is considered a functional region.

The Midwest is a vernacular region. The region is not technically defined, but is perceived to exist by those that inhabit it. I found it interesting that when I searched for a map of the Midwest, several maps included different states in the region. There was not a clear cut region defined by the 'Midwest'. I had to look up on an official site what is commonly accepted as the Midwest. The map on the bottom is the correct states included in the Midwest, except for Ohio. Yet, the map on top groups North and South Dakota with the Midwestern Region. This is a great example of a vernacular region because it is not well defined by strict borders. The borders depend on who is perceiving the region and how they perceive it.