Historical regions (orhistorical areas) are geographicalregions which, at some point in history, had acultural,ethnic,linguistic orpolitical basis, regardless of latter-day borders.[1] There are some historical regions that can be considered as "active", for example:Moravia, which is held by theCzech Republic, is both a recognized part of the country as well as a historical region. They are used as delimitations for studying and analysing social development ofperiod-specific cultures without any reference to contemporary political, economic or social organisations.
The fundamental principle underlying this view is that older political and mental structures exist which exercise greater influence on the spatial-social identity of individuals than is understood by the contemporary world, bound to and often blinded by its own worldview - e.g. the focus on the nation-state.[2]
Definitions of regions vary,[3] and regions can includemacroregions such asEurope, territories of traditionalsovereign states or smallermicroregional areas. Geographic proximity is generally the required precondition for the emergence of aregional identity.[3] In Europe, regional identities are often derived from theMigration Period but for the contemporary era are also often related to theterritorial transformations that followed World War I and thosethat followed the Cold War.[4]
Some regions are entirely invented, such as theMiddle East, which was popularised in 1902 by amilitary strategist,Alfred Thayer Mahan, to refer to the area of thePersian Gulf.[5]
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