UN geoscheme

The definition of continental regions and sub-regions in use by the United Nations for statistical purposes.

The United Nations geoscheme, created by the United Nations Statistics Division, divides the world into 'macro-geographical regions' (continents)^[1] and sub-regions.

The scheme was devised for statistical purposes and is used for carrying out statistical analysis. The macro-geographical regions are arranged to the extent possible according to continents. Within these groupings, smaller, geographical sub-regions and selected economic and other groupings allow for detailed analysis.

According to the UN, these geographical divisions do not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliations of countries or territories by the UN.

List of regions and sub-regions

• Region: Africa
  • Subregions: (see UN geoscheme for Africa)
    • Eastern Africa
    • Middle Africa
    • Northern Africa
    • Southern Africa
    • Western Africa

• Region: the Americas
  • Subregions: (see UN geoscheme for the Americas)
    • Northern America *
    • Latin America and the Caribbean
      • Caribbean *
      • Central America *
      • South America

* These three subregions together form the continent of North America.^[1]

• Region: Asia
  • Subregions: (see UN geoscheme for Asia)
    • Central Asia
    • Eastern Asia
    • Southern Asia
    • South-Eastern Asia
    • Western Asia

• Region: Europe
  • Subregions: (see UN geoscheme for Europe)
    • Eastern Europe
    • Northern Europe
    • Southern Europe
    • Western Europe

• Region: Oceania
  • Subregions: (see UN geoscheme for Oceania)
    • Australia and New Zealand
    • Melanesia
    • Micronesia
    • Polynesia

See also

• Western European and Others Group
• UN M.49
• Geopolitical divisions of Europe

References