Physiographic region

Physiographic regions are a means of defining Earth's landforms into distinct, mutually exclusive areas, independent of political boundaries. It is based upon the classic three-tiered approach by Nevin M. Fenneman in 1916, that separates landforms into physiographic divisions, physiographic provinces, and physiographic sections.^[1]

The classification mechanism has become a popular geographical tool in the United States, indicated by the publication of a USGS shapefile that maps the regions of the original work and the National Park Services's use of the terminology to describe the regions in which its parks are located.^[2]

Originally used in North America,^[1] the model became the basis for similar classifications of other continents.^[3]

^ ^a ^b Fenneman, Nevin M. (1916). "Physiographic Subdivision of the United States" (PDF). Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 3 (1): 17–22. doi:10.1080/00045601609357047. hdl:2027/njp.32101059544153. PMC 1091163. PMID 16586678.
^ Sawyer, Carol F. (October 2021). "The lasting impact of N.M. Fenneman's works Physiography and Western and Eastern United States". Progress in Physical Geography. 45 (5): 802–813. doi:10.1177/03091333211012944.
^ Frye, Charlie; Sayre, Roger; Murphy, Alexander B.; Karagülle, Deniz; Pippi, Moira; Gilbert, Mark; Richards, Jaynya W. (2023-09-14). "Named Landforms of the World: A Geomorphological and Physiographic Compilation". Annals of the American Association of Geographers. 113 (8): 1762–1780. doi:10.1080/24694452.2023.2200548. ISSN 2469-4452.

[Fenneman-US-1] Fenneman, Nevin M. (1916). "Physiographic Subdivision of the United States" (PDF). Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 3 (1): 17–22. doi:10.1080/00045601609357047. hdl:2027/njp.32101059544153. PMC 1091163. PMID 16586678.

[2] Sawyer, Carol F. (October 2021). "The lasting impact of N.M. Fenneman's works Physiography and Western and Eastern United States". Progress in Physical Geography. 45 (5): 802–813. doi:10.1177/03091333211012944.

[3] Frye, Charlie; Sayre, Roger; Murphy, Alexander B.; Karagülle, Deniz; Pippi, Moira; Gilbert, Mark; Richards, Jaynya W. (2023-09-14). "Named Landforms of the World: A Geomorphological and Physiographic Compilation". Annals of the American Association of Geographers. 113 (8): 1762–1780. doi:10.1080/24694452.2023.2200548. ISSN 2469-4452.

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