The United Nations geoscheme is a system which divides 248 countries and territories in the world into six continental r

The United Nations geoscheme is a system which divides 248 countries and territories in the world into six continental regions, 22 geographical subregions, and two intermediary regions. It was devised by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) based on the M49 coding classification. The creators note that "the assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings is for statistical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories".

22 geographical subregions as defined by the UNSD. Antarctica is not shown.

Usage

The UNSD geoscheme was created for statistical analysis and consists of macro-geographical regions arranged to the extent possible according to continents. Within each region, smaller geographical subregions and sometimes intermediary regions contain countries and territories. Countries and territories are also grouped non-geographically into selected economic and other sets, such as the landlocked developing countries, the least developed countries, and the Small Island Developing States.

Antarctica is the only continental region which does not comprise any geographical subregions or country-level areas.

The UNSD geoscheme does not set a standard for the entire United Nations System, and it often differs from geographical definitions used by the autonomous United Nations specialized agencies for their own organizational convenience. For instance, the UNSD includes Cyprus and Georgia in Western Asia, yet the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and UNESCO include them in Europe. This "statistical" definition also differs from United Nations Regional Groups.

Alternative groupings

Other alternative groupings include the World Bank regional classification,CIA World Factbook regions and Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Geographic Regions.

Africa

Northern Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Eastern Africa
- Middle Africa
- Southern Africa
- Western Africa

Americas

Latin America and the Caribbean
- Caribbean^†
- Central America^†
- South America
Northern America^†

^† The Caribbean, Central America, and Northern America together form the geographical continent of North America.

Asia

Europe

Eastern Europe (including Northern Asia)
Northern Europe
Southern Europe
Western Europe

Oceania

Australia and New Zealand
Melanesia
Micronesia
Polynesia

Maps

UN geoscheme for Africa
  Eastern Africa

  Middle Africa

  Northern Africa

  Southern Africa

  Western Africa
UN geoscheme for the Americas
  Caribbean

  Central America

  Northern America

  South America
UN geoscheme for Asia
  Central Asia

  Eastern Asia

  South-eastern Asia

  Southern Asia

  Western Asia
UN geoscheme for Europe
  Eastern Europe

  Northern Europe

  Southern Europe

  Western Europe
UN geoscheme for Oceania
  Australia and New Zealand

  Melanesia

  Micronesia

  Polynesia

References

UNSD: Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49) – Recent changes – Footnote 13
"UNSD — Methodology". United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
United Nations Industrial Organisation p. 14
UNESCO, Europe and North America, Retrieved: 10 May 2016
Katrin Elborgh-Woytek; Monique Newiak; Kalpana Kochhar; Stefania Fabrizio; Kangni Kpodar; Philippe Wingender; Benedict J. Clements; Gerd Schwartz (20 September 2013). Women, Work, and the Economy:Macroeconomic Gains from Gender Equity. International Monetary Fund. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-4843-9529-5. Country groups are based on UN geoscheme and World Bank regional classification
ICANN Geographic Regions
ICANN Geographical Regions, Final Report by the ccNSO Regions Working Group, For Submission to the ICANN Board, 24 September 2007
"World Bank Country and Lending Groups", the World Bank

[1] UNSD: Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49) – Recent changes – Footnote 13

[m49-2] "UNSD — Methodology". United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 2019-06-17.

[3] United Nations Industrial Organisation p. 14

[4] UNESCO, Europe and North America, Retrieved: 10 May 2016

[Elborgh-WoytekNewiak2013-5] Katrin Elborgh-Woytek; Monique Newiak; Kalpana Kochhar; Stefania Fabrizio; Kangni Kpodar; Philippe Wingender; Benedict J. Clements; Gerd Schwartz (20 September 2013). Women, Work, and the Economy:Macroeconomic Gains from Gender Equity. International Monetary Fund. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-4843-9529-5. Country groups are based on UN geoscheme and World Bank regional classification

[6] ICANN Geographic Regions

[7] ICANN Geographical Regions, Final Report by the ccNSO Regions Working Group, For Submission to the ICANN Board, 24 September 2007

[WorldBankGeoScheme-8] "World Bank Country and Lending Groups", the World Bank