CULTURE REALMSAka Macrocultural Regions

COLOR AND LABEL

Note that some of “my” regions have different names from the “Culture Realms” (Macrocultural Regions) core map. Both are correct and can be used interchangeably. You should be familiar with both terms.

ANGLO-AMERICA

Language—English Religion—Protestant Notes—Because of immigration,

every possible religion and language are in North America. One big exception to the English/Protestant majority is Quebec, which is French speaking and Catholic

LATIN AMERICA

Language—Spanish Religion—Catholic Notes—Exception is that Brazil

speaks Portuguese

WESTERN EUROPE

Language branches—Germanic and Romance

Religion—Germanic speakers are Protestant, Romance speakers are Catholic

Notes—The exception is that Greece is not Germanic or Romance, or Protestant or Catholic. Its language is Indo-European (as is Germanic and Romance), but it’s branch is Hellenic. Religion is Orthodox

EASTERN EUROPE

Language—Slavic Religion—Orthodox Notes—The word “slavic” is where

we get the term “slave” from because historically so many slavs were sold as slaves by conquering people

EAST ASIA Language—Mandarin (dominant and also

lingua franca in the area) Religion—Non-Religious, Atheist, or

Buddhist Notes—Although Mandarin is an official

language in Tibet, Tibetans speak Standard Tibetan (a Tibeto-Burman branch of the same Sino-Tibetan family as Mandarin). Korean and Japanese are each their own language family. The non-religious/atheistic aspect of East Asia comes from the communist influence. Latin for China is “Sino.”

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Language—Southeast Asian Family (Austronesian, Austro-Asiatic and Tai Kadai)

Religion—Buddhist and Muslim Notes—the exception is the

Philippines. It was colonized by Spain, is named after King Philip of Spain, and is Catholic. Its culture is fragmented, as would be expected in a country comprised of many islands (7,107).

SOUTH ASIA

Language—Indic (Latin for India is Indo)

Religion—Hindu and Islam Notes—The exception is that

Buddhists are in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan

MIDDLE EAST

Language—Arabic (and Arabic is the Lingua Franca in the area, even in countries where Arabic is not the main language)

Religion—Islam Notes—Big exceptions: Central Asia’s

language is from the Altaic Family, Iran’s language family (Farsi, or Persian) is Indo-European and Israel’s language is Hebrew (same Afro-Asiatic family as Arabic). Also, the religion in Israel is Judaism, not Islam.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Language—Niger-Congo Family, Benue-Congo branch (mostly clumped together and called Bantu)

Religion—Animist (indigenous) and Christian

Notes—None

OCEANIA (SOUTH PACIFIC)

Language—English Religion—Protestant Notes—Obviously the result of

English colonization