The demarcation of regions. E. Ginzburg (1977) suggests that regionalization is ‘a slippery concept that varies from writer to writer’, but that, regardless of definition, the intention of regionalization programmes is to improve access, quality, cost, and equity. Parr (2002) Int. Reg. Sci. Rev. 25 sees the advantages of economic activity being organized around a well-defined localization, urban concentration, or activity complex (or some combination of these) realized with a regional spatial structure which is more dispersed. Wishart (2004) PHG 28, 3 thinks regionalization should be seen as part and parcel of the art of representation. See Wang et al. (2008) Nat. Hazards 44, 169 on the regionalization of urban natural disasters in China.