A zone is an elongated belt or region distinguished by some common character indicated by its name, which differentiates it from other adjoining zones; often an area or subdivision of a biogeographical region that has a characteristic biota. In zoology, six major regions and one minor zoogeographical region are often recognized:

1) Palaearctic Region, comprising Europe, North Africa and northern Asia;

2) Ethiopian Region, comprising Africa south of the Sahara;

3) Oriental Region, comprising tropical Asia and western Indonesia;

4) Australasian Region, comprising eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia;

5) Nearctic Region, comprising North and Central America above the tropics and

6) Neotropical Region comprising South America and tropical Central America.
See also: zones

Malagasy (plus off-lying islands) is regarded as a minor (sub)region because of its isolated position and often distinctive fauna. The Palaearctic and Nearctic Regions present many (avifaunal) similarities and are often referred to together as the Holarctic Region. North and South America is together referred to as New World, all other regions together as Old World.

Alternative forms for zone : Australasian, Ethiopian, Holarctic, Malagasy, Nearctic, New World, Old World, Oriental, Palaearctic, zones, zoogeographical regions.