àrea

área is a noun in Spanish and Portuguese that denotes space, extent, or a defined part of a larger whole. It commonly refers to a region, zone, or field, such as área urbana (urban area), área rural (rural area), or área de cobertura (coverage area). The word derives from the Latin area, meaning open space, and shares cognates with the English term area.

In mathematics and related sciences, area is the measure of the size of a two-dimensional region. It is a scalar quantity expressed in square units, such as square meters (m^2) or square kilometers (km^2). The area of standard shapes follows familiar formulas: rectangle or parallelogram A = base × height (or length × width); triangle A = 1/2 × base × height; circle A = πr^2. For irregular figures, area can be determined by decomposing the figure into known shapes or by applying integral calculus. More advanced contexts introduce area in connection with measures and geometry, where it interacts with concepts such as surface area, volume, and density.

Beyond geometry, área or área de estudio refers to a field of study or domain of activity. In educational and professional settings, one speaks of the área de matemática, área de ciencia, or área de seguridad, among others. In everyday use, area also appears in phrases that describe spatial distribution, such as a market area or service area, indicating the geographic scope of an activity or responsibility.