Zonas

Zonas is the plural form of zona in Spanish and Portuguese, meaning a defined spatial area, region, or belt. The word derives from Latin zona, borrowed from Greek zone, meaning belt or girdle. In general usage, zonas denote boundaries established for administrative, regulatory, or descriptive purposes. In urban planning and geography, zoneamento or zoning is used to designate land-use categories within a city, yielding zones such as residential, commercial, and industrial. These zones guide building heights, densities, and services, and they may be regulated by zoning laws or ordinances. In economic and trade contexts, the term zona franca (free zone) describes an area where goods may be imported, manufactured, and re-exported with favorable tax and regulatory conditions. Buffer zones are areas around sensitive sites to reduce risk or conflict, often designated to separate incompatible land uses.

Zonas are also used in ecological and biogeographic contexts to refer to climate or vegetation belts, such as ecozones or biogeographic zones, which reflect patterns of species distribution and environmental conditions. In sports or event planning, zones can describe sectors, such as competition zones or security zones.

The usage varies by language and country, with the exact scope and legal implications determined by local administration. See also zone, zoning, and free zone for related concepts.