Zone

Zone refers to a defined region or area distinguished by particular characteristics, rules, or purposes. The term comes from Latin zona, meaning belt or girdle, and has been extended to many domains where space is partitioned for functional reasons.

In geography and planning, a zone is a land-use designation such as residential, commercial, or industrial, with zoning laws controlling allowed uses, densities, and building forms. Time zones group regions into standard times. Special economic zones are areas with regulatory incentives to promote investment and trade, often featuring relaxed procedures or tax benefits to attract activity.

In security and safety contexts, exclusion zones mark areas off-limits because of danger or ongoing operations. Military zones and demilitarized zones separate opposing forces or protect critical infrastructure. Environmental planning uses buffer zones to restrict development near habitats, waterways, or other sensitive areas.

In technology, zones describe security boundaries in networks and software, including browser zones that categorize trusted versus untrusted sites or configurations for intranet and internet access. The term is also used more generally to describe any subregion within a larger area, such as climate zones, hazard zones, or planning zones, reflecting its broad utility as a way to organize space.