zona

Zona is a term used in several Romance languages, deriving from Latin zona meaning belt or girdle. In contemporary usage it denotes a defined area or district with specific characteristics or regulations. The word is common in urban planning, law, and everyday speech, where it helps distinguish areas by function or policy, such as residential zones, commercial zones, or protected zones.

Geographic and urban contexts use zone classifications to manage land use, taxation, transportation, and environmental controls. Phrases like zone, zoning, or zona franca (free trade zone) reflect the broader concept of delineated spaces governed by rules. In toponymy, Zona appears as a component of place names in countries with Romance-language heritage, where it marks a geographic subset within a city or region.

In biology and anatomy, zona appears in several senses. The zona pellucida is a glycoprotein layer surrounding mammalian oocytes, essential in fertilization. Anatomical structures are also described as zones, such as the adrenal cortex's zones (zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, zona reticularis), which reflect functional compartments within the gland.

In culture, La Zona, also translated as The Zone, is a 2007 Mexican drama thriller directed by Rodrigo Plá. The title is used for other works as well, reflecting the widespread sense of a designated or restricted area. The term Zona thus serves as a versatile label across language, science, and culture.