ABSTRACT. Critical Geographical Regions. A Standpoint. The concept of critical region is used to characterize those territorial systems in which some elements or relations among the components of the systems are negative and represent geographical phenomena of risk or the systems are on the verge of a crisis, or the crisis is in progress. As a consequence, the region can completely change its status in a negative way. Two case studies were chosen to emphasize the essence of the concept of “critical region”, namely the Sahel and Southeast Asia, both regions being part of the hot zone.
Key words: crisis, critical region, geographical phenomena of risk, the Sahel