[zipdog]

I agree. But I think countries can be a useful proxy if they aren't all, say, Western European, or Carribean.

The big culture zones IMHO are Americas: North, Central, South and Carribbean; Africa: Southern, Western, Eastern, Northern; Europe: Western, Mediterranean, Eastern; Asia: Middle East, India, South-East, China, Central, Japan/Korea; Pacific: Islands.

Obviously personal perspective will divide or agglomerate those, but its a rough guide.