Sun Belt, Rust Belt, Barbecue Belt: America’s debatable regions

Rust Belt. Sun Belt. Bible Belt. Grain Belt. Barbecue Belt. Beltway.

The United States it may be, but in reality, America is a patchwork of regions. And now these terms and others, which evolved from a shorthand to describe geographical groupings, are getting a quadrennial workout as the presidential campaign nears its end. But what do they actually mean?

"The United States is an incredibly complicated country," said Colin Woodard, author of "American Nations," a history of regional cultures in North America. "The actual underlying things that people are trying to describe often don't match the state boundaries."

While television networks put these regional terms through their paces on election night, the geographic designations can be incredibly confusing for anyone who is not glued to Steve Kornacki's magic board. We've got you covered.

Let's start...