For the purpose of Aviation, The international Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has divided the world into 8 regions as far as aviation concerned as follows:-

a. Middle East & South East Asia
b. Pacific
c. Caribbean
d. Africa
e. North America
f. South America
g. North Atlantic
h. Europe

The airspace within each of these regions has been further sub-divided into FIRs (Flight Information Region) where it has been determined that air traffic services will be provided in particular portion of the airspace or at particular airfields.

The Flight Information Region is an airspace of defined dimensions within which flight information service and alerting service is provided. The country accepting responsibility for providing air traffic services within this region of airspace shall do so in accordance with existing ICAO standards and practices.

The countries concerned in these regions shall name the authority responsibility for providing air traffic services.

Once an FIR has been designated, the state responsible for air traffic services must establish a Flight Information Centre (FIC) to provide Flight Information Service (FIS) and alerting service within this region. Usually this centre is located with an air traffic control unit.