With Kyoto Prefecture's land shape being long in the north-south direction, the southern inland area (former Yamashiro Province), which is sometimes called a 'mountain ridge' area, and the northern area (former Tanba Province and former Tango Province), which is located facing Japan Sea and was once called Ni Province, are markedly different in their characteristics, causing a pronounced difference between the two regions in various aspects.
京都府は南北に細長く、内陸側に位置し、「山の背」とも表記された南部（旧山城国）と、日本海に面し、丹国（にのくに）と呼ばれた北部（旧丹波国、旧丹後国）との格差が大きく、南部と北部では異なる地域を形成している。