A district, region, or locality — a geographic or administrative area (not necessarily urban).
地方の観光地は季節ごとに雰囲気が変わる。
Regional tourist spots change atmosphere with the seasons.
その会社は地方に営業所をいくつか持っている。
That company has several branch offices in regional areas.
都市と地方の経済格差が問題になっている。
The economic gap between cities and the regions is a problem.
The countryside or provincial areas — rural regions outside major cities.
毎年、夏休みは地方の祖父母の家に帰る。
Every summer vacation I go back to my grandparents' house in the countryside.
若者の地方離れが進んでいる。
Young people are increasingly leaving the countryside.
地方の物価は都市より安いことが多い。
Prices in rural areas are often lower than in cities.
An obsolete term (military jargon) formerly used, for example in the Imperial Japanese Army, to refer to civilian society or local communities.
古い軍記には『地方』が民間を指す語として使われている例がある。
In old military records there are examples of '地方' being used to mean the civilian population.