Here's a map of the [link|http://www.dvdinfo.com/region_codes.html|region codes].

DVD's can also be coded as region 0, which means they can be played on any DVD player. I believe some of my LEXX DVDs are region 0.

The MPAA claims that the regions are so they can show a new movie in the states, then Europe, and then release the DVD in America while the movie starts in South America, and so on. Their arguement is that if the American DVDs could be imported to South America, then they'd lose money in theater tickets.

However, if this were true, then they'd be releasing all the OLD movies as region 0. For instance the movie Real Genius was just released. This is a movie from 1985, and yet the one I purchased is coded as Region 1.

What's really happening is the MPAA is using the different regions to sell the product at different price points. They don't want people in a high price region to import the DVDs from a low price region.