南方 (nanpō) means “south” | MotiTan Japanese Dictionary

More examples

調査隊は南方から無事に戻ってきました。chō sa tai wa nan pō ka ra bu ji ni modo tte ki ma shi ta

The research team returned safely from the south.

Refers to the southern side, direction, or area viewed from a given place.

南minami: Names the south as a direction in ordinary speech.
南側minamigawa: Refers to the southern side of a place or object.

基準となる場所から見て南の側や方向。また、南にある地域。ki jun to na ru ba sho ka ra mi te minami no gawa ya hō kō ma ta minami ni a ru chi iki

The word 南方 (nanpō) combines 南 (nan, "south") with 方 (hō, "direction"), forming a term for the southern direction or area.

Maps, reports, and descriptions of distant regions are more likely to use 南方 (nanpō) than casual speech, where 南 (minami) usually names the direction.