aphg ch4

antecedent boundary

boundary line established before an area is populated

balkanization

state can break up into smaller countries

buffer state

small country between 2 larger powers, can help prevent conflicts between 2

centrifugal forces

forces that divide a country

centripetal forces

forces that unite a country

commonwewalth of independent states

confederacy of independent states of the former ussr that united bc of common economic & administrative needs

confederation

international organization that brings several autonomous states tgther for a common purpose

devolution

delegation of legal authority from central government to lower levels of political organization (federal govs.)

domino theory

idea that political destabilization in 1 country can lead to collapse in neighbouring countries (chain reaction of collapse)

east/west divide

geographic separation between democratic free-market western europe & americas from communist/socialist eastern europe & asia

electoral college

certain # of electors from each state proportional to state’s population, each elector choosing a candidate best representing constituency’s choice

electoral vote

choice from electoral college to determine president & vp of usa

enclave

small & relatively homogenous group/region surrounded by another large & different grp/region

european union

free trade among western european countries

exclave

bounded territory part of a state but separated from it by territory of a different state (eg. alaska)

federalism

system of government where power is distributed among geographical territories > concentrated in central government (devolution)

frontier

area where borders are shifting/weak & where ppl of diff cultures/nationalities meet and lay claim to land

geometric boundaries

political boundaries defined & delimited by straight lines

gerrymandering

designation of voting districts to favour particualr political party/candidate (cracking & packing)

heartland theory

halford mackinder; any political power in heart of eurasia could gain enough strength to domiante the world

imperialism

perpetuation of a colonial empire even after it is no longer politically sovereign

irredentism

policy of advocating for return of a territory to a country it formerly belonged to

law of the sea

law establishing state's’ rights & responsibilities concerning ownership & use of the seas & oceans

lebensraum

hitler’s expansionist theory based on drive to acquire living space for germans

nation-state

country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity & unity

north american free trade agreement

allowed opening of borders between us, mex, can

north atlantic treaty organization

military purposes

north/south divide

economic division between wealthy europe, na, japan, australia vs asia africa latin america

organic theory

states resemble biological organisms w/ life cycles including stages of youth, maturity, & old age

physical boundaries

political boundaries that correspond w/ prominent physical features (eg. mountain ranges, rivers)

prorupted state

state exhibiting narrow, elongated land extension leading away from main territory (thailand, drc)

reapportionement

process of reallocation of electoral seats to defined territories

redistricting

drawing of new electoral district boundary lines in response to population changes

relic boundaries

old political boundaries that no longer exist as international borders but have left mark on local cultura/environmental geography

rimland theory

nicholas spykman; domination of coastal fringes of eurasia would provide base for world conquest

self-determination

right of a nation to govern self autonomously

shatterbelt

region of persistent political fragmentation due to devolution & centrifugal forces

subsequent boundary

boundary line established after an area has been settled that considers social & cultural characteristics of the area

superimposed boundary

boundary line drawn ignoring existing cultural pattern

theocracy

state whose government is believed to be divinely guided/state under control of religious leaders

unitary state

state governed constitutionally as a unit without internal divisions or devolution

united nations

global supernational organization established at end of wwii to foster international security & cooperation