AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY UNIT 4

State

a politically defined territory with established borders, a permanent population, and a sovereign government

sovereignty

the political authority of a state to govern itself within its own territory, meaning it has the ultimate power to make decisions without external interference from other countries or entities; essentially, the right to control what happens within its borders

nation

a group of people who share a common culture, language, history, and sense of identity, often identifying with a particular territory as their homeland, essentially forming a cohesive group distinct from other populations

Nation-state

a political entity where the boundaries of a state (a defined territory with a government) closely align with the cultural boundaries of a single nation (a group of people sharing a common identity)

Multi-nation state

a sovereign state where more than one distinct nation or ethnic group resides within its borders

Multi-state nation

a group of people sharing a common culture and identity, that extends across the borders of multiple states, essentially inhabiting more than one country

Stateless nation

a group of people with a shared culture and identity who do not have their own sovereign state

Semi-autonomous regions

a geographical area within a larger state that has a moderate (some) degree of self-governance

ex: teenagers

Autonomous region

a geographically defined area within a larger state that has a degree of self-governance

ex: adults

Self-determination

the principle that a group of people, usually sharing a distinct cultural identity, have the right to decide their own political status and form their own government

Political power

the ability of a state or government to influence or control the behavior of people and institutions within a defined territory

Territoriality

the act of a group or individual claiming, defining, and defending a specific geographic space as their own

Neo-colonialism

the continued economic dependence of former colonies on their previous colonial powers, even after gaining political independence

shatterbelts

an area of instability located between regions with opposing political and cultural values

ex: Ukraine— the Eastern and Western areas have different views and linguistic divides throughout the country between speaking Russian and Ukrainian.

Chokepoints

a geographically narrow passageway, like a strait, mountain pass, or canal, where the movement of people and goods can be easily restricted or controlled, often holding significant strategic importance due to the potential to disrupt trade or military operations if blocked by a controlling power

ex: Strait of Malacca

Relic boundary

a former political boundary that no longer functions but still leaves a visible impact on the cultural landscape

Superimposed boundary

a political border drawn by an outside power that completely ignores the existing cultural, ethnic, or linguistic divisions of the people living in that area, often leading to conflict as it disregards pre-existing social patterns

Antecedent boundary

a political border established before a region is significantly populated or developed

Subsequent boundary

a political border that is established after a region is already settled and developed

Geometric boundary

a political border drawn as a straight line on a map, usually following lines of latitude and longitude, without regard to physical or cultural features on the ground, essentially creating an artificial boundary that may not align with existing populations or landscapes

Consequent boundary

a political boundary that is drawn to align with existing cultural, ethnic, or linguistic differences within a region

median line principle

the principle that a nation's maritime boundaries should conform to a median-line equidistant from the shores of neighboring nation-states

prorupted state

a state that has a primary body of territory that comprises most of the state, but that also has a long extension that can dramatically increase the territorial power and significance of the country

ex: Thailand

elongated state

countries that are significantly longer in one dimension than they are wide

compact state

countries where the distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly, creating a roughly circular shape.

fragmented state

a state whose territory is physically divided into several distinct segments.

perforated state

a state that completely surrounds another state.

ex: Italy, South Africa

gerymandering

the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

• can carve up entire states

• Basically a political land grab

Unitary states

a state where laws are administered uniformly by one central government.

ex: France, Japan, the UK

federal states

a system of government where power is shared (in various arrangements) between a centralized government and various regional authorities.

ex: the United States (national govt. and state govts.)

devolution

The movement of power from the central government to regional governments within the state or breakup of a large state (balkanization) into several independent ones

balkanization

The fragmentation of a region into smaller, often hostile, political units.

• The term comes from the Balkan Peninsula of Europe

supranationalism

the process of nation states organizing politically and economically into one organization or alliance.

irredentism

a political movement that is strongly tied to nationalism. Intends to reunite a nation or reclaim a lost territory