AP HUG Unit 4

Political Geography

Study of how political power is organized, exercised, and distributed spatially.

State

Political unit with defined territory, permanent population, government, and sovereignty.

Sovereignty

Supreme authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.

Territory

Land area over which a state exercises control.

Government

Institution through which a state rules and makes policy.

Nation

Group of people sharing cultural traits and a common identity.

Nationalism

Sense of unity and loyalty among a group of people.

Self-Determination

Right of people to choose their own political status and government.

Centripetal Force

Force that unifies and strengthens a state.

Centrifugal Force

Force that divides or destabilizes a state.

Nation-State

State with a population largely sharing one national identity.

Stateless Nation

Nation with no sovereign state of its own.

Multistate Nation

Nation divided across multiple states.

Multinational State

State containing multiple distinct nations.

Autonomous Region

Region with high degree of self-rule within a state.

Semi-Autonomous Region

Region with limited self-governance.

Subnational Unit

Administrative division within a state (state, province).

Ethnonationalism

National identity based on shared ethnicity.

Minority Group

Smaller population group lacking political dominance.

Majority Group

Dominant population group in political power.

Imperialism

Control of one state by another through political, economic, or military means.

Colonialism

Imperialism involving settlement and direct governance.

First Wave Imperialism

Early European colonization (1450–1800s).

Second Wave Imperialism

Scramble for Africa (1800s).

Artificial Borders

Boundaries drawn without regard for cultural patterns.

Ethnic Fragmentation

Division of ethnic groups by political borders.

Partition

Division of territory into separate political units.

Post-Colonial State

State formed after colonial rule ended.

Legacy of Colonialism

Lasting political and ethnic effects of colonial borders.

Ethnic Conflict

Violence or tension between ethnic groups.

Devolution

Transfer of power from central government to regional governments.

Ethnic Separatism

Ethnic group seeking political independence.

Ethnic Cleansing

Forced removal or killing of ethnic groups.

Irredentism

Movement to reunite culturally similar people across borders.

Friction of Distance

Reduced interaction due to physical distance.

Economic Disparity

Uneven development between regions.

Regional Autonomy

Local control over political decisions.

State Fragmentation

Breaking of a state into smaller units.

State Disintegration

Complete collapse of a state.

Satellite State

Country politically or economically controlled by another.

Political Power

Ability to control people, territory, and resources.

Territoriality

Emotional and political attachment to land.

Shatter Belt

Politically unstable region contested by major powers.

Choke Point

Narrow passage controlling trade or movement.

Neocolonialism

Indirect control through economic or cultural means.

Dependency Theory

Poor states remain dependent on wealthy states.

Resource Allocation

Distribution of natural resources.

Strategic Location

Place with military or economic importance.

Geopolitics

Influence of geography on political relations.

Boundary

Line separating political territories.

Antecedent Boundary

Boundary drawn before settlement.

Subsequent Boundary

Boundary drawn after settlement.

Consequent Boundary

Boundary separating distinct cultural groups.

Superimposed Boundary

Boundary imposed by external power.

Geometric Boundary

Straight-line boundary.

Relic Boundary

Former boundary with lasting impact.

Natural Boundary

Boundary following physical features.

Cultural Boundary

Boundary based on human characteristics.

Political Boundary

Boundary established by governments.

Buffer State

Small state between rival powers.

Boundary Definition

Legal description of a boundary.

Boundary Delimitation

Drawing boundary on a map.

Boundary Demarcation

Physical marking of a boundary.

Boundary Administration

Enforcement of boundary rules.

Definitional Dispute

Disagreement over treaty wording.

Locational Dispute

Disagreement over boundary placement.

Operational Dispute

Conflict over border functions.

Allocational Dispute

Conflict over resource ownership.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Buffer zone without military presence.

UNCLOS

International law governing ocean boundaries.

Territorial Sea

First 12 nautical miles of coastal waters.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

200-nautical-mile resource zone.

High Seas

Ocean beyond national jurisdiction.

Strait

Narrow waterway connecting larger bodies.

Canal

Human-made waterway for trade.

Internal Boundary

Division within a state for governance.

Voting District

Area represented by an elected official.

Census

Population count conducted every 10 years.

Redistricting

Redrawing voting district boundaries.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating districts to favor a party.

Cracking

Splitting opposition voters across districts.

Packing

Concentrating opposition voters in one district.

Malapportionment

Unequal representation due to population imbalance.

Sun Belt

Southern U.S. region gaining population and power.

House of Representatives

U.S. legislative body based on population.

Unitary State

Centralized government with little regional power.

Federal State

Power shared between central and regional governments.

Centralized Authority

Power concentrated at national level.

Decentralized Authority

Power distributed to regional governments.

Supremacy Clause

Federal law overrides state law (U.S.).

Communication Technology

Tools enabling rapid information spread.

Arab Spring

Protests enabled by social media.

Supranationalism

States surrender power to larger organizations.

Globalization

Increasing global interconnectedness.

Trade Agreement

Pact to reduce trade barriers.

Military Alliance

Defense cooperation among states.

United Nations (UN)

Global diplomatic organization.

European Union (EU)

Political and economic union.

NATO

Military alliance for collective defense.

Brexit

UK withdrawal from the European Union.