Comprehensive Geography of States, Boundaries, and Political Systems

Microstates

Very small sovereign states, usually with small populations and limited land area (e.g., Monaco, Nauru).

Sovereignty

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

Unitary State

A state in which power is concentrated in a central government and local governments have little or no independent authority.

Federal State

A state where power is divided between a central government and regional governments (e.g., United States).

City-State

A sovereign state consisting of a single city and its surrounding territory (e.g., Singapore, Vatican City).

Nation-State

A state whose political boundaries largely coincide with a single nation (a group of people sharing culture, language, and identity).

Self-Determination

The right of a nation or ethnic group to govern itself and determine its political status.

Multinational State

A state that contains more than one nation or ethnic group within its borders (e.g., Russia).

Colonialism

The practice of one state controlling another territory and exploiting its people and resources.

Colony

A territory controlled by a foreign power.

Cultural Boundaries

Political boundaries that follow cultural traits such as language, religion, or ethnicity.

Physical Boundaries

Boundaries defined by natural features such as rivers, mountains, or oceans.

Geometric Boundaries

Boundaries drawn using straight lines or arcs, often based on latitude and longitude.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary imposed by an outside power that ignores existing cultural patterns.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary drawn after settlement that reflects the cultural and political differences that developed over time.

Relic Boundary

A former boundary that no longer exists but still influences cultural or political patterns.

Consequent Boundary

A boundary drawn to separate groups based on cultural characteristics.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary established before the area was populated.

Territorial Sea

The area of ocean extending 12 nautical miles from a country's coastline, over which the state has full sovereignty.

Contiguous Zone

The area extending 12-24 nautical miles from the coast where a state can enforce laws related to customs, immigration, and pollution.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

The area extending up to 200 nautical miles from the coast where a state has rights to natural resources.

Perforated State

A state that completely surrounds another state (e.g., South Africa surrounds Lesotho).

Cracking

A gerrymandering technique where like-minded voters are spread across multiple districts to dilute their voting power.

Packing

A gerrymandering technique where like-minded voters are concentrated into a single district to limit their influence elsewhere.

Compact District

An electoral district with regular, tightly drawn boundaries that avoid unnecessary extensions or distortions.

Democracy

A system of government in which citizens have the power to vote directly or elect representatives.

Autocracy

A system of government in which a single ruler or group holds absolute power.

Anocracy

A system of government that combines elements of democracy and autocracy.

Balance of Power

A condition in which no single state is powerful enough to dominate others.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the United States, Canada, and European countries for mutual defense.

The Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in 1955 by the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies during the Cold War.

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