APHG - Unit 4 test

Country

Any political entity that is independent from the control of any other entity.

State

• Defined boundary

• contains permanent population

• Maintains sovereignty

• recognized by other states

  • Ex. Belgium, Nigeria, US

Sovereignty

The power of a political unit or government to rule over its own affairs

Nation

• Common cultural heritage

• A set of beliefs and values that unify them

• A traditional claim to a particular space as their homeland

• A desire to establish their own state or express self-rule in another way

  • Ex. Kurds, Catalans, Scots

Nation-States

A nation of people who fulfill the qualifications of a state

• Ex. Japan, France, Egypt

Multinational States

A country that contains more than one nation (Most countries).

• Ex. Canadian French speakers in Quebec

Autonomous regions

A defined area within a state that has a high degree of self government and freedom from its parent state

• Aland, group of islands that’s a part of Finland

Semi-Autonomous regions

A state that has a degree of, but not compete self-rule

• Ex. The Navajo possess tribal sovereignty, with federal taxes. And native American reservations

Stateless Nations

A cultural group that has no independent Political entity.

• Ex. The Kurdish people, spreads among Southwest Asia.

Multistate nations

When a nation has a state of its own but stretches across borders of other states

• Ex. Most Hungarians live in Hungary, many live in Transylvania region of Romania.

Nationalism

A nations desire to create and maintain a state of its own

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unite a state/nations

• A shared religion (catholicism in Mexico)

• Shared external threats (Estonians fear Russia)

• A common language (Japanese shared language)

Self-Determination

The right to choose their own sovereign government without external influence

Genocide

Organized mass killing in which people are targeted because of their race, religion, ethnicity or nationality.

Satellite States

A state dominated by another politically and economically

Devolution

Process in which one or more regions are given increases autonomy by the central political unit.

Ethnic cleansing

Forced removal of a minority ethnic group from a territoy

Shatterbelt

A place that suffers instability because it is located between two very different and contentious regions

Choke Points

A place of physical congestion between wider regions of movement and interaction

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary established before a large population was present

• EX. The boundary of the Pyrneese mts established between France and Spain

Physical geographic Boundary

Between areas such as oceans, deserts and mountains

• Ex. Missouri River

Cultural boundary

Divides people according to some cultural division such as a language religion or ethnicity.

• China division of Cuisine

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary drawn to accommodate religious, ethnic, linguistic, or economic differences

• Boundary between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary drawn by outside powers and may have ignored existing cultural patterns.

• Boundary between Mali and Mauritania (Berlin Conference)

Cultural Consequent Boundary

Takes into account language, ethnicity, religion and other cultural traits

Physical Consequent Boundary

Uses already existing natural features that divide a territory like rivers desserts and mountains.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer exists, but it is still evident on the landscape.

• Ex. The boundary between East and West Germany (States - now combined)

Geometric Boundary

A straight line or arc drawn by people that does not closely follow physical features

• Ex. The boundary between the US and Canada along the 49th parallel.

Consequent Boundary

Type of subsequent boundary that takes into account existing cultural or physical landscapes

• Ex. Boundary between India and Pakistan created for religious reasons.

Delimited Boundary

Drawn on map by a cartographer to show the limits of space.

Demarcated Boundary

One identified by physical objects placed on the landscape. Could be a sign or a fence/wall.

Definitional Boundary Dispute

Two or more parties disagree over how to interpret the legal documents or maps that identify the boundary.

• Ex. Between Chile and Argentina, Andes mts. are the boundary but it’s not correctly mapped.

Locational boundary dispute

(territorial Dispute). Where a boundary should be or how it is mapped.

• Ex. Post WW1 boundary between Germany and Poland, division based on historical vs. cultural ties

Irredentism

Type of expansionism where one country seeks to annex territory with cultural or historical ties.

Operational boundary Dispute

(Functional dispute). Based on not where it is, but how it functions. Trade, transport or migration.

• Ex. Syrian refugees fed to Europe n 2011 civil war and were stopped by Southern Nations.

Allocational boundary dispute

(Resource Dispute). A boundary separates natural resources that may be used by both countries.

• Ex. 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait because it claimed Kuwaits drilled too many wells into Iraqi land.

Administered Boundary

How a boundary will be maintained, how it will function and what goods and people will be allowed to cross.

• Ex. Israeli- West Bank barrier separates Isreal and Palestine

Exclave

Territories that are a part of a state, but geographically separated from mainland by 1 or more countries.

• Ex. Alaska is separated from the US by Canada.

Enclave

States, territories or parts of a state that are completely surrounded by the territory of another state.

• Ex. The Vatican city is completely engulfed by Italy

Electoral geogrpahy

Using spatial thinking techniques and tools to analyze elections and voting patterns

Voting Districts

Internal Boundaries that divide a countries elecorate into subnational regions

Redistricting

When the state legislation or committees redraw district boundaries so that each district contains roughly the same number of people.

Gerrymandering

The drawing of boundaries for political districts by the party in power to protect or increase its power.

It can enable 1 party that regularly loses statewide elections to still win majority.

Types of gerrymandering

• Cracking → Dispersing a group into several districts

• Packing →Combining like minded voters

• Stacking → Diluting a minority population

• Hijacking → Redrawing two districts in order to force parties to run against each other

• Kidnapping → Moving an area where an elected representative has support to an area where they don’t.

Federal State

Unites separate political entities into an overarching system that allows each intitty to maintain some sovereignty.

Unitary State

Most or all governing power is help by the national government. All local govt’s are subject to a national gov’t authority. France Japan and Kenya.

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a state or region into smaller, often hostile units along ethno-linguistic lines

Globalization

Inregration of markets, states, communication and trade on a worldwide scale

Suprantionalism

The practice of multiple countries forming an organization for the benefit of all members.

Regionalism

When loyalty to a distinct portion of a country is more important than loyalty to the entire country. Like Quebec.

Ethnonationalism

Support for the political interests of a particular ethnic group within a state, especially its national independence or self- determination.

Centrifugal forces

Forces that divide the citizenry in a country

• Ex. Ethnic or religious conflicts

• Linguistic differences (multiple)

• Political polarization (Strong ideology)

• Geographic barriers

Communism

A political and economic system where everything is owned collectivy.

• Ex. Former Soviet Union, often ends up with lots of government control, limited personal freedoms and economic problems.

Federalism

A system where power is split between a national government and state govenments.

• Ex. The US

Citizenship

Being a legal member of a country with rights and responsibilities

• Ex. A US citizen can vote and has to follow US laws

Electoral Colege

The system in the US uses to elect the president, where states cast electoral votes instead of people coting directly

• Ex. A candidate can win the presidency without winning the popular vote like in 2016.

Totalitarianism

A system where the government has total control over poeple’s lives, with no real freedoms

• Ex. North Korea

Perforated

A state whose territory completely surrounded another

• South Africa and Lesotho

• Italy and the Vatican City

  • Both enclaves

Elongated

Long and narrow. Transportation and infrastructure is difficult.

• Chile

• Vietnam

• Norway

protrueded/prorupted

Narrow elongated land extension away from mainland. Often to give access to resources, but can be hard to get stuff there.

• India

• Mexico (Baja peninsula)

• USA (Florida)

Fragmented

Not contiguous, separated by other land or sea, can give access to new geographic land or resources

• Indonesia

• Russia (Kalinigrad)

• USA (Alaska and Hawaii)

Landlocked

No Sea access. Harder to trade with no Sea ports, contributes to conflicts and crisis.

• Belarus

• Botswana

• Chad

• Mali

Compact

Distance from the center to boundaries is similar, easier to govern and control

• Poland

• Cambodia

• Zimbabwe

• Luxembourg

Morphology

Relationship between a states geographic size, relative location and its political situation

Kuril Islands

• Russia vs. Japan

• started 1945

• Soviet Union occupied

• Strategic locations, rich in fishing

• Superimposed, Territorial dispute

• Now Russian controlled, Japanese claim

Kurds

• Kurds vs. Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran

• Over 100 years

• Kurds never got a state after Ottoman empire collapsed

• Resource rich

• Subsequent territorial dispute

• Conflict continues in Turkey and Syria

Western Sahara

• Morocco vs. Polisario Front

• Sinse 1975

• Spain left; Morocco claimed; Sahrawi wants independence

• has phosphate and potential oil

• Superimposed, Territorial dispute

• Morocco controls 80%, UN peace talks

DR and Haiti

• DR vs Haiti

• Since 19th century

• DR gained independence from Haiti; disputes over border lines

• Strategic for security

• Subsequent, Territorial dispute

• Mostly settles, occasional tensions

Taiwan

• China vs Taiwan

• Since 1949

• Civil war; ROC fled to Taiwan

• Strategic island w/ strong economy

• Definitional boundary

• Taiwan is self-governing, China claims it

Arctic

• US, Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway

• Ongoing, mostly recent decades

• Melting ice opens resources and shipping lanes

• Oil, gas, shipping routes

• Allocational

• Competing claims; UN partially defines zone

Spratly Islands

• China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei

• Since 20th century

• Claimed based on history

• Strategic shipping, fishing, oil

• Positional/definitional boundary

• Militarized; dispute is ongoing

Kashmir

• India vs Pakistan

• Since 1947

• Partition of British India; princely state chose India; Pakistan contests

• Strategic, water resources

• Positional and superimposed

• India controls most; Pakistan controls part

The Koreas

• North vs South

• Since 1950

• Post-WWII division along 38th parallel

• Superimposed by allies

• DMZ; technically still at war

Tibet and China

• China vs Tibetan independence supporters

• Since 1950s

• China annexed Tibet; Dalai Lama fled in 1959

• Strategic plateau, cultural significance

• Superimposed

• China controls Tibet; limited autonomy.

Military Alliance

Countries agree to defend each other. Increases security, can escalate conflicts.

• Ex. NATO

Economic Alliances / Trade Blocks

Countries reduce trade barriers (tariffs, quotas). Boosts trade, economic growth, can create dependency.

• Ex. EU, NAFTA

Political Alliances

Countries coordinate policies or support each other politically. Strengthens global influence; can pressure smaller countries

• Ex. UN

Cultural / Regional Alliances

Countries cooperate based on shared culture, language, or region. Promotes regional identity and cooperation; may isolate outsiders

• Ex. ASEAN

Military-Economic Alliances

Combine defense and economic cooperation. Stabilized region; can tie economies to security commitments

• Ex. NATO, EU

Informal / Strategic Partnerships

Flexible agreements, not treaties; sometimes secret. Quick cooperation without legal binding; can create tension if unbalanced.

• Ex. US-Israel strategic support

Census

Official count of a country’s population; collects data on age, gender, housing and more.

Governments use to plan services, taxes and infrastructure.

• Ex. In the US, census data reapportions seats in the House and redistricts political boundaries

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Coastal state has rights to marine resources up to 200 nautical miles from shore. This controls fishing, oil, gas and economic resources.

• Ex. US EEZ in the Pacific allows access to fishing and offshore energy

United Nations

Promotes international peace, human rights and cooperation

European Union (EU)

Economic integration, free trade, political cooperation in Europe

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Military alliance for collective defence

African Union (AU)

Promotes political stability, economic growth and conflict resolition

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Regulate international trade and settle trade disputes

Theocracy

Government ruled by religious leaders

• Iran, Vatican City, Saudi Arabia