Political Organization and Processes in Geography

State

A politically organized area with a permanent population, defined territory, government, and sovereignty.

Nation

A group of people with shared cultural characteristics (e.g., language, religion, ethnicity).

Nation-State

A state whose territorial boundaries align with a particular nation (e.g., Japan).

Stateless Nation

A cultural group without its own independent state (e.g., Kurds, Palestinians).

Multinational State

A state with more than one nation (e.g., Canada, Russia).

Multistate Nation

A nation spread across multiple states (e.g., Koreans in North and South Korea).

Sovereignty

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

Self-Determination

The right of a people to govern themselves.

Boundary

An invisible line marking the extent of a state's territory.

Delimited Boundary

A boundary that has been drawn on a map.

Demarcated Boundary

A boundary that is physically marked (e.g., with fences, signs, walls).

Defined Boundary

A legal description of a boundary (e.g., in treaties or documents).

Frontier

A zone where no state exercises complete control.

Geometric Boundary

Straight-line boundaries often drawn without regard to physical or cultural features.

Physical (Natural) Boundary

Follows natural features like mountains, rivers, or deserts.

Cultural (Ethnic) Boundary

Follows differences in ethnicity, language, or religion.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary imposed by external powers (e.g., colonial boundaries in Africa).

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary that evolves as the cultural landscape changes.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary drawn before the cultural landscape developed (e.g., U.S.-Canada border).

Relic Boundary

A former boundary that no longer exists but still has an impact (e.g., Berlin Wall).

Centripetal Force

Unifies a state (e.g., shared language, religion, strong economy).

Centrifugal Force

Divides a state (e.g., ethnic conflict, fragmented territory).

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional governments (e.g., Scotland in the UK).

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a state into smaller, often hostile units.

Irredentism

A policy of reclaiming lost territory based on ethnic or historical ties.

Supranational Organization

A group of countries joined together for a common purpose (e.g., EU, UN, NATO).

United Nations (UN)

An international organization promoting peace, security, and cooperation.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of European countries.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance of North American and European countries.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

A regional organization promoting economic and political cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Unitary State

Power is centralized in a single national government (e.g., France).

Federal State

Power is shared between national and regional governments (e.g., United States).

Confederal System

A loose union of independent states with limited central authority.

Autonomous Region

A region with a degree of self-government (e.g., Hong Kong, Catalonia).

Electoral Geography

Study of spatial patterns of voting and political representation.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries for political advantage.

Cracking

Spreading voters of one type across many districts.

Packing

Concentrating voters of one type into a single district.

Redistricting

Redrawing electoral district boundaries based on population changes.

Reapportionment

Redistribution of representation in a legislative body based on census data.