Unit 4 AP Human Geography Flashcards

Anocracy

A government regime that is a mix of democracy and autocracy, often characterized by limited and inconsistent democratic practices and institutions.

Autocracy

A system of government in which one person has absolute power and authority, typically a dictator or a monarch.

Boundary

An invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory and separates it from neighboring territories.

City-state

A sovereign state that consists of a city and its dependent territories.

Colonialism

The practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Commonwealth

A political community founded for the common good, often referring to a group of states or countries with a shared allegiance or purpose.

Compact state

A state that possesses a roughly circular, oval, or rectangular territory in which the distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly.

Democracy

A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.

Elongated state

A state with a long, narrow shape, often resulting in challenges related to administration, defense, and communication.

Federal state

A political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions under a central government.

Fragmented state

A state that includes several discontinuous pieces of territory, which can complicate governance and communication.

Frontier

A zone where no state exercises complete political control, often sparsely populated and serving as a buffer zone between competing states.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

Landlocked state

A state that does not have access to the ocean, which can limit trade opportunities and economic development.

Microstate

A very small country, both in terms of area and population.

Multiethnic state

A state that contains more than one ethnicity within its borders.

Multinational state

A state that contains two or more nations or nationalities that coexist within the same territory.

Nation

A group of people who share a common cultural background, history, and identity, often tied to a specific territory.

Nation-state

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a specific nation, with the boundaries of the state and nation being largely congruent.

Perforated state

A state that completely surrounds another state, leaving the surrounded state dependent on the perforated state for resources and access.

Prorupted state

A state with an extended arm that provides access to resources or separates two states that would otherwise share a boundary.

Self-determination

The principle that a nation has the right to choose its own political status and pursue its own cultural and economic development.

Sovereignty

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

Stateless nation

A nation of people without a recognized sovereign state or territory of their own.

State

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

Unitary state

A state governed as a single entity with central authority, where regional and local governments have limited powers.

Annexation

The process of legally adding territory to a city, state, or country.

Antecedent boundary

A boundary that was established before the area was heavily populated.

Berlin Conference (1884)

A meeting where European powers negotiated and formalized claims to territory in Africa, leading to the division and colonization of the continent.

Border landscape

The physical and cultural landscape that defines the boundary between two or more states or territories.

Brandt Line

A division between the more economically developed "Global North" and the less economically developed "Global South."

Buffer state

A small neutral state situated between two larger hostile powers, serving to prevent conflict between them.

Capital

The city or town that serves as the official seat of government in a country, state, or region.

Centrifugal force

Forces or attitudes that tend to divide a state and lead to fragmentation.

Centripetal force

Forces or attitudes that tend to unify a state and promote national stability and unity.

Confederation

A union of states or groups with a central authority that has limited powers, and individual states retain significant autonomy.

Consequent boundary

A boundary that is drawn to accommodate existing cultural differences, such as language, religion, or ethnicity.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gain independence from the colonizing country.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central authority to regional or local governments.

Domino theory

The idea that political destabilization in one country can lead to similar events in neighboring countries, often used during the Cold War to justify containment policies.

Electoral regions

Divisions of a country or state into regions for the purpose of electing representatives to a legislative body.

Enclave

A territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another state.

Exclave

A portion of a state that is geographically separated from the main part by the territory of one or more other states.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

A sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources.

Forward capital

A capital city that is relocated to a geographically or strategically advantageous location, often to promote development or reduce regional disparities.

Geopolitics

The study of the effects of geography (human and physical) on international politics and relations.

Growth pole

An area or region that drives economic development in surrounding areas due to the concentration of economic activities and investments.

Irredentism

The political movement advocating the restoration of territory that historically or ethnically belongs to one state but is currently controlled by another.

Landlocked Boundary

A boundary that separates a landlocked state from neighboring states, affecting access to resources and trade routes.

Mackinder Heartland Theory

A geopolitical theory that suggests that whoever controls Eastern Europe and Central Asia (the "Heartland") can dominate the world.

Median-line principle

A principle for maritime boundary delimitation, where boundaries are set at a median line equidistant from the coastlines of neighboring states.

Mercantilism

An economic policy aimed at strengthening national economies by exporting more than importing and accumulating precious metals.

National iconography

The symbols, icons, and imagery associated with a nation that represent its identity and culture.

Nationalism

A political ideology centered on the belief that a nation should govern itself, free from outside interference, and emphasizing national identity and pride.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

A military alliance formed in 1949 for mutual defense against aggression, primarily consisting of North American and European countries.

Nunavut

A territory in northern Canada, established in 1999, primarily inhabited by the Inuit people, with a degree of self-government.

Raison d’être

A French term meaning "reason for being," often used to describe the main purpose or justification for something.

Ratzel Organic Theory

A theory that views states as living organisms that need to expand and acquire territory to survive and thrive.

Reapportionment

The process of redistributing representation in a legislative body based on population changes.

Regionalism

The tendency for regions to demand greater autonomy or to emphasize regional identity and interests.

Relict boundary

A boundary that no longer functions as an official border but remains visible in the landscape and has historical significance.

Satellite state

A country that is formally independent but heavily influenced or controlled by another, more powerful state.

Separatism

The advocacy or practice of a group seeking to break away from a larger political entity to form an independent state or gain greater autonomy.

Shatterbelt

A region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces, often leading to persistent conflict and fragmentation.

Spykman’s Rimland Theory

A geopolitical theory that argues that control of the coastal fringes or "rimlands" of Eurasia is key to global power.

Subsequent boundary

A boundary drawn after the development of the cultural landscape, taking into account existing cultural and social patterns.

Superimposed boundary

A boundary drawn by external powers without regard to existing cultural or ethnic divisions.

Supranationalism

A process where multiple countries form an organization or alliance to achieve shared objectives, often involving the surrender of some degree of sovereignty.

Territoriality

The connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land and the desire to control and defend it.

UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)

An international treaty that sets rules for the use of the world's oceans.