APHuG M. 25-28 vocab

Political geography

A branch of human geography concerned with the spatial analysis of political systems

Political map

A map that shows the spatial organization of the countries and territories on the entire globe at a given point in time

State / country

An independent political unit with a centralized authority that makes claim to sole legal, political, and economic jurisdiction over a region with defined boundaries

Independent state

A state that rules itself and is not subject to the authority of another state

Sovereign state

A state that possesses the sole authority over the land and people within its boundaries

Nation

A community of people bound to a homeland and possessing a common identity based on shared cultural traits such as language, ethnicity, and religion

Nation-state

The ideal political geographical unit; one in which the nation’s geographic boundaries exactly match the state’s territorial boundaries

Nationalism

Sense of belonging to and self-identifying with a national culture

Stateless nation

An ethnic group or nation that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation

Multinational state

A country containing multiple national, ethnic, and religious groups within its boundaries

Multistate nation

Ethnic groups territorially divided by one or more international boundaries

Autonomous region

A subdivision or dependent territory of a country that has a degree of self-government, or autonomy, in its decision-making

Semi- autonomous region

A subdivision or dependent territory of a country that has some degree of, but not complete, self-government

Self-determination

A nation’s ability to determine its own statehood and form its own allegiances and government; the freedom of culturally distinct groups to govern themselves in their own territories and form their own states

Devolution

The movement of power from the central government to regional governments within the state

Ethnonationalism

A form of nationalism in which the nation is defined in terms of ethnic identity

Neocolonialism

The set of economic and political strategies by which wealthy and powerful countries indirectly maintain or extend their influence over less wealthy areas

Peripheral states

States that have relatively little industrial development, simple production systems focused mostly on agriculture and raw materials, and low levels of consumption of manufactured goods

Core states

States that have the most advanced industrial and military technologies, complex manufacturing systems, external political power, and the highest levels of wealth and mass consumption

Shatterbelt

Region of continuing and persistent fragmentation due to devolution and centrifugal forces

Choke point

A narrow passage that restricts traffic to another region

Strait

A narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water

Boundary

A clearly demarcated line that marks both the limits of a territory and divisions between territories

Median line principle

An approach to dividing and creating boundaries at the midpoint between two places

Enclave

A territory surrounded by a country but not ruled by it

Exclave

Part of a national territory separated from the main body of the country to which it belongs

Territoriality

A political and cultural strategy used by individuals, groups, or organizations to claim power over an area of land and its people and resources

Delimited

Describing how boundaries are fixed or defined to identify their limits

Demarcated

Describing how boundaries are set apart to distinguish their limits

Relic boundary

A boundary that no longer functions as an international border

Superimposed boundary

A boundary that is placed on an area without regard to existing boundaries

Subsequent boundary

A political boundary that developed with the cultural landscape

Antecedent boundary

A boundary that was identified before an area was settled

Geometric boundary

A boundary that has regular, often perfectly straight, lines drawn without regard for an area's physical or cultural features

Consequent boundary

A boundary that is drawn to accommodate existing cultural differences

Demilitarized zone

An area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers, or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel

Satellite state

A nominally independent country that is politically, militarily, and economically controlled by a more powerful state

United Nations

International organization that is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and harmonizing the actions of nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

Conference organized to define territorial boundaries and rights to the sea

Exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

Zone that extends 200 nautical miles from shoreline in which coastal states have the sole right to exploit, develop, manage, and conserve all water resources lying beyond the land