Ap human geo - unit 4

Autonomous regions

Areas within a country that have some degree of self-governance and control over their affairs.

Centrifugal forces

Factors that divide people and destabilize a country, such as religious conflict or economic inequality.

Centripetal forces

Factors that unite people and strengthen a country, such as a common language or shared national identity.

Chokepoints

Narrow strategic waterways or passages that are crucial for international trade and military control.

Commonwealth

A political association of former colonies or territories that maintain economic and cultural ties with a larger state.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments, often due to cultural or political pressures.

Federal states

Countries where power is shared between a central government and regional governments.

Gerrymandering

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

Irredentism

A political movement to reclaim and reunite lost territory with a nation due to cultural or historical ties.

Law of the sea

A set of international rules that govern maritime rights, including territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

Multinational states

Countries that contain multiple ethnic or national groups with distinct identities.

Multistate nations

A cultural or ethnic group that is spread across multiple countries.

Nation-states

A country whose political boundaries align closely with the territory of a single ethnic or cultural group.

Nations

A group of people with a shared culture, history, and identity, often seeking political autonomy or recognition.

Neocolonialism

The continued economic and political influence of former colonial powers over independent developing nations.

Self-determination

The right of a people or nation to govern themselves and make their own political decisions.

Semi-autonomous regions

Areas that have some limited self-rule but still fall under the authority of a larger political entity.

Shatterbelts

Regions caught between conflicting external powers, often experiencing political instability.

Sovereignty

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

Stateless nations

Ethnic or cultural groups that do not have their own independent state.

Subnational political territorial units

Divisions within a country that have varying degrees of governmental authority.

Supranational organizations

Groups of multiple countries that work together for common goals.

Supranationalism

The process of countries giving up some sovereignty to work together for political, economic, or military purposes.

Territoriality

The connection of people to a specific land area, often leading to the desire for political control over it.

Relic boundary

A boundary that no longer exists but still affects cultural or political divisions.

Superimposed boundary

A boundary imposed by outside forces without regard to existing cultural or ethnic divisions.

Subsequent boundary

A boundary that develops over time due to cultural changes or conflict.

Antecedent boundary

A boundary established before significant human settlement.

Geometric boundary

A boundary based on straight lines or latitude and longitude.