4.5 The Function of Political Boundaries

Boundaries are created to…

show the limits of political power.

Boundaries help create a…

sense of place.

Defined Boundary

Established by a legal document.

Delimited Boundary

A line drawn on a map

Demarcated Boundary

Physical markers or barriers that show a boundary

A treaty that separates countries is an example of a…

defined boundary.

A dashed line representing a state border is an example of a…

delimited boundary.

A fence between properties is an example of a…

demarcated boundary.

Boundaries drawn in Europe after WWI followed…

linguistic lines.

Boundaries between India and Pakistan, and India and Bangladesh divided…

Hindus and Muslims.

Boundaries between England and Wales, and Spain and France match…

national group homelands.

Borders between wealthy suburbs and poorer cities reflect…

economic divisions.

Locational/Territorial Boundary Disputes

Conflicts about who owns an area

Operational/Functional Boundary Disputes

Conflicts about the international policies at a border

Allocational/Resource Boundary Disputes

Conflicts about the use of resources on or near a boundary

Definitional/Positional Boundary Disputes

Conflicts about the location of a boundary or how it is shown on the ground