AP Human Geography - Unit 4 Vocabulary

65 vocabulary flashcards related to Ethnic and Political Geography from AP Human Geography Unit 4.

Apartheid

A policy of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.

Balkanization

The process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller, often hostile units.

Balkanized

Describes a region that has been divided into smaller, often hostile, units.

Blockbusting

The practice of persuading owners to sell their properties cheap by instilling fear of racial integration.

Centripetal force

An attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape.

De Jure Segregation

Racial segregation that is enforced by law.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation that occurs without formal legal requirements.

Ethnic cleansing

The systematic removal or extermination of an ethnic group from a territory.

Ethnicity

A group of people who share a common cultural identity.

Levittown

A planned community in the U.S. that became a symbol of suburban development and racial segregation.

Multi-ethnic state

A state that contains two or more ethnic groups.

Multinational state

A state that contains two or more nationalities with self-determination.

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride and devotion to one's nation.

Nationality

Identity based on a shared culture, language, and territory.

Nation-state

A recognized political entity whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity.

Race

A categorization of people based on physical characteristics.

Racism

The belief that one race is superior to others.

Racist

A person who shows prejudice or discrimination against people of different races.

Self-determination

The concept that ethnic groups have the right to govern themselves.

Sharecropper

A farmer who works land owned by another person and pays rent with a portion of the crops.

Triangular slave trade

An enslaving system involving the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

White Flight

The movement of white residents from neighborhoods as minorities moved in.

Zionism

A movement for the re-establishment of a Jewish nation in Palestine.

Alliance

An agreement between parties to cooperate for specific purposes.

Annexation

The process of legally adding land area to a city or state.

Balance of Power

A distribution of power among nations to prevent any one nation from dominating.

Boundary

A defined line that marks the limits of a state's territory.

Centrifugal force

A factor that divides a state and creates instability.

Colonialism/colonization

The establishment of control over a foreign territory.

Compact state

A state where the distance from the center to any boundary is relatively uniform.

Core area

The central part of a country typically containing the most developed infrastructure.

Democratization

The transition to a more democratic political regime.

Elongated state

A state that is long and narrow in shape.

Enclave

A territory enclosed within another territory.

European Union

A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.

Exclave

A part of a country that is separated from the main part and surrounded by foreign territory.

Federal state

A political system where power is shared between a central government and local entities.

Fragmented State

A country that consists of several disconnected pieces of territory.

Frontier

A zone where no state exercises complete political control.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries for political advantage.

Heartland

The central region of a country, often politically or strategically significant.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization.

Landlocked state

A state that has no coastline or access to the ocean.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that favors exporting more than importing.

Microstate

A very small sovereign state.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

Private sector organizations that have specific agendas and objectives.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

An agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States to promote trade.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance established for mutual defense among member states.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

A group of oil-producing countries that coordinates petroleum policies.

Perforated state

A state whose territory completely surrounds another state.

Prorupted state

A state that has a long extension or arm of territory.

Ratzel's organic theory

A theory suggesting that states are like organisms that need space to grow.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating seats in the legislative body.

Redistricting

The redrawing of electoral district boundaries.

Sovereignty

Supreme power or authority of a state to govern itself.

State

A politically organized entity with a permanent population and government.

Stateless nation

An ethnic group that does not possess its own state.

Supranationalism

The process of extending authority beyond national boundaries.

Territorial seas

The waters adjacent to a state’s coast, where the state has jurisdiction.

Terrorism

The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians.

Unitary system

A political system where most of the power lies with the central government.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation.