HGAP Unit 4 Vocab Modules 25-29

Political Geography

Branch of human geography concerned w/ spatial analysis of political systems

Political Map

Map that shows spatial organization of countries/territories on the entire globe at a specific time

State

(AKA country) Independent political unit w/ centralized authority that makes it claim legal/political/economic jurisdiction over region w/ defined borders

Independent State

State that rules itself & is not subject to authority of another state

Sovereign State

State that possesses sole authority over land & its people in borders

Nation

Community of people bound to homeland w/ common identity based on shared cultural traits

Nation-State

Ideal political unit; geographic boundaries match territory, culture & authority exactly line up together

Nation-State Ideal

Idea that political authorities govern everyone; state-based citizen rights to solidify natural identity

Nationalism

Sense of belonging to/self-identifying w/ national culture; belonging to a nation

Stateless Nation

Ethnic group (nation) that does not possess its own state & is not majority of any nation-state

Multi-National State

Country containing multiple nations/ethnic groups

Multi-state Nations

Ethnic groups territorially divided by more than 1 international boundary

Autonomous Region/Semi-Autonomous Region

Sub-division/dependent territory of country w/ a degree of self-gov./Autonomy in decision making

Self Determination

Nation's ability to determine own statehood & form its own allegiances/Gov.; freedom to govern themselves

Core Area

Small territorial group where country grows over time

Escarpments

Abrupt slopes that break up continuity of terrain

Effective Sovereignty

Idea that state's power to enforce freedom extends beyond territory and varies over time

Devolution

Movement of power from central gov. to regional gov. of states

Ethno-Nationalism

Form of nationalism in which nation is defined by ethnic identity

Neo-Colonialism

Set of economic/political strategies in which powerful countries indirectly maintain influence over less wealthy areas

Peripheral States

States w/ relatively low development/industrialization; agriculture-based economy, etc.

Core States

States w/ advanced technology & military, complex manufacturing, etc.

Shatterbelt

Region of continuing/persistent fragmentation due to devolution & centrifugal forces

Choke-Point

Narrow passage that restricts traffic to another region

Strait

Narrow body of water connecting 2 larger bodies of water

Boundary

Clearly defined line that marks limit of territory & divisions between territories

Median Line Principle

Approach to dividing/creating boundaries at midpoint of 2 places

Borderland

Region where natural cultures mix, found at borders and blend national cultures together

Frontier

A region at the margins of state control/settlement

Enclave

Territory surrounded by country but not ruled by it

Exclave

Part of national territory seperated from main body of country

Delimited

Describing how boundaries are fixed/defined to identity their limits

Demarcated

Describing how boundaries are set apart to distinguish their limits

Relic Boundary

Boundary that no longer functions as an international border

Super-Imposed Boundary

Boundaries placed regardless of any previous borders

Subsequent Boundary

Political boundary developed w/ cultural landscape

Antecedent Boundary

Boundary identified before any settlement

Geometric Boundary

Boundary w/ perfectly straight lines w/o regard to physical landscape

Consequent Boundary

Drawn to accommodate cultural differences

Demilitarized Zone

Area where treaties between nations forbid military instillation, personnel, etc.' Found on frontier between 2 military powers

Buffer State

Politically/economically weak independent country that lies between borders

Satellite State

Independent country economically, politically, and militarily controlled by powerful state

UNCLOS

Conference organized to define territory boundaries/rights to the sea

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Zone that extends 200 nautical miles (nm) in which coastal states have right to use waters/resources in that zone

Arctic Circle

Area defined by 66 degrees, 34 minutes north latitude line

Electoral Geography

Sub-field of political geography that analyzes the geography of political preferences and how geography shapes voting outcomes

Voting District

Territorial division for casting votes in public elections; only those who live in voting district and permitted to cast their vote

Electoral College

Body of 538 electors in the U.S meeting of electors to cast votes for president and vice president; 270 votes needed to elect president

Reapportionment

Process by which 435 seats in House of Representatives are divided proportionally by population among 50 states following U.S census

Redistricting

Process of drawing new boundaries for U.S congressional districts to reflect population changes

Gerrymandering

Manipulation of voting district boundaries to favor particular political outcome

Packing

Gerrymandering by concentrating opposition party to 1 district to ensure they cannot win the election

Cracking

Gerrymandering by dividing opposition votes into many districts to dilute cotes to ensure no majority formed in any district