AP Human Geography - Unit 4

Political Organization of Space

Nation

a people who share a common heritage, are unified by shared values and heritage, and typically claim a specific location as their homeland based on tradition

State

synonymous with country

Nation-State

A singular nation of people who fulfill the qualifications of a state

Multinational State

a country that contains more than one nation

Stateless Nation

cultural groups that have no independent political entity

Multistate Nations

a nation has a state of its own but stretches across borders of other states

Autonomous Region

A defined area within a state that has a high degree of self-government and freedom from its parent state

Fall of Communism

This has changed the balance of world power, including the formation of new states

Heartland Theory

Mackinder's theory that land based power was essential to world domination

Organic Theory

Ratzel's theory that states are living organisms, and they need living space and growth to not only survive but remain strong

Antecedent Boundary

a boundary created before an area is known or populated

Geometric Boundary

the 49th parallel is a good example of this

Militarized Boundary

the Berlin Wall is an example of this

Unitary State

states with this kind of government allow little to no power/sovereignty for their sub-units; most states of this kind are located in Europe

Territorial Sea

a state has sovereignty up to 12 miles off their coast; commercial vessels pass, non-commercial can be challenged

Territoriality

a willingness by one person or a group of people to defend space they claim

Federal State

states with this kind of government allow powers/sovereignty for their sub-units; examples would include Canada and the United States

EEZ

the 200 mile radius off the coast where a country has exclusive rights to harvest resources

Frontier

an area at the edge of any type of effective political control or at the edge of a settlement

Subsequent Boundary

a boundary created after settlement, usually meant to separate existing cultural groups

Natural Boundary

the Sadra River is an example of this

NAFTA

regional trade blocs that can challenge state sovereignty

Devolution

the process in which power moves from the central government to subnational units

Balkanization

the complete breaking up of a country

Subnationlist

people who have a primary allegiance to a traditional group or ethnicity, rather than their central state

Centrifugal Forces

armed conflicts, uneven economic development, stateless nations, ethnic movements

Centripetal Forces

national identity; equitable infrastructure development; linguistic, cultural, ethnic homogeneity

Nationlism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country

Colonialism

Attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory.

Geopolitics

study of government and its policies as affected by physical geography

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

State Morphology

study of states' shapes and their effects

Municipality

A city, town, etc. having its own incorporated government for local affairs.

Supranationalism

three or more countries agree to give up a degree of autonomy in order to pursue common goals. (ex. European Union)

Irredentism

a policy of cultural extension and potential political expansion by a country aimed at a group of its nationals living in a neighboring country

Democratization

the process of creating a government elected by the people

Ethnic exclaves

an area populated by an ethnic group separated from the main territory occupied by the same ethnic group

Ethnic enclaves

neighborhoods where people from similar cultures live together and assert cultural distinction from the dominant group

Ethnic separatism

desired regional autonomy expressed by a culturally distinctive group within a larger, politically dominant culture

Terrorism

the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if they were attacked by any other country; US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries

United Nations

an organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries: intergovernmental oil demand supply market

Gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

UNCLOS

A code of maritime law approved by the United Nations in 1982 that authorizes, among other provisions, territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles (22km) from shore and 200-nautical-mile-wide (370-km-wide) exclusive economic zones.

Open Borders

An open border is a border that enables free movement of people between different jurisdictions with limited or no restrictions on movement.

Ethnographic Border

a cultural boundary that runs along differences in ethnicity, such as language and religion.

Superimposed Border

a political boundary/border placed by powerful outsiders on a developed human landscape

Relic Boundary/Border

A boundary no longer observed but that still affects the present-day area (e.g. border between West and East Germany in Berlin)

Allocational Boundary Dispute

A boundary dispute that involves conflicting claims to the natural resources of a border region.

Operational Boundary Dispute

Conflict over the way a boundary should operate or function, such as the conflict over allowing migration across the border

Locational Boundary Dispute

Conflict over the location or place of a boundary

Definitional Boundary Dispute

focus on the legal language of the boundary agreement

Defined Boundary

one established by a legal document, such as a treaty.

Demarcated Boundary

identified by physical objects place on the landscape, such as a sign, wall, or fence.

Administered Boundary

The enforcement and maintaining of a boundary by a government

Internal Boundaries

physical, cultural, or geometric boundaries within a country (such as provinces or states)

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Political Map

A map showing units such as countries, states, provinces, districts, etc. Each is normally a different color

Delimited Boundary

a line drawn on a map to show the limits of a space

Communism

advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Autonomy

the right or condition of self-government.

Agrarianism

a social or political movement designed to bring about land reforms or to improve the economic status of the farmer

Rimland theory

Spykman's theory that controlling key maritime areas of the world leads to world domination, as it provides varied resources, including the sea.

Maritime

Of, relating to, or bordering on the sea.