unit 4 w examples

Nation

a group of people who share culture, language, history, or identity; example: the Kurds

Nation-State

a country where one nation makes up most of the population; example: Japan

Stateless Nation

a nation that does not have its own independent country; example: the Kurds

Multinational State

a single country that contains multiple nations or ethnic groups; example: the United Kingdom

Multistate Nation

a nation that is spread across more than one country; example: Koreans in North and South Korea

Autonomous Regions

regions with their own local government but still part of a country; example: Greenland in Denmark

Semi-Autonomous Regions

regions with limited self-rule under a stronger national government; example: Hong Kong in China

Sovereignty

the ability of a state to govern itself without outside control; example: France making its own laws

Self-Determination

the right of people to choose their own political status and government; example: South Sudan voting for independence

Colonialism

the direct control of a territory by a foreign country; example: Britain ruling India

Imperialism

a policy where a strong country controls weaker areas politically or economically; example: European control of Africa

Neocolonialism

indirect control of a country through economic or political pressure; example: foreign investment controlling African economies

Devolution

the transfer of power from a central government to regional governments; example: Scotland gaining more local power

Ethnic Separatism

when an ethnic group wants to break away and form its own country; example: Catalonia in Spain

Terrorism

the use of violence to intimidate people for political goals; example: the 9/11 attacks

Irredentism

when a country wants to reclaim land because its ethnic group lives there; example: Russia claiming Crimea

Democratization

the process of becoming more democratic with free elections; example: South Africa after apartheid

Economies of Scale

when production becomes cheaper as output increases; example: Walmart lowering prices by buying in bulk

Trade Agreements

formal agreements between countries to reduce trade barriers; example: USMCA

Supranationalism

when countries give up some power to an international organization; example: EU laws overriding national laws

United Nations (UN)

an international organization that promotes peace and cooperation; example: UN peacekeeping missions

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

a military alliance where members defend each other; example: NATO mutual defense agreements

European Union (EU)

a political and economic union of European countries; example: shared currency (euro)

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

a regional organization promoting cooperation in Southeast Asia; example: regional trade agreements

Arctic Council

an organization for cooperation among Arctic countries; example: environmental protection in the Arctic

African Union (AU)

an organization promoting unity and cooperation in Africa; example: peacekeeping missions

United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA)

a trade agreement between the US, Mexico, and Canada; example: reduced tariffs

Shatterbelt

a politically unstable region with ongoing conflict; example: the Middle East

Satellite State

a country that is controlled or heavily influenced by another; example: East Germany during the Cold War

Choke Points

narrow waterways that control trade and movement; example: the Suez Canal

Territoriality

a government’s control over its land and borders; example: enforcing national borders

Relic Boundary

a former boundary that no longer exists; example: the Berlin Wall

Superimposed Boundary

a boundary placed without regard to local cultures; example: colonial borders in Africa

Subsequent Boundary

a boundary created after people settle an area; example: the US–Mexico border

Antecedent Boundary

a boundary established before people settle; example: the US–Canada border

Geometric Boundary

a boundary drawn using straight lines or latitude and longitude; example: the 49th parallel

Consequent Boundary

a boundary adjusted to reflect cultural or ethnic differences; example: redrawn European borders

Defined Boundary

a boundary described in a legal document; example: borders written in treaties

Delimited Boundary

a boundary drawn on a map; example: mapped national borders

Demarcated Boundary

a boundary physically marked on the land; example: fences along borders

Demilitarized Zone

an area where military forces are not allowed; example: the Korean DMZ

Berlin Conference

an 1884 meeting where European powers divided Africa; example: colonial borders created

Maritime Boundary

a boundary that separates countries at sea; example: ocean borders

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

international rules governing ocean use; example: defining EEZs

International Waters

ocean areas not owned by any country; example: open seas

Territorial Zones

ocean areas close to shore controlled by a country; example: 12-mile territorial waters

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

ocean area up to 200 miles where a country controls resources; example: US fishing zones

Median Line Principle

method of dividing water equally between states; example: North Sea boundaries

Voting Districts

geographic areas used for elections; example: US congressional districts

Reapportionment

redistributing seats based on population changes; example: census-based seat changes

Redistricting

redrawing voting district boundaries; example: state map updates

Gerrymandering

unfair redistricting for political gain; example: oddly shaped districts

Unitary State

a system where power is centralized in one government; example: France

Federal State

a system where power is shared between national and local governments; example: United States

Ethnic Nationalist Movements

movements where ethnic groups seek political power or independence; example: Kurdish movement

Cultural Cohesion

the sharing of cultural traits that unite people; example: Japan’s common language

Apartheid

a system of racial segregation enforced by law; example: South Africa before 1994

Balkanization

the breakup of a region into smaller hostile states; example: Yugoslavia

Decolonization

the process of colonies gaining independence; example: India in 1947

Enclave

a country completely surrounded by another; example: Lesotho

Exclave

a part of a country separated from the main land; example: Alaska

Forward Capital

a capital city placed near borders to control territory; example: Brasília

Annexation

the forceful taking of land by a country; example: Russia taking Crimea

Buffer State

a country between two rival powers; example: Mongolia

Ethnic Cleansing

the forced removal of ethnic groups from an area; example: Bosnia in the 1990s

Centripetal Force

forces that unite and stabilize a country; example: shared national identity

Centrifugal Force

forces that divide and weaken a country; example: ethnic conflict