APHG Unit 4

State

Country

Nation

Nationality: group of people sharing common culture, language, religion

Ex: Kurds

Nation-State

A country where most people share the same national identitiy

Ex: Japan

Statless Nation

A nation that does NOT have its own state. Often want autonomy/independence

Ex: Kurds

Mulitnational State

One state that contains many different nations

Ex: Canada (English, French, Indigenous)

Multistate Naton

A nation divided amough multiple states

Ex: North and South Korea, they are all Korean

Autonomous Region

A part of state that governs itself & has a lot of self ruleHas , but still belongs to a country

Semi-Autonomous

A part of a state that has some self-rule, but less freedom than an autonomous state. The central government has the control

Theocracy

A form of government in which religious leaders control the state and laws based on religious. State & religion intertwined

Ex: Vatican City-Popo serves as the poltical & religious leader

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference

Ex: China

Self-Determination

The right of the people to decide their politicla status and form of governement

Ex: South Sudan (2011)

Colonialism

Direct political and economic control of territory by a FOREGIN powers

Ex: British India

Imperialism

Expansion of power through military, economic, or political domaniance, often w/settlement

Ex: Scramble of Africa

Independence movements

Efforts by colonized or dominated people to gain soveriegty

Ex: Ghana

Devolution Along National Lines

Transfer of power from a central government to regions based on ethnicity/nationality

Ex: Scotland (UK)

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional/local governments often to address ethnic, cultural, or economic differences

Ex: Scotland gaining its own parliament within UK

Balkanization

The fragment of a stat into smaller, units along ethnic, cultural, or eligious lines. It is usualy violent

Ex: Breakup of Yugolslavia into Bosnia, Crotia, Slovenia, Serbia etc.

Differences between Devolution & Balkanization

Devultion: peaceful/organized transfer of power within a state- can prevent Balkanization by giving regions autonomy before conflict escalates

Balkanization: violent into fragments of a state- when centrifugal forces overwhelm centripetal forces

Neocolonialism

Indriect economic and political influence over former colonies by wealthy states

Ex: United States maintains control a significant portion of the Global Market in the Philippines

Shatterbelt

Politically unstable region caught between cometeting powers

Ex:Middle East

Choke Point

Strategic narrow passage controlling trade/military movement

Ex: Straight of Hormuz

Territroiality

Strong connection between people, culture, economy, and land often tied to identity & sovereignty

Ex: Indigenous land rights

Heartland Theory

Halford Mackinder 1904

Whoever controls the center of the contienent (heart) can control the world

Rimland Theory

Nicholas Spyman 1942

Whoever controls the coastal edges of contients can control the world

Domino Theory

If one country falls, nearby countries will fall next

Organic Theory

A country is like a living body- it

Relic Boundary

Boundary that is no longer functional but still impacts culutre/politics

Ex: Wall of China, Berlin Wall

Superimposed Boundary

Imposed by external powers without reguard to local cultures

Ex: Scramble of Africa

Subsequent Boundary

Established after settlement to reflect cultrual differences

Antecedent Boundary

Established before population settlement.

Ex: US-Canada border

Geometric

Straight-line boundary using lat/long, most are super imposed and break up cultures

Ex: US-Mexico

Consequent Boundary

Follows physical or cultural features after settlement

Nature & Function of Boundaries

Defined= written in treatie

Delimited-drawn on mas

Demarcated= physically marked on land

Administered= enforced by states

Contested boundaries

Boundaries where 2 parties disagree, leading to disputes over ownership, control, or location

Ex: Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, which are controlled by Japan but claimed by both China and Taiwan

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

Territorial Sea: 12 nautical miles- state = full sovereignty

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): 200 naurical miles = fish, gas, oil

Compact state

Everywhere is equal distance from the center

• Good for communication

• Centralized governemt

• Easier to defend

Prorupted State

Usually compact, but with a little tail

Ex: Thailand

Perforated State

Completely surrounds another, smaller state

Ex: South Africa around Lesotho

Elongated State

Long, narrow

Ex: Chile

Fragmented State

Mulitple pieces

Usually Isalnds

Ex: Indonesia

Landlock state

No direct access to ocean

• Trade disadvantages, economic dependency on neighbors, relys on rivers

Ex: Niger

Enclave

A territory completely surrounded by another state BUT culturally/politically distinct from it

• Dependent on surrounding state for trade & acess

Exclave

A territory of a state serperated from the main part of the country by another state’s territory

Ex: Alaska

Voting Districts

Geographic units for electing representatives

Ex: US congressional distrcts

Reapportionment

The process of redistritubtuing seats in the legislative body based on population changes determined by the census

Ex: After 2020 census, Texas gained 2 seats in HOR while NY & CA lost seats

Redistricting

Redrawing district boundaries after census data

Can be fair or biased, ties into gerrymandering

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district to favor a political party/group

Ex: Packing & cracking minorities

Unitary State

Power concentrated in the central governement, promotes uniformity

Ex: France, Japan

Federal State

Power shared between national and local governments

Ex: USA

Physical Geography

Mountians/distance isolate regions

Ex: Himalayas

Ethnic Separatism

Groups seeking political autonomy/independence

Ethnic Cleansing

Forced removal of ethnic groups to create homogeneity

Ex: 1990s

Terrorism

Violence used to destabliize governments and influence politics

Ex: ISIS

Economi

Creating economies of scale

Pooling resources & coordinating policies reduce production & distribtuoin costs]La

Larger markets boost effciency

EX: EU single market allows free movement of goods, services, labor

Military alliances

Collective security means an attack on one is an attack on all

Members coordinate defense and may station troops collectively

Ex: NATO- limits independent military control