AP Human Geo unit 4 vocab

Administered boundaries

Borders managed and enforced by a governing authority.

Independence movements

Efforts by a region or group to gain sovereignty from an existing state.

African Union (AU)

An organization promoting political cooperation and economic development among African states.

Independent state

A politically organized territory with sovereignty, population, and defined boundaries.

Antecedent boundaries

Borders established before significant settlement.

Irredentism

A movement to reclaim territory culturally or ethnically linked to a nation.

Arctic Council

A forum addressing environmental and political issues in the Arctic region.

Land boundaries

Political borders separating territories on land.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Regional organization promoting economic and political cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Maritime boundaries

Borders defining control over seas and oceans.

Autonomous region

A region with self-governing powers within a sovereign state.

Military alliances

Agreements among states for collective defense.

Choke points

Strategic narrow passages controlling trade or military movement.

Multinational state

A state containing multiple nations or ethnic groups.

Colonialism

Control of a territory by an external power.

Multi-state nation

A nation spread across more than one state.

Consequent boundaries

Borders drawn after settlement that reflect cultural divisions.

Nation

A group sharing cultural traits such as language, history, or religion.

Cultural cohesion

The level of shared culture that promotes unity.

Nation-state

A state whose borders align with a single nation.

Defined boundaries

Borders officially agreed upon and recognized.

Neocolonialism

Indirect economic or political control of weaker states.

Delimited boundaries

Borders drawn on maps using legal documents.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance for collective security.

Demarcated boundaries

Boundaries marked physically on the landscape.

Redistricting

Redrawing voting district boundaries after population changes.

Demilitarized zones (DMZs)

Areas where military activity is restricted.

Relic boundaries

Former borders that no longer exist politically.

Democratization

Transition toward democratic governance.

Self-determination

The right of people to choose their own political future.

Devolution

Transfer of power from a central government to regions.

Semi-autonomous region

A region with partial self-rule.

Economies of scale

Cost advantages from producing at a larger scale.

Shatterbelts

Conflict-prone regions between powerful states.

Equitable infrastructure development

Fair distribution of roads, schools, and services.

Sovereignty

A state's authority to govern itself.

Established territorial seas

Waters extending 12 nautical miles from a coast.

Stateless nation

A nation without its own state.

Ethnic cleansing

Forced removal of ethnic groups.

Subsequent boundaries

Borders created after settlement that reflect existing patterns.

Ethnic nationalist

A person or movement promoting ethnic interests.

Superimposed boundaries

Borders imposed without regard for cultural groups.

Ethnic separatism

Desire of an ethnic group to form its own state.

Supranationalism

Cooperation among states that limits sovereignty.

Ethnonationalism

Belief that a nation is defined by ethnicity.

Territoriality

Control of space to influence people.

European Union (EU)

A supranational organization promoting integration.

Terrorism

Violence used to achieve political goals.

Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)

200-nautical-mile zones with resource rights.

Trade agreements

Treaties reducing trade barriers.

Failed states

States unable to maintain order or services.

Uneven development

Economic inequality between regions.

Federal states

States that divide power between levels of government.

Unitary states

States with centralized government power.

Geometric boundaries

Straight-line borders.

United Nations (UN)

International organization promoting peace and cooperation.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating voting boundaries for political advantage.

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

Treaty defining maritime rights and boundaries.

Imperialism

Extending power through dominance or expansion.

Voting districts

Geographic areas electing representatives.