Unit 4 AP HuG

Nation

A group of people with shared culture, history, and homeland.

Nation-state

A state whose borders closely match a nation, e.g., Japan and Iceland.

Multinational state

One state with multiple nations inside, e.g., Russia, United Kingdom.

Multi-state nation

One nation divided across multiple states, e.g., Koreans in North & South.

Autonomous region

Self-rule granted within a state, e.g., Hong Kong, Greenland.

Stateless nation

Nations without a state of their own, e.g., Kurds, Palestinians.

Devolution

Transfer of power from central to regional governments.

Irredentism

Desire to reclaim land with your ethnic group, e.g., Russia in Crimea.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district boundaries for electoral advantage.

Supranational organization

An organization transcending national boundaries, e.g., UN, EU.

Centrifugal forces

Forces that lead to division or instability within a state.

Centripetal forces

Forces that promote unity and stability within a state.

Neocolonialism

Indirect control of a country through economic means.

Relic boundary

A boundary that no longer functions but is still visible, e.g., Berlin Wall.

Superimposed boundary

A boundary drawn by an outside power, ignoring existing cultures.

Antecedent boundary

A boundary established before the population settled, e.g., U.S.–Canada 49th parallel.

Economic Alliance

A type of supranational organization aimed at achieving shared economic goals.

UNCLOS

UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which defines rights in international waters.

Choke point

A strategic narrow route providing passage, often of geopolitical significance.

Ethnic Cleansing

The forced removal of an ethnic group from a territory.