Unit 4: Political Organization of Space

Antecedent Boundaries

A boundary line established before an area is populated.

Balkanization

The political process by which a state may break up into smaller countries.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that tend to divide a country.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that tend to unite or bind a country together.

Democratization

The process of establishing representative forms of government led by popularly elected officials.

Devolution

The central government loses power to regional or local governments.

European Union

International organization comprised of Western European countries to promote free trade among members.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographical territories rather than concentrated within a central government.

Gerrymandering

The designation of voting districts so as to favor a particular political party or candidate.

Imperialism

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

Nation

Tightly knit group of individuals sharing a common language, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes.

Nationalism

A sense of national pride.

Nation-State

A country whose population is culturally homogeneous.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

An international organization that has joined for military purposes to mainly protect Europe.

Physical Boundary

Political boundaries that correspond with physical features such as mountain ranges or rivers.

Redistricting

The drawing of new electoral district boundary lines in response to population changes from the latest census data.

Relic Boundaries

Old political boundaries that no longer exist as international borders, but that have left an enduring mark on the local cultural or environmental geography.

Self- Determination

The right of a nation to govern itself autonomously.

Sovereignty

Supreme or independent political power.

State

A politically organized territory that is administered by a sovereign government and is recognized by the international community.

Stateless Nation

A group of people with a common political identity who do not have a sovereign country of their own.

Subsequent Boundaries

Boundary line established after an area has been settled that considers the social and cultural characteristics of the area.

Superimposed Boundaries

Boundary line drawn in an area by an outside power ignoring the existing cultural pattern.

Supranational Organization

International organization of three or more states to promote shared objectives.

Unitary State

A state governed constitutionally as a unit.

United Nations

A global supranational organization established at the end of World War 2 to foster international security and cooperation

Irredentism

People should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or historically related

Law of the Sea

Laws establishing state's rights concerning the use of the earth's seas and oceans

Territoriality

The connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land.

Shatterbelt

an area of instability between regions with opposing political and cultural values

geometric boundary

Political boundaries that are defined and delimited by straight lines. It is often unrelated to physical or cultural differences.

consequent boundary

a boundary line that coincides with some cultural divide, such as religion or language

Defined Boundary

a boundary established by a legal

document, such as a treaty.

Delimited Boundary

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

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

Neocolonialism

Economic dominance of a weaker country by a more powerful one, while maintaining the legal independence of the weaker state.

choke point

A geographical land feature such as a valley or water way narrowing causing a decrease in forces making their way through.

Autonomous region

an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority

multistate nation

nation that stretches across borders and across states

transnational

operating across national boundaries; global

economies of scale

a saving in costs gained by an increased level of production.

African Union (AU)

An organization of African nations pursuing greater political and economic integration across the continent

Arctic Council

Members include countries with territory in the Arctic

Promotes sustainable development

Dedicated to protecting the regions environment

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

A political and economic multinational organization includes the countries of SE Asia.

failed state

A state so weak that its political structures collapse, leading to anarchy and violence

Ethnonationalism

The identification and loyalty a person may feel for his or her ethnic group.