Political Geography and Economic Development Flashcards

Flashcards covering political geography and economic development.

State

A politically organized territory with a permanent population, defined territory, government, and recognition by other states.

Nation

A group of people with a shared culture, history, language, and/or ethnicity.

Nation-state

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality.

Stateless nation

A nation that does not have a state.

Multinational state

A state that contains two or more nations.

Multistate nation

A nation that transcends the borders of two or more states.

Autonomous region

An area within a state that has a high degree of self-government and freedom from its parent state.

Semiautonomous region

An area within a state that has a moderate degree of self-government and freedom from its parent state.

Sovereignty

The supreme authority of a state to govern itself.

Self-determination

The right of a nation to govern itself without external interference.

Colonialism

The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Imperialism

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

Independence movement

An organized effort by a group to achieve political autonomy or secession from a larger state.

Devolution

The transfer of powers and responsibilities from a central government to regional governments.

Neocolonialism

The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former colonies.

Shatterbelt

A region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces, under persistent stress, and often fragmented by aggressive rivals.

Choke point

A strategic narrow route providing passage through or to another region.

Territoriality

The attempt by an individual or group to affect, influence, or control people, phenomena, and relationships by asserting control over a geographic area.

Relic boundary

A boundary that no longer functions but still leaves a visible mark on the landscape.

Superimposed boundary

A boundary imposed on an area by a conquering or colonizing power without regard to existing cultural patterns.

Subsequent boundary

A boundary that is established after the population has established its spatial layout.

Geometric boundary

A boundary created by using lines of latitude and longitude.

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.

Delimited boundary

A boundary that is drawn on a map.

Demarcated boundary

A boundary that is physically marked on the ground.

Demilitarized zone

An area in which military forces or operations are prohibited.

Berlin Conference

A meeting in 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed on rules colonization of Africa.

Land boundary

A boundary that divides two countries or regions on land.

Maritime boundary

A boundary that divides two countries or regions in the ocean.

UNCLOS

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources.

International waters

Areas of the ocean beyond the territorial sea, available to all states for navigation, overflight, fishing, and other purposes.

Territorial sea

A belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state.

Exclusive economic zone

An area of coastal water and seabed within 200 nautical miles of a country's coastline, to which the country claims exclusive rights for fishing, drilling, and other economic activities.

Voting district

A geographical area with specific boundaries, that is represented by an elected official.

Redistricting

The redrawing of electoral district boundaries to ensure equal representation of the population.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to favor one political party or group over another.

Unitary state

A state in which most political power is held by the central government.

Federal state

A state in which power is divided between a central government and regional governments.

Ethnic separatism

Advocacy of or attempts at separation of an ethnic group from a larger state.

Ethnic cleansing

The systematic forced removal or extermination of members of a particular ethnic group from a territory.

Terrorism

The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

Irredentism

A political movement that intends to reunite a nation or reclaim lost territory.

Supranationalism

A venture involving three or more states political, economic, and/or cultural cooperation to promote shared objectives.

Democratization

The transition to a more democratic political regime.

Economies of scale

The cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to size, output, or scale of operation.

Trade agreements

Treaties between countries that reduce barriers to international trade.

Military alliances

Agreements between countries to provide military support to each other.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of European and North American countries.

European Union

A political and economic alliance of European countries.

ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a political and economic organization of Southeast Asian countries.

Arctic Council

A high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic.

African Union

A continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.

Centrifugal force

A force that divides people and countries.

Failed state

A state whose political or economic system has become so weak that the government is no longer in control.

Ethnic nationalist movement

A social movement that seeks to promote the interests and identity of a particular ethnic group.

Centripetal force

A force that unites people and countries.

Ethnonationalism

A form of nationalism in which the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity.

Infrastructure development

The construction of basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

Cultural cohesion

The degree to which people within a group or society identify with and support one another, especially regarding shared beliefs and values.

New manufacturing zones

Areas designated to attract foreign investment and promote export-oriented production.

Special economic zones

Designated areas in countries that possess special economic regulations that are different from other areas in the same country.

Free-trade zones

A geographic area where goods may be landed, stored, handled, manufactured, and re-exported without the intervention of the customs authorities.

Export processing zones

Areas in developing countries that offer incentives and a barrier-free environment to promote economic growth by attracting foreign investment for export-oriented production.

International division of labor

The specialization of cooperative labor in specific tasks and roles.

Post-Fordist methods of production

Flexible production that uses information technologies to allow production of a wider variety of goods, often customized for niche markets.

Multiplier effects

The proportional amount of increase, or decrease, in final income that results from an injection, or withdrawal, of spending.

Agglomeration

The clustering of businesses or industries in a specific location to benefit from shared resources, infrastructure, or knowledge.

Just-in-time delivery

A strategy that companies employ to increase efficiency and decrease waste by receiving goods only when they are needed in the production process, thereby reducing inventory costs.

Service sectors

The part of the economy that provides services to businesses and consumers.

High technology industries

Businesses that involve the design, development, and introduction of new products and/or innovative services.

Growth poles

A region with an unusually high rate of economic growth and development.

Sustainable development

Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.

Ecotourism

Tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.