AP Human Geography Unit 4

These flashcards cover key concepts about political entities, government systems, and related terminology from the lecture notes.

State

A political entity with defined territory, permanent population, government, sovereignty, and recognition from other states.

Stateless Nation

A group of people without a state to occupy, such as the Kurds or Palestinians.

Nation-State

A state in which the borders of the nation match the borders of the state, ideally containing only one nation.

Multinational State

A country with diverse ethnicities and cultures within its borders, making governance complex.

Devolution

The transfer of power from a central government to regional governments, often to appease regional sentiments.

Chokepoint

A narrow area between two larger regions that controls significant amounts of trade.

Census

An official population count done every ten years, including demographic data used for government planning.

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a state into smaller, often hostile, units due to ethnic or cultural divisions.

Irredentism

The policy of reclaiming territory that one believes is historically or ethnically theirs.

Proxy War

A conflict where two opposing countries support combatants that serve their interests instead of fighting directly.

Federal System

A government structure that shares power between a central authority and regional authorities, allowing for local governance.

Unitary System

A government structure where power is concentrated centrally, and regional authorities primarily implement national policies.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary created by an external power without regard for existing cultural boundaries.

Delimitation

The process of establishing the exact location of a boundary, often depicted in legal documents.

Consequent Boundary

A boundary that evolves as a result of the cultural landscape, often reflecting social divisions.

Territorial Waters

The sea area extending 12 nautical miles from a country's shoreline, under its jurisdiction.

Electoral Geography

The study of how geographical features influence political elections and the distribution of political power.