ap human geo unit 4

State

A political entity with defined territorial boundaries, a permanent population, a government, and the ability to enter into relations with other states.

Nation

A group of people who share common cultural characteristics, such as language, ethnicity, and history, but may or may not have a state.

Nation-State

A political entity that coincides with the boundaries of a nation, where the majority of the population shares common cultural characteristics (e.g., Japan or Iceland).

Multinational State

A state that contains multiple distinct nations or ethnic groups, often with different languages or cultural identities (e.g., Canada or Russia).

Autonomous Region

An area within a state that has a high degree of self-governance and control over its own affairs, but is still officially under the jurisdiction of the state (e.g., Hong Kong in China before 1997).

Semiautonomous Region

An area with some self-governing powers, but not as much independence as an autonomous region (e.g., Catalonia in Spain).

Stateless Nation

A cultural group or nation that does not have an independent state of its own (e.g., the Kurds or Palestinians).

Multi-State Nation

A nation that spans across the borders of multiple states, often with a shared culture, ethnicity, or language (e.g., the Arab nation, which exists in multiple countries in the Middle East and North Africa).

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself and control its territory without external interference.

Berlin Conference

A meeting in 1884-1885 where European powers divided Africa into colonies without regard to indigenous cultures or political structures, leading to the creation of arbitrary borders.

Self-Determination

The right of a people to determine their own political status, often leading to the creation of a sovereign state.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gain independence from colonial powers, often following World War II.

Devolution

• The process by which central government powers are transferred to regional governments, leading to greater local autonomy (e.g., the devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in the UK).

Territoriality

The connection or attachment that people have to a specific geographic area, often resulting in the assertion of control or ownership over it.

Neocolonialism

• The practice by which a powerful country indirectly controls or influences the economy, politics, or culture of a less powerful country, often through economic or political pressures.

Shatterbelts

Regions where there is significant political instability due to ethnic, cultural, or ideological conflicts, often the result of external powers’ influence (e.g., the Balkans or the Middle East).

Balkanization

The process by which a region or state breaks into smaller, often hostile, entities due to ethnic, political, or cultural divisions (e.g., the breakup of Yugoslavia).

Choke Point

A narrow, strategic passage or area that controls access to larger regions or trade routes (e.g., the Strait of Hormuz or the Panama Canal).

Antecedent

A political boundary that existed before the development of the cultural landscape (e.g., the boundary between the United States and Canada).

Subsequent

• A political boundary that is drawn after the development of the cultural landscape, often as a result of conflict or negotiation (e.g., the boundary between India and Pakistan).

Consequent

A boundary that is drawn to accommodate the existing cultural patterns or to address ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences.

Superimposed

A boundary imposed by an external force, often disregarding existing cultural or ethnic boundaries (e.g., the borders drawn by colonial powers in Africa).

Geometric

A political boundary that is straight or angular, typically without regard for physical or cultural features (e.g., the boundary between the United States and Canada in parts of the west).

Relic

A boundary that no longer exists but has left a cultural or political impact on the landscape (e.g., the Berlin Wall between East and West Germany).

Defined

A boundary that is established through legal or formal documents, often in the form of treaties.

Delimited

The process of drawing boundaries on a map, often as a preliminary step before physical demarcation.

Demarcated

The physical marking of a boundary on the landscape, such as fences, walls, or border signs.

Administered

The enforcement and management of a boundary, which can involve monitoring and controlling movement across it.

Definitional Boundary Dispute

A conflict over the legal definition of a boundary.

Locational Boundary Dispute

A conflict over the placement of a boundary, especially when it is unclear or ambiguous.

Operational Boundary Dispute

A disagreement about how a boundary should be administered or controlled.

Allocational Boundary Dispute

• A conflict over resources (e.g., water, oil) that are located near or across a boundary.

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

An international treaty that establishes the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to the use of the world’s oceans, including territorial seas and exclusive economic zones.

Territorial Sea

The area of the sea extending up to 12 nautical miles from a country's coastline, over which the country has full sovereignty.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ

A sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country's coast, where it has special rights to explore and exploit marine resources.

Census

A systematic count of the population and collection of demographic data, often used for political or administrative purposes.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating representatives in a legislative body based on changes in population distribution.

Electoral College

The body of electors chosen by the people in a presidential election, which formally elects the president and vice president of the United States.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries to ensure they reflect changes in population and maintain equal representation.

Voting District

A geographic area in which a specific number of voters elect a representative to a legislative body.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

Packing

A gerrymandering technique that concentrates opposition voters into a few districts to reduce their influence elsewhere.

Cracking

A gerrymandering technique that spreads opposition voters across many districts to dilute their influence.

Representative Districts

• Electoral districts created to ensure each representative represents roughly the same number of constituents.

Federal

A system of governance in which power is divided between a central government and regional or local governments (e.g., the United States or Germany).

Unitary

A system of governance in which power is concentrated in a central government, with little or no power granted to regional or local governments (e.g., France or the United Kingdom).

Ethnic Separatism

The desire of an ethnic group to separate from a larger political entity and form its own independent state.

Ethnic Cleansing

The forced removal or extermination of an ethnic or religious group from a particular area.

Terrorism

The use of violence or the threat of violence to achieve political goals, often to instill fear and challenge authority.

Irredentism

The desire of a nation to reclaim land that is perceived to belong to them based on historical or ethnic grounds (e.g., Russia’s claims to Crimea).

Supranational Organization

An organization or alliance of multiple countries that relinquish some sovereignty to work together for a common purpose (e.g., the European Union or the United Nations).

United Nations (UN)

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among member states.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries to provide collective defense against aggression.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of European countries that have established common policies on trade, security, and other issues.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

A regional intergovernmental organization of Southeast Asian countries focused on economic, political, and security cooperation.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

An international organization that regulates trade between nations and helps resolve disputes.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

A group of countries that coordinate their petroleum production and pricing policies.

Regionalism

the division of a country into regions that may have a distinct cultural, linguistic, or economic identity, which can be a centripetal or centrifugal force depending on context.

Ethnonationalism

• The belief that a particular ethnic group has the right to form its own nation-state, often leading to separatist movements or tensions.