Political Geography, Boundaries, and State Concepts: Key Terms and Examples

Political Geography

Study of how political processes and geography interact

Sovereignty

A state's ability to govern itself without outside interference

Self-determination

The right of people to choose their own political status

Neocolonialism

Indirect control of a country through economic or political pressure

Defined Boundary

Boundary established by a legal document or treaty

Delimited Boundary

Boundary drawn on a map

Demarcated Boundary

Boundary marked by physical objects like fences or walls

Administered Boundary

Boundary that is actively controlled and enforced

Physical Boundary

Boundary formed by natural features such as rivers or mountains

Cultural (Geometric) Boundary

Boundary created using straight lines or cultural features

Antecedent Boundary

Boundary created before an area is settled

Antecedent Boundary Example

U.S.-Canada border along the 49th parallel

Subsequent Boundary

Boundary created after settlement that reflects cultural differences

Subsequent Boundary Example

Many European country borders

Superimposed Boundary

Boundary imposed without regard to existing cultural patterns

Superimposed Boundary Example

African borders created by European colonizers

Relic Boundary

Boundary that no longer exists but still affects culture or politics

Relic Boundary Example

The Berlin Wall

State

A politically organized territory with borders, population, and sovereignty

Nation

A group of people with shared culture, language, or history

Nation-State

A state where most people share the same national identity

Stateless Nation

A nation without its own sovereign state

Multinational State

A state containing multiple nations

Multi-State Nation

A nation spread across multiple states

Ethnic Enclave

A small area dominated by a minority ethnic group

Ethnic Enclave Example

Chinatown in New York City

Ethnic Exclave

An ethnic group separated from its main population

Irredentism

When a country wants to reclaim land it believes is culturally or historically its own

Autonomous Region

A region with significant self-rule within a state

Autonomous Region Example

Greenland (Denmark)

Semi-Autonomous Region

A region with limited self-rule

Semi-Autonomous Region Example

Hong Kong (China)

Shatterbelt

A region caught between stronger powers, causing instability

Shatterbelt Example

The Middle East

Irredentism

When a country wants to reclaim land it believes belongs to its nation

Irredentism example

Russia's interest in Crimea

Imperialism

Includes a variety of ways of influencing a country or group of people

Colonialism

Type of imperialism in which people move into and settle land of another country

Devolution

The transfer of power from the central government to subnational levels of government, mostly following regional lines

Territoriality

Willingness to defend your area/when people want to annex another place

Definition boundary dispute

Disagreement over interpretation of defined boundary

Definition boundary dispute example

Andes mountains

Resources boundary dispute

Dispute over resources

Resources boundary dispute example

Drilling oil rights, arable land, maritime boundaries

Function boundary dispute

When neighboring countries can't agree on possibilities that apply in a border/area