Human Geo - Political Geography

Federal State

country where power is divided between a central national government and regional governments

examples of federal state

Russia, United States, Brazil, Australia

State

a political entity with a defined territory, permanent population, sovereign government, and the ability to engage in international relations.

Nation

a body of people having a common descent, history, culture, or language but without a separate of politically independent territory. such as the Kurds.

Nation state

a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent. Japan, and Iceland are good examples.

Multinaitonal state

countries with two or more distinct nationalities or ethnic groups. Such as Canada, or the UK

Multistate Nation

a single nation (people with shared culture/identity) spread across multiple sovereign states. Examples include the Kurds, and the Koreans

Stateless Nation

Stateless nations are ethnic or cultural groups without their own sovereign state, often inhabiting territories within multiple existing countries. Examples are the Palestinians, the Roma, and the Catalans

Unitary state

countries where the central government holds supreme power, with local governments deriving authority from it. such as France, Japan

Superimposed boundary

a political border forced onto a region by an external power, ignoring existing cultural, ethnic, or religious divisions. Examples are post-colonial Africa, US-Canada border

Operational boundary

how a border should function, not where it is, often involving issues like managing migration, smuggling, security, or resource sharing. This is seen in the US Mexico border migration disputes

Allocational Boundary

a conflict over which country or entity gets to use or control valuable resources (like oil, gas, minerals, or water) located near or between political boundaries, often arising from unclear borders or shared water sources. Iraq and Kuwait disputing oil fields

Antecedent boundary

a political border established before significant human settlement or cultural landscape development, often based on physical features like mountains or rivers, or geometric lines (like latitude), pre-dating the people who live there and sometimes causing conflict if they split cultures. Such as the 49th parallel between US and Canada, and the Malaysian/Indonesian border

Subsequent boundary

a political border drawn after people have settled an area, evolving with the cultural landscape to reflect ethnic, linguistic, or religious divisions, often to separate groups or reduce conflict, like the borders in Europe or India/Pakistan, adapting to changing cultures. Such as many boundaries in Europe, and the boundary between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Census

an official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals. Governments use them to determine political representation and distribution of federal funds

Fragmented state

a country made of several noncontiguous pieces of territory, often separated by water (like an archipelago) or another country, posing challenges for unity, communication, and defense but sometimes fostering unique regional identities, with examples including Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and the USA (due to Hawaii)

Centripetal force

factors that unify a country, strengthening its cohesion and stability by promoting national identity, shared values, and common interests. Key examples include strong national symbols (flags, anthems), shared language/religion, equitable infrastructure, economic opportunities, and a common history or sense of patriotism, all fostering loyalty and unity within a state

Centrifugal force

factors that divide a country or state, pushing people apart and weakening national unity. examples include deep ethnic/religious conflicts, linguistic barriers, economic inequality, poor governance/corruption, and geographic features that physically separate populations, all of which can lead to devolution, fragmentation, or even state failure

Enclave

a territory or region completely surrounded by another. Such as Lesotho in South Africa

Exclave

a portion of a country physically separated from its main territory by other countries or water. Russia's Kaliningrad or the U.S. state of Alaska

Balkanization

divide (a region or body) into smaller mutually hostile states or groups. Breakup of the Soviet Union

devolution

the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration. Example is the United Kingdom giving power to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

compact states

a country with a roughly circular shape, efficient for governance (e.g., Poland, Kenya)

Theocracy

a system of government where rulers are believed to be divinely guided, with laws based on religious texts and authority derived from God or a deity, rather than secular rule, often merging religious and political power. Modern Iran, and the Vatican City ruled by the pope

Exclusive Economic Zone

a sea area extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country's coast where that nation has exclusive rights to explore, use, and manage marine resources, including oil, gas, and fish stocks

Gerrymandering

the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one political party, incumbent, or group, often creating bizarre shapes to "pack" opponents into few districts or "crack" them across many, diluting their votes to secure unfair electoral advantages

NATO

military alliance of 32 North American and European countries, founded in 1949 for collective security and mutual defense, guaranteeing that an attack against one member is considered an attack against all

Supranational Organizations

• European Union (EU): A unique example with a parliament, laws, and citizens that supersede national laws in certain areas, promoting economic and political integration.

• World Trade Organization (WTO): Sets global trade rules, handles trade disputes, and aims to reduce trade barriers.

• International Monetary Fund (IMF): Promotes monetary cooperation, secures financial stability, and facilitates international trade.

• World Bank: Provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for capital projects.

• African Union (AU): Promotes unity, solidarity, and cooperation among African states.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): A military alliance where members agree to mutual defense.

• International Criminal Court (ICC): Prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.