What is the definition of a "State"?
Politically organized territory administered by a sovereign state government, with a permanent population, and recognized by the international community
What is the difference between a "State" and a "Nation" and give 2 examples of each?
A nation is a group of people with a common language, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes but a state refers to a piece of land with a single government. An example of a nation is South Korea while an example of a state is Afghanistan
What does "sovereignty" mean?
Supreme power or authority
Who owns "Antarctica"
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom
List the top 5 countries in land area in the world?
Russia, Canada, USA, People's Republic of China, and Brazil
What are "Microstates" and give 2 examples in Europe and 2 examples in Asia?
A state with a small population or land area
Europe: Liechtenstein, Monaco
Asia: Singapore, Taiwan
What is a "City-state" where did the first ones develop?
city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state
First ones developed in the Sumerian empire (Ur)
What is a colony? And why were they established by European nations (2 reasons)?
A country or area under the full or partial political control of another country, typically a distant one, and occupied by settlers from that country.
To gain resources
Convert people in colonies to christianity
What is "Imperialism"?
A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.
What is the definition of a "boundary"?
A line that marks the limits of an area; a dividing line.
What 2 countries had the largest colonial empires in Africa?
Britain and France
Compact States-
Wyoming, North Dakota
Prorupted States
Thailand, Nambia
Elongated States
Chile, Vietnam
Fragmented States
Philippines, Indonesia
Perforated States-
South Africa, Italy
What is a "Landlocked State" and give 3 examples in Europe; 3 examples in Asia; 4 examples in Africa; and 2 in South America?
A landlocked state is a sovereign state completely enclosed by land
Europe: Moldova, Macedonia, and Switzerland
Asia: Laos, Mongolia, and Tajikistan
Africa: Chad, Niger, and Zambia
South America: Paraguay and Bolivia
Using Africa as an example, give 2 problems of landlocked countries.
Chad, Botswana
What is a "Frontier" and give 2 examples?
A zone where no state exercises control. France and England during colonial times, Arabian peninsula
How are "Cultural Boundaries" determined?
Differences in ethnicity, such as language and religion
Give 2 examples of "Geometric Boundaries".
Rivers and mountains
What are 2 problems with "Geometric Boundaries"?
They make people stuck where they already are
Give 2 examples of "Religious Boundaries"
India, Pakistan, Northern Ireland
Under what conditions were "Language Boundaries" created?
The line separating two language areas. If two adjacent languages or dialects are mutually intelligible, no firm border will develop, because the two languages can continually exchange linguistic inventions; this is known as a dialect continuum.
What is the problem with "Language Boundaries"?
Lack of understanding between the members
Where is Cyprus and why was the "Green Line" established?
It is a small island near the west coast of turkey. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Athens government. The island was effectively partitioned with the northern third inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the southern two-thirds by Greek Cypriots
What is a "Buffer Zone" and what is its purpose?
Area consisting of 2 or more countries located between two larger countries in conflict
What is the difference between a "Unitary State(country) ; a Federal State; and a "Confederate State"?
Unitary State- Strong federal government and weaker governments under it
Federal State- Power is shared equally between the central government and the smaller governments underneath it
Confederate State- Weaker federal government and stronger smaller governments underneath it
What is "Electoral Geography"?
Analysis of the methods, the behavior, and the results of elections in the context of geographic space and using geographical techniques.
What is "Gerrymandering" and why is it done?
Redistricting districts to give one political party an advantage
What is the main purpose of the United Nations?
Maintaining worldwide peace and security. Developing relations among nations. Fostering cooperation between nations in order to solve economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian international problems.
What 3 countries belong to the following supranational organizations and give the purpose of organization:
a. OPEC Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait b. OAS- Chile, Brazil, and Columbia c. European Union- Germany, France, and Italy d. ANZUS- Australia, New Zealand, and USA
What exactly is "Terrorism"?
the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
What is the difference between Genocide and Ethnic cleansing? Give examples of both.
Genocide- the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Holocaust, Rwanda
Ethnic Cleansing - the mass expulsion or killing of members of an unwanted ethnic or religious group in a society. Armenian massacres, the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina