AP Human Geo Unit 4 vocab

State

Political unit with a permanent population and boundaries that are recognized by other states that allows for the administration of laws, collection of taxes, and provision of defense

Nation

People who think of themselves as one based on a sense of shared culture and history and who desire political autonomy (Japanese, German, French, Hmong)

Nation-State

A state with a single nation (few exist); Japan, Iceland, Armenia, Lesotho

Stateless nation

A nation who do not have their own independent state

Multi-national state

A state with two or more nations (includes most states); Germany, France, Mexico, China, U.S, Russia

Multi-State Nation

A nation living across states; Koreans, Kurds, Basque, Russians

Autonomous region

An are which governs itself, but it is not an independent country; Greenland, Hong Kong, Catalonia

Semi-autonomous region

An area which can govern itself in certain areas, but does not have complete power to govern (Nunavut, Canada; Native American reservations, U.S)

Sovereignty

Final authority over a territory and the right to defend territorial integrity against incursion

Colonialism

Rule by an autonomous power over a subordinate people and place that creates unequal cultural and economic relations

Imperialism

The drive toward creation and expansion of an empire and then once established, its perpetuation (Spain, Portugal, etc.)

Self-determination

The process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own allegiances and government

Independence movements

An area that believes that it should be its own country (colonized people against their colonizers)

Political power

Expressed geographically as control over people, land, and resources

Government

Political system with governing authority

Authoritarian government

Government with a strong central power, no constitutional accountability, no individual freedoms (absolute monachy, Saudi Arabia; dictatorship, North Korea; fascism, Germany)

Democracy

Government where power resides with the majority (Ancient Greece)

Republic

Government where power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected representatives responsible to them and governing according to law (U.S, Germany, France)

Democratization

The process of moving from a non-democracy (authoritarian rule, colonial rule) to a democratic system

Neo-colonialism

Form of indirect control through economic or political pressures control or influence other countries, especially former colonies

Shatterbelt

Region endangered by local conflicts within the state or between countries in the area, as well as the involvement of opposing great powers outside the region

Choke points

Geographical feature (sea OR land) that has significant strategic importance

Irrendentism

When one country seeks to annex territory in another country because of demographic ties to part of the population that lives there

Human territoriality

The connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land creating a desire for ownership over a defined space

Boundary

Line that determines limits state jurisdiction, often coincides with cultural, national or economic divisions

Antecedent boundary

Boundary in the natural landscape that existed before the cultural landscape emerged and stayed in place as people moved in

Consequent boundary

Boundary that coincides with cultural groups (religion, language)

Subsequent boundary

Boundary that evolves as the cultural landscape of an area takes shape and changes as cultural landscape changes

Superimposed boundary

Boundary that is drawn by powerful outsiders (colonizers) and ignores existing cultural groups

Relics

Boundary that no longer exists as an international border, but remnants of its existence remain

Berlin Conference

A meeting between European nations to divide Africa among them with the intent to prevent conflict

Colonization in Africa

17-19th century, large land of Africa was divided which belonged to Europen nations

De-colonization in Africa

The superimposed boundaries in Africa remained in place after independence, which has led to much of the current conflict and lack of ability to establish effective leadership

International agreements

Establishment of formal commitments between countries on world related issues that can either encourage interactions (trade) or discourage disputes (resources); trade, environment, etc.

International sanctions

Policies or actions designed to induce states to change their behavior

Demilitarized zone (DMZ)

A buffer zone created by treaties/agreements between two or more military powers that falls on either side of the actual boundary

Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

Established rights and responsibilities of states concerning ownership/use of oceans/seas and their resources as developed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Territorial Sea

Zone of water adjacent to a state’s coast (12 miles) in which a state has sovereignty

Contiguous Zone

Zone of water adjacent to Territorial Sea (24 miles) in which state can enforce customs, immigration, and sanitation laws

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Zone of water adjacent to Contiguous Zone (200 miles) in which a state has the right to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage resources

International waters (High Seas)

Ocean beyond the EEZ, in which all states have equal access

Median-line principle

Method used to divide the waters between states that do not have 400 miles between them

Voting district

Subdivision for electing members to a legislative body

Redistricting

When voting districts are redrawn due to changes in population

Gerrymander

Redistricting that is unfair and gives an advantage to a particular political party by concentrating voting strength

Unitary state

State that is governed as a single unit with a central top down form of form of governance where local territories only have power that is granted by the central government

Federal state

State where there is a division in power between a central government and local territories/provinces/States/oblasts

Subnational political territorial unit

Region that is given greater autonomy from the central government

Autonomous region

An area which governs itself, but is not an independent country

Semi-autonomous region

An area which can govern itself in certain areas, but does not have complete power to govern

Devolution

The transfer of decision-making power from a central government to a lower level

Supra-nationalism

Political an economic alliance of 3 or more states formed by mutual benefits

United Nations

Union formed to promote international world peace and security after WW2

European Union

Economic alliance between European countries, established free trade and open borders and a common currency

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)

Economic alliance to gradually eliminate tariffs and trade barriers between the U.S, Canada, Mexico

African Union (AU)

Political, economic and social alliance aimed at promoting greater unity, cohesion, and efficiency of African states and reducing the strains of their colonial roots

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Military alliance formed after WW2 between the U.S, Canada, and 26 European states to ensure mutual assistance in times of aggression

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

Economic alliance aimed at improving development in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei

Arctic Council

Alliance aimed at promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among Arctic states

Military alliance

Alliance between two or more states who agree on mutual protection and support in case of a crisis (NATO)

Trade agreement

Treaty between two or more states who agree on trade, tariffs, taxes, and often includes investment guarantees (NAFTA)

Economies of scale

Cost advantages gained by an increased level of production

The Paris Agreement

Establishment of protocols dealing with greenhouse gas emissions by the United Nations

Political change

Advances in communication technology have facilitated devolution, supranationalism, and democratization

Centripetal forces

Forces within a state that promote unity and national stability (nationalism)

Centrifugal forces

Forces within a state that divide, destabilize, or weaken it

Genocide

Any acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group

Ethnic cleansing

Systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial and/or religious groups from a given territory by a more powerful ethnic group, with intent of making it ethnically homogeneous

Cold War

A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, espionage, and other measures short of open warfare

Collapse of Communism

November 1989 fall of Berlin Wall (Germany); USSR/United Soviet Socialist Republics collapsed and 15 republics because independent states; breakup of Yugoslavia 1991 (Balkanization); Russia intervened militarily to support separatist movements

Korean War

Conflict between North Korea (China/Soviet Union) and South Korea (United Nations), 1950-1953

Vietnam War

Conflict between North Vietnam (China/Soviet Union) and South Vietnam (U.S), 1955-1975