APHUG Unit 4

State

A political unit with defined borders

Nation

A group of people with shared culture

Nation-State

A state whose population is mostly one nation.

Stateless Nation

A nation without its own state.

Multinational State

A state containing multiple nations.

Multistate Nation

A nation spread across multiple states.

Sovereignty

A state's full control over internal and external affairs.

Self-Determination

The right of a nation to govern itself.

Colonialism

When a country establishes settlements and imposes political

Imperialism

Control of a territory already occupied by an indigenous society.

Devolution

Transfer of power from central government to regional governments.

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a region into smaller

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unify a state.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that divide a state.

Boundary

A line that marks the limits of a state's territory.

Geometric Boundary

A boundary drawn as a straight line or arc.

Physical Boundary

A boundary based on natural features like mountains or rivers.

Cultural Boundary

A boundary based on language

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary drawn by outside powers ignoring existing cultural patterns.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary created after settlement.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary that existed before human settlement.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer functions but still affects the landscape.

Definitional Boundary Dispute

Disagreement over the wording of a boundary treaty or legal document.

Locational Boundary Dispute

Disagreement over the interpretation or physical placement of the boundary.

Operational Boundary Dispute

Disagreement over how a boundary should function or be administered.

Allocational Boundary Dispute

Disagreement over the distribution of resources that cross a boundary.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing voting districts to favor a political party.

Redistricting

Redrawing electoral district boundaries after a census.

Unitary State

A state with centralized government and little regional autonomy.

Federal State

A state where power is shared between national and regional governments.

Autonomous Region

A region with some degree of self-rule.

Semi-Autonomous Region

A region with limited self-rule under a larger state.

Supranational Organization

Three or more states cooperating for shared goals.

European Union (EU)

A supranational organization focused on economic and political integration.

United Nations (UN)

A global organization promoting peace

NATO

A military alliance between North American and European countries.

ASEAN

A regional organization promoting economic cooperation in Southeast Asia.

EEZ

A sea zone where a state has rights to marine resources up to 200 nautical miles.

Territorial Waters

Waters extending 12 nautical miles from a state's coastline.

Irredentism

A state claiming territory of another state due to shared ethnicity or history.

Enclave

A territory completely surrounded by another state.

Exclave

A territory separated from its state by another state.

Heartland Theory

Theory that controlling Eastern Europe leads to global dominance.

Rimland Theory

Theory that controlling coastal Eurasia leads to global power.

Shatterbelt

A region caught between stronger external forces