AP Human Geography Unit 4 Vocab

With Examples

Political map

A map demonstrating all man-made borders between countries, states, cities, or any areas that are divided by some form of border.

Example: A map depicting the border that is drawn between the United States, Mexico, and Canada would be an example of a Political Map.

State

The largest political unit. A state must be able to have a defined boundary, contain a permanent population, maintain sovereignty over domestic and internal affairs, and be recognized by other states.Example: The United States, Germany, Russia, and Australia are all examples of States.

Nation

A group of people who share common cultural heritage, have beliefs that help unify them, claim a particular land as their homeland, and desire to have self-determination. Example: Kurdistan is an example of a Nation, as it is possessed by the Kurd culture, yet doesn't have sovereignty.

Nation-State

A singular nation (group of people of similar culture) of people who fulfill the qualifications of a state. Example: An example of a Nation-State would be Japan, as it holds only people of the Japanese culture.

Stateless Nation

A group of people sharing similar cultural descent, typically a minority, who are under the control of another country. Example: An example of a Stateless Nation is Kurdistan, as the Kurds are all a unified nation, yet are ruled by countless different governments.

Multinational States

A country that contains more than one nation. Example: An example of a multinational state is the United States, as it contains a wide variety of nations, including Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and a countless number more.

Multistate Nation

A nation has a state of its own but stretches across the borders of other states. Example: Hungary, as the Hungarians live in Hungary, but also live in the Transylvania region of Romania.

Semi-Autonomous/Autonomous Regions

A defined area within a state that has a high degree of self government and freedom from the parent state. Example: Taiwan is a very good example of an Autonomous region. Taiwan is technically possessed by China, but controls lots of affairs, while under Chinese rules, and China grants a large amount of political power to these people.

Ethnic enclave

Any small, relatively homogeneous groups in a region surrounded by a larger and different group.

Example: Cubans in Miami, after the Cuban Civil War many Cubans fleed from prosecution.

Ethnic exclave

A bounded territory that is a part of a particular state but is still separated from it.

Example: Alaska is separated from the lower 48 by Canada.

Nationalism

A nation's desire to create and maintain a state of its own. Example: During the late 1700s, there was a great sense of nationalism, as nearly all Americans hoped to gain independence away from the greater British power, and have their own state.

Subnationalism

Support for a small nation within the larger nation, rather than the beliefs of the nation as a whole.Example: While all Christians share many common beliefs and goals, such as conversions, all share different hopes. This would be an example of nationalism because the Christian nation holds the common belief, but some may support the sub nation of Catholicism.

Supranationalism

When many individual nations come together for the greater good of all members. Example: When the Allied Forces came together during WWII, this is an example of Supranationalism. All members hoped to take down the Nazis and prevent global domination, and recognized the need for cooperation to do so.

Heartland Theory

Developed by Mackinder, stating that he who rules Eastern Europe, rules world island, and rules the World. Must control land to have global domination. Example: This is especially applicable to WWII, as a crucial part of the Nazi's war plan was to control this Eastern Europe area, and therefore control the world.

Rimland Theory

Developed by Nicolas Spykeman. Essentially a counterbalance to the Heartland Theory. Stated that, in order to achieve global domination, one must control all sea ports and sea passages. If this occurs, one can master global domination. Example: This was used primarily by the conquistadors of the 1500s, as the super powers (Spain and Britain) both controlled nearly all sea routes and had massive global power.

Organic Theory

This theory states that nations functioned similar to living organisms. This stated that the success of a state determined the power of the states around them and the resources available at the time of the states development. The strong prosper and weak perish. Example: perhaps the greatest example is the US, as it took very little time for the US to reach a state of global domination.

Sovereignty

The power of a political unit to rule over its own affairs.Example: China holds claim over Taiwan, reducing Taiwan's sovereignty, and increasing China's as they can control this area very effectively.

Self-Determination

The concept that ethnicities have the right to govern themselves.

Example: A recent independence movement of the Scottish people. They believe that they have the right to their own state.

Territoriality

The willingness of one person or group to defend the space they claim. Example: This can be seen in the Revolutionary War as nearly all citizens of the 13 colonies were willing to give up all and fight against the British to keep the land they claimed as their own.

Boundary

A state is separated from neighboring states by an invisible line.

Example: Pakistan and India were once a British colony, after the state became an independent conflict across from apposing religions. The state was split for this reason.

Defined Boundaries.

A boundary established by a legal document such as a treaty that divides one entity from another.Example: This can be seen based upon the border between the US and Canada, as it was established by the Oregon Treaty with hopes of avoiding conflict. This border was written in a treaty and was found legally.

Delimited Boundaries

These boundaries are lines drawn on a map used to show the limits of space. Example: A delimited boundary would be the border between Alaska and Canada, as it is simply a line created by humans to show the difference between Alaskan laws and Canadian Laws.

Demarcated Boundaries

These boundaries are identified by physical objects on the landscape, such as walls.Example: Perhaps the most infamous example of a demarcated boundary is the 38th parallel between North and South Korea as a very large wall can be found there.

Consequent boundaries

A subtype of subsequent boundary that coincides with cultural groups.

Example: The boundary of Pakistan and India is split because of cultural differenes.

Antecedent boundaries

A boundary established before the development of the large population in the area and the cultural features they bring with them. Example: The US Canada border is a good example of this,as it was put into place before westward expansion began.

Administered Boundaries

These boundaries are implemented by governments and regulated by them with hopes of avoiding potential conflicts. Examples: A very good example of this is the set of walls that can be found in Ireland, instituted by the Irish government, hoping to avoid conflict between the Catholics and Protestants.

Natural Boundary

These boundaries are based upon the physical features separating two entities. Example: The Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico demonstrates a physical boundary, as it is an environmental feature that divides the US and Mexico, but was not man made.

Geometric Boundary

A straight line drawn by people that does not follow physical features. Example: An example can be found between Libya and Egypt. There is a large desert between these two countries and rather than including the desert into one country, they simply split it with a straight line.

Cultural boundary

A boundary based upon human traits or behavior. Example: India and Pakistan were divided solo based upon the cultures that occupied them. The border between these countries represents these cultural differences.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer exists, but evidence still exists on the landscape. Example: While Germany has reunited, there are still portions of the Berlin Wall that used to split this country into East and West Germany.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary drawn to accomodate religious, ethnic, linguistic, or economic differences. Example: A brilliant example is the boundary between India and Pakistan, as the Hindu India stayed within India and Buddhist north went into Pakistan

Superimposed boundary

A boundary drawn by outside powers. Example: Nearly all African boundaries were drawn by European powers, as they colonized these areas, disregarding nearly all cultural establishments.

Militarized boundary

A boundary that is heavily guarded and discourages crossing and movement. Example: The US-Mexico border is slowly becoming a Militarized boundary, as movement is frowned upon, and there are some armed border police in this area.

Open Boundary

A boundary in which there are no establishments and one is free to move from one side to another. Example: The boundary between all countries in Europe follows this precedent, as the EU established the ability for all in one country to move into others.

Definitional Boundary

When one or more powers disagree over how to interpret the legal documents dictating the boundary.Example: The dispute between Chile and Argentina greatly depicts this. The document stated that the border followed the mountain peaks, yet the term mountain peaks was not clearly defined. This created much unrest, as there was not a clear understanding. It was then understood that it was peak to peak boundary.

Locational Boundary

When a dispute arises on where a boundary should be.Example: Following WWI, there was not a clear agreement between Germany and Poland, regarding the border between them, resulting in a dispute until it was decided Germany held rights to all areas in which their citizesns lived.

Irredentism

When one country seeks to annex territory in another because it has ties to a part of the population that lives there. Example: Following WWI, there were Germans that lived in Poland, which lead to Germany wanting the area of land in which these Polish Germans lived, and hoped to seize it.

Operational Boundary

A dispute regarding how the boundary functions. Example: Following the civil wars in Syria, and the prompting of migrants leaving this area, Europe changed its views regarding national territories, as many boundaries that had not been in this area were set and the previously accepting area denied them.

Allocational boundary

When a boundary separates natural resources that may be used by both countries.Example; In Iraq and Kuwait, there was much oil on both sides, yet conflict arose because Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing the oil from their side.

Maritime Boundary

A conceptual division of Earth’s water surface areas, using geopolitical criteria.

Example: The United States borders the Bering Strait which connects the Pacific and the Arctic ocean.

Law of the Sea

A set of laws/restrictions that created legal areas in which a country held certain powers when entering the ocean. Examples: Many states now hold ability to enforce laws in the ocean, and implement specific requirements, as the US can stop other countries from fishing in their waters.

Territorial Sea

Up to 12 nautical miles of sovereignty; therefore, all laws of this country apply in these waters. Examples: The US immigration laws have effect in these areas, which means ships can be legally checked by the government in these areas.

Contiguous zone

Coastal states have limited sovereignty for up to 24 nautical miles, where they can enforce laws on customs, immigration and sanitation.Example: The US can legally fine ships within this region for literring based upon the federal laws.

Exclusive Economic Zone

Coastal states can explore, extract mineral , and manage put to 200 nautical miles. Example: The US can drill for oil in this area, while not past this area.

International Waters

Water beyond the EEZ is open to all states.

Example: The US holds no power in this area, as they can implement new laws in this area.

Gerrymandering

The drawing of boundaries for political districts by the part or group in power to extend or cement their advantage. Example: In Louisiana, the Congressional districts have certain odd shapes cut into them that are used to help a certain party win.

Redistributing

Te process in which district boundaries are redrawn so each district contains roughly the same number of people.Example: In 1912, the US was redistricted, creating a total of 435 congressional districts.

Reapportionment

Changing the number of representative granted in each state so it reflects the state's population.Example: When Florida's population grew with the establishment of housing developments, it was reapportioned, allowing more representatives.

Voting Districts:

An area of land in which an official vote is cast and decided.Example: In Florida, a voting district is the Orange County district, along with the Miami-Dade district, as both make their own political decisions.

Shatterbelt

A region that suffers instability because it is located in two very different regions. Examples: In Eastern Europe, a shatterbelt is created because the clashing views of Western Europe and Russia meet in this area.

Choke points

A strategic strait or body of water which is narrow and is competitive for use.

Unitary States

States in which power is held primarily by one major power, without distributing it lower. Example: A Unitary State would be Japan, as it holds all the power in the chief political system.

Federal States

States in which the political power is spread evenly along different levels. Example: The United States is an example of a Federal State, as it has a national, state, and local government.

Compact State

A state in which the distance from the center does not vary significantly. Example: Poland, Romania, and Zimbabwe are all examples of Compact states.

Elongated State

A state with a long narrow shapeExample: The most famous Elongated state is Chile, as it is extremely skinny, but stretches a very long distance.

Fragmented State

A state with multiple different areas of land scattered across a wide area of land. Example: the Philippines is a good example as it holds a large number of islands scattered across the oceans.

Prorupted state

A state that is compact apart from a large extension that arises from the state.

Example: The DRC has a proruption to the west along the Congo River. The Belgians created the proruption to give their colony access to the sea.

Perforated State

A state that completely surrounds another state.

Example: South Africa, as it comply surrounds another state, yet still functions.

Globalization

The integration of markets, states, communication and trade on a worldwide scale. Example: The gradual spread of the American company McDonald's represents Globalization, as it shows the spread of nearly all American aspects on a global scale.

Transnational corporation

Companies that conduct business on a global scale.Example: McDonald's is a Transnational corporation as it uses resources from many countries and is found in many countries.

UN

United Nations. An organization of many states put together with hopes of peacefully resolving global issues.

Example: A branch of the UN is The WHO, which is the World Health organization, which works together to destroy pandemics.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: A group of North Atlantic countries that hope to defend the member states and coordinate trade and cooperation among these states. Example: This group organized the treaty regarding drilling in the Atlantic

EU

European Union: An organization that hope to develop common political and economic integration of all members of the continent of Europe. Example: This group was crucial in implementing the Euro as the continental currency.

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement: An organization put together with hopes of promote trade among the continent. Example: This group hopes to promote the transfer of goods between the US, Canada, and Mexico

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asia Nations: An economic organization that hopes to unite many Southeast nations, and promote economic unity. Example: These people are trying to implement a system similar to that of the Euro in Europe.

Devolution

The transfer of political power of the central government to smaller subsections of the government. Examples: Initially, the Federal Government in the US used to control all roadways, but granted this power to the states, and allowed them to control their roadways.

Terrorism

Organized violence aimed at government and civilian targets that is intended to create fear in furtherance of political aims. Example: The attacks of 9/11 are examples of terrorism, as they hoped to evoke fear in the American people.

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a state or region into smaller, often hostile, unites along ethnic-linguistic lines.Example: The previous massive state Yugoslavia held many different ethnicities, which resulted in much tension: This lead to the eventual split (Balkanization) into ethnicity specific countries.

Democratization

The transition from autocratic to more representative forms of politics. Example: This was seen in many countries of Europe, as the monarchies in France were overthrown and replaced with more public representative governments, instituted by the people.

Centrifugal

A force that divides people within a state. Example: Different religion or different languages are both centrifugal forces, as they force people to do separate things, as they cannot communicate effectively.

Centripetal

A force that unites people within a state. Example: A centripetal force would be a shared religion, as all people of the state observe similar holidays and worship the same God.

Imperialism

The ways in which a country influences another by direct conquest, economic control or cultural dominance. Example: As the BrItish entered Native American lands, they overtook all that was there, and implemented their own methods of governing, and removed all that was there.

Colonialism

When people move into and settle on the land of another country.Example: As the British began to send pilgrims into the Americas, it became colonialism, as there were new people entering this land and settling there.

Berlin Conference (Congo Conference), 1884

This was a meeting of many states that had colonies in Africa in which boundaries were created in this continent, dividing the continent into many different colonies.

Decolonization

The process in which colonial territories gain independence from the ruling power.Example: When the British living in the US fought and won the War of Independence, it was the process of Decolonization, as they were freed from these grasps.

Neocolonialism

Form of colonialism in which control over developing countries was shown in indirect ways, such as economic control. Example: The colonization of South America occurred greatly in this way, as they greater powers used the resources in this area to make a profit.

Ethnic Cleansing

The process in which a majority ethnicity takes systematic steps to removing the minority area from "their country" Example: In the Hutu and Tutsi groups in Rwanda carried out ethnic cleansing, both of which wanted to remove all of the other ethnicity from their area. These people used violence and political dominance to carry this out.

Cold War

A period of diplomatic, political, and military rivalry between the US and the USSR. Example: One instance in which these countries were fighting was in Germany, which resulted in the split of Germany into two groups. This created unrest on both sides, and this war did not end until the breakup of the USSR, following the collapse of this wall.

Satellite State

A state dominated by another state politically and economically.Example: During the Cold War, Hungary was a Satellite State of the USSR. This state was completely controlled by the USSR.