AP Human Geography - Unit 4 Review Notes

Suggestion for Exam Prep

  • Stop talking to friends and fully listen to review materials.
  • Revisit migration, culture, and politics units for each case study.
    • Analyze migration patterns leading to or caused by conflicts.
    • Identify cultural differences (but remember culture is not the cause of political conflicts).
    • Understand the political reasons behind conflicts.

Types of States

  • State: Defined by sovereignty.
    • Sovereignty: Ability of a country to control its people; government authority over land and population.
    • A state possesses:
      • Sovereignty
      • Permanent population
      • Global recognition
      • Territoriality (defined borders and historic tie to the land).
  • Nation: Cultural component; a common group of people.
  • Nation-State: One state with a homogeneous nation (same nation).
    • Examples: Japan, Iceland (typically isolated island countries).
    • Isolation prevents heterogeneous populations due to limited trade and interaction.
    • Indonesia is NOT a nation-state due to its location in trading routes leading to a heterogeneous population.
  • Multinational State: One political entity with a heterogeneous population (different cultural groups).
    • Examples: Indonesia, United Kingdom, United States.
    • Most conflicts in case studies occur within multinational states (internal conflicts).
    • Examples of internal conflicts within multinational states:
      • Canada: Inuit population vs. Canadian government, Quebecois (French speakers) vs. English speakers.
      • Belgium: Walloons vs. Flemings.
      • Spain: Basque, Spanish, and Catalan groups.
  • Multistate Nation: One nation residing in multiple states.
    • Example: Koreas (North and South Korea).
    • Historic examples: East and West Germany (German population).
    • Typically divided by political or economic differences (e.g., communism vs. capitalism).
    • If Taiwan is considered a state, then China and Taiwan form a multistate nation.
  • Autonomous/Sub-Autonomous Regions: Areas within a state with some level of autonomy/sovereignty over a minority group.
    • Governments choose which term to use; China uses "autonomous region" to imply autonomy even when oppressing populations.
    • Examples: Indigenous reservations in the US and Canada.
    • These regions have their own police systems and laws separate from federal laws.
    • The central government still exists and controls trade, war, etc.
    • Purpose: To preserve cultural identity.
  • Stateless Nation: A nation that lacks sovereignty or international recognition.
    • Examples:
      • Kurdish population (Turkey, Iraq, Iran).
      • Palestinian population (Israel).
    • Stateless nations are typically spread out among multiple states and are often minority groups.

Causes of Conflicts

  • Location and borders of countries are crucial for understanding conflicts.
  • Territoriality: Tie to the land.
    • Example: Russia's invasion of Ukraine (Crimean Peninsula), claiming historic Russian ties.
    • Irredentism: Using territoriality to reclaim land.
  • Self-determination: A country decides on its government type and existence as a country (not just democracy).
    • Example: South Sudan's balkanization from Sudan.
    • Countries with self-determination are generally more stable.
    • India and Pakistan: Initially not self-determination under colonial rule.
    • Kashmir: Conflict due to lack of self-determination (Hindu prince overruled Muslim population's desire to join Pakistan).
  • Colonialism/Imperialism: (Used interchangeably in the class).
    • Legacy: Superimposed boundaries that force different groups to live together, leading to internal conflicts.
    • Example: Nigeria (mixture of Christian, Muslim, and animist populations).
  • Independence Movements: Stateless nations fighting for independence to create their own nation-states.
    • Examples: Basque, Catalan, Quebecois, Kurdish populations.
  • Devolution: A way to maintain current borders by devolving power to minority groups (granting autonomous or semi-autonomous regions).
    • Example: Canada devolving power to Quebec (French and English as official languages).
  • Neocolonialism: Exerting influence (not forcibly taking over) in a state to maintain current borders.
    • Example: US military aid to Ukraine is trying to maintain current borders.
    • Companies typically engage in neocolonialism for economic reasons; countries for political reasons.
    • President Trump's tariffs: Exempted semiconductor computer chips from Taiwan, exerting neocolonial force for technological access.
  • Choke Points: Strategic areas (e.g., Panama Canal, Suez Canal, Strait of Gibraltar) that can alter borders/boundaries due to their importance for trade.
    • Example: President Trump's interest in controlling the Panama Canal.

Other Key Concepts

  • Shatter Belts: Culturally diverse areas prone to balkanization or devolution; susceptible to conflict (splitting apart).
  • Boundary Types:
    • Physical/Natural: Based on natural features (mountains, rivers).
      • NOT man-made structures like walls.
    • Geometric: Man-made, based on longitude, latitude, or survey lines.
      • The United States' northern boundary with Canada
    • Consequent: Based on cultural, political, or economic differences
      • internal boundary within Belgium between the Flemish and the Walloons.
    • Relic: Boundaries that no longer exist but have left a cultural impact
      • Treaty of Tordesillas.
    • Antecedent: Made before people live in an area
      • US/Canada boundary.
    • Subsequent: Drawn after people live in an area
      • Northern and Republic of Ireland.
    • Superimposed: Drawn by an outside force (third party).
      • Berlin Conference's division of Africa.
  • Boundary Processes: Steps in making a boundary.
    • Definitional: Treaty or agreement.
    • Delimitation: Drawing the boundary on a map.
    • Demarcated: Physical barrier to prevent movement (walls, fences).
    • Administered: Laws regulating the boundary (immigration customs).
  • Contemporary vs. Historic: Pay attention to these terms in FRQs (contemporary = current events, historic = past events).
  • UNCLOS (UN Convention of the Law of the Sea)
  • Law of the Sea:
    • EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zones): 200 miles off the coastline where countries control resources.
    • Median Line Principle: Dividing overlapping EEZs equally between countries.
    • Spratly Islands Case Study: Multiple countries claiming islands to extend EEZs and control shipping routes.
  • Gerrymandering: Redrawing districts to favor one political party.

Forms of Government (Power Distribution)

  • Unitary System: Central government holds most power.
    • Typically homogeneous and smaller countries.
    • Example: Japan.
  • Federal State: Central government shares power with regional governments.
    • Central government controls international affairs, regional governments handle local matters.
    • Typically heterogeneous and larger countries.
    • Example: The United States.
  • Confederate State: Regional governments have more power than the central government.
    • Central government has limited powers.
    • Example: Belgium.

Causes of Devolution

  • Physical Geography: Isolation due to physical features.
    • Example: Basque region in Spain (Pyrenees Mountains).
  • Ethnic Separatism: Distinct ethnic identity and desire for independence.
    • Example: Catalan population in Spain.
  • Economic/Social Problems: Uneven distribution of wealth, economic disparities.
    • Example: Catalan region contributing significantly to Spain's GDP.
  • Ethnic Cleansing: Eliminating minority groups to claim land.
    • Example: Yugoslavia.
  • Terrorism: Using violence to achieve devolution/balkanization.
    • Examples: Basque (ETA) and Irish (IRA) terrorist organizations.
  • Communication Technology: Facilitates independence movements.
    • Example: Ukraine seeking access to US satellites for communication.

Case Studies to Review

  • Spain (Basque and Catalan regions).
  • Belgium (Flemish and Walloon regions).
  • Canada (Quebec and Inuit populations).
  • Nigeria (Christians in the South, Muslims in the North).
  • Sudan and South Sudan (Muslims in the North, Christians in the South; petroleum resources).
  • Former Soviet Union (balkanization into multiple countries).
  • Yugoslavia (balkanization into Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina).
  • South Africa (apartheid and racial segregation).
  • India and Pakistan.
  • Kurdistan.
  • China (Hong Kong, Uighur and Tibetan populations).
  • Taiwan.
  • Spratly Islands.
  • Ireland (Northern Ireland, Catholics vs. Protestants).
  • North and South Korea.
  • Rwanda.
  • Syria (Arab Spring).
  • Supranational Organizations: Review goals (free trade, political, environmental, peacekeeping, defense).
    • Examples: EU, UN, NATO, ASEAN, Arctic Council, African Union.

Centripetal vs. Centrifugal Forces

  • For each case study, identify both centripetal (unifying) and centrifugal (dividing) forces.
  • Centripetal forces can exist for the state itself or for a region seeking balkanization.
  • Apartheid: racial segregation in South Africa. It's why your sub Saharan African city model looks the way it does. It's why those townships are around the outside. Those are those segregated neighborhoods. We talked about India Pakistan.
  • Taiwan, Remember the Uighur and the Taibet, those are those autonomous regions that are being exploited for labor, but they're different cultures.