AP Human Geography 8.1 Notes

Key Issue 1: Where Are States Distributed?

INTRODUCING POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

LEARNING OUTCOME 8.1.1 - UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATE OF THE WORLD AND A STATE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES

• Definition of State (Country):
  A state is defined as an area organized into a political unit governed by an established government which has control over its internal and external affairs.

• Number of States in the World:
  There are approximately 200 states (countries) in the world today, a significant increase from 56 states in the 1940s.

  • United Nations Membership:

    • As of 2017, there are 193 member states of the United Nations.

    • Two observer states:

    • The Holy See (Vatican City)

    • The State of Palestine

    • The Republic of South Sudan is noted as the most recent addition to UN membership in 2011.

• Top Six States in Land Area:
  The largest states (countries) by land area are:

  1. Russia - 11% of the world's land area

  2. Canada

  3. United States

  4. China

  5. Brazil

  6. Australia

• Smallest Microstate in the UN:
  The smallest microstate that is a member of the UN is Vatican City.

• Logical Reason for Microstates as Islands:
  It is suggested that there is a logical connection between many of the world's microstates being islands; this connection relates to their small size and issues surrounding sovereignty.

CHALLENGES IN DEFINING STATES

LEARNING OUTCOME 8.1.2 - EXPLAIN WHY IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHETHER SOME TERRITORIES ARE SOVEREIGN STATES

• Definition of Sovereignty:
  Sovereignty is defined as having independence from control of internal activities or external affairs by other states. This term can be seen as a unifying principle for understanding regions.

• Separation of Korea:
  The separation of Korea into two distinct states occurred in the 1950s; this was primarily due to the aftermath of WWII where Korea was liberated from Japanese occupation. The Korean Peninsula was subsequently divided along the 38° parallel, with the U.S. and Soviet Union exerting influence over different territories leading to the establishment of North Korea and South Korea.

• Existence of Two Chinas:
  The question of why there are two states identified as China arose after a civil war in the 1940s. The Nationalists, who lost the civil war to the Communists, retreated to Taiwan, thus leading to the current situation where China (People's Republic of China) governs the mainland while Taiwan (Republic of China) functions as a separate entity.

• Claims over Islands in the East China Sea:
  Three states claim authority over seven small uninhabited islands in the East China Sea:

  1. China

  2. Taiwan

  3. Japan

• Western Sahara and Its Status:
  Western Sahara, also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, is contested in terms of sovereignty. While certain African countries recognize Western Sahara as an independent sovereign state, Morocco claims the majority of the land. Thus, it is not universally recognized as a sovereign state.