Untitled Flashcards Set

Political Geography Concepts

Definition

Significance

Sate

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 shared sense of culture and history and who desire political autonomy (right to self govern).

Nation-State

A state with a single nation.

Multinational State

A state with two or more nations.

Stateless Nation

A nation who does not have their own independent state.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference (governing itself).

Territoriality

The connection of people to a specific geographic area and their assertion of control over it.

Autonomy

The ability of a region or group to govern itself independently.

Devolution

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

Territorial Disputes

Conflicts over land ownership and control between states or groups.

Annexation

The process of adding land to a city, state, or country.

Buffer State

A smaller state situated between two larger, potentially hostile states.

Self-Determination

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

Stateless Ethnic Groups

Ethnic groups that do not have their own state or political representation.

Microstate

A very small sovereign state in terms of land area and population.

City-State

A sovereign state that consists of a single city and its surrounding territory.

Frontier

An area/zone where no state has complete political control.

Compact State

A country that is small, roundish, and has a centralized government and the distance from the center of a compact state to any border is roughly equal.

Elongated State

A state shape that has a long sliver of land that extends far in one direction.

Prorupted State

A state having a shape that is a central land body with one part of the land extending out from one side much more than any other part.

Fragmented State

States whose land masses are fragmented into two or more parts.

Perforated State

A state that completely surrounds another state.

Landlocked State

A state that has no access to direct water sources because it is surrounded by other places.

Territorial Morphology (Compact, Fragmented, Elongated, Prorupt, Perforated)

The location of the country, size, and form are the key in the determination of variations of cultures, diversity in population, and political views.

Boundaries and Border Concept

Definition

Significance

Boundary

Line that determines the limit of state jurisdiction (the official power to make legal decisions and judgement) is a vertical plane that cuts through the subsoil and extends into the airspace above and often coincides with cultural, national, or economic divisions.

Definitional Boundary Dispute

Two or more parties disagree over the definition or interpretation of a particular term, concept, or boundary.

Locational Boundary Dispute

Conflicts between states or regions over the ownership of a given area.

Operational Boundary Dispute

Conflicts over the national policies applied at a border 

Allocational Boundary Dispute

Conflicts that arise over the allocation of resources or territory, particularly when boundaries are not clearly defined.

Antecedent Boundary

Political borders established before the area in question are well populated or developed, often based on natural features like rivers, mountains, or lines of latitude and longitude.

Subsequent Boundary

A political boundary that is established after a certain cultural or social landscape has developed, often reflecting the existing patterns of settlement and land use.

Superimposed Boundary

Political barriers drawn in an area with complete disregard for the cultural, religious, and ethnic divisions within the people living there.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer exists as an international border but remnants of its existence remain.

Delimitation

Lines that are drawn on a map to represent the limits of a territory or political entity.

Demarcation

A border that separates two countries or the river that divides two regions.

Natural/Physical Boundary

Physical features of the landscape, such as rivers, mountains, and lakes, that create a clear demarcation between different political territories.

Ethnographic/Cultural Boundary

A boundary between countries placed where possible to separate speakers of different languages or followers of different religions

Geometric Boundary

A boundary created by using lines of latitude and longitude and their associated arcs

Border Landscape

The physical and cultural characteristic of an area that define or mark a political boundary or border.

Electoral Regions

Boundaries that are definatonal geographic areas that determine where voters resid.

Enclave

A portion or territory within or surrounded by larger territories.

Exclave

A portion or territory of one state completely surrounded by another territory.

EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone)                                                          

A maritime area extending 200 miles from a country's coastline.

Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

The international legal framework that governs the rights of states in maritime/sea environments.

Political Organization and Systems

Definition 

Significance

Unitary State

Unitary governments hold almost all authority. Very little power is given to the local government.

Federal State

Federal governments share political power with lower levels of government

Confederation

A union of sovereign groups or states, often formed for purposes of mutual defense or the promotion of common interests.

Supranationalism

A form of governance or organization that transcends national boundaries, where countries work together to achieve shared objectives.

International Organization

An alliance of two or more countries seeking cooperation with each other without giving up either's autonomy or self determination.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of 27 European countries that have chosen to cooperate closely in various areas, including trade, governance, and social policy.

Gerrymander

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

Reapportionment

Redistributing political representation.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that bring people together in a state.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that force people away from a state.

Political Unification Theory

The process of bringing together distinct political entities into a single, cohesive government or state.

Organic Theory (Ratzel)

A nation-state is similar to an organism in that both grow and expand to survive and prosper.

World-System Theory (Wallerstein)

Suggests that while the world economy is ever changing, there are three basic hierarchies of countries.

Heartland Theory (Mackinder)

Whoever controlled Eastern Europe which was believed to be the Heartland would control the world.

Rimland Theory (Spykman)

Posits that the coastal fringes of Eurasia, known as the rimland, are crucial to achieving political power and controlling global affairs.

Geopolitical Concepts and Conflicts

Definition

Significance

Geopolitics

The study of the geographical factors in world politics and inter-state relations

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a region into smaller, often hostile, political units.

Irredentism

A land claim due to its historical significance or connection to an ethnic or national group within the state making a claim.

Colonialism

When a more powerful country attempts to assert its power and influence over a weaker country.

Decolonization

The process through which colonies gain independence from colonial powers, leading to the establishment of sovereign nations.

Ethnic Conflict

Tensions and disputes that arise between different ethnic groups.

Religious Conflict

Disputes or hostilities that arise between different religious groups or within a single religious community.

Reunification

Coming back together again after being separated or in conflict.

Satellite State

A country that is nominally independent but is under the influence and sometimes control of another much larger nation.

Territorial Disputes

A disagreement between two or more States about which State exercises sovereignty over a certain part of territory.

Ethnic Cleansing

The deliberate removal or killing of a particular ethnic group.

Apartheid

The physical separation of different races into separate geographic areas.

Military Alliances

An agreement between two or more nations to provide mutual support in case of conflict or war.

Trade Agreements

A legal pact between two or more countries that outlines the rules and regulations for trade between them.

Regionalism

The process of dividing up the earth into smaller regions or units or the tendency to form decentralized regions

Globalization and Cooperation

Definition

Significance

Supranational Organization

Entities formed by three or more nations that transcend national boundaries.

Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

An organization focused on humanitarian issues, often social problems with a political aspect.

International Cooperation

The collaborative efforts between countries to address global challenges and achieve common goals.

Economic Union

An agreement between countries that allows products, services, and workers to cross borders freely.

Treaty Ports

A city ceded to a foreign power, usually for the purpose of exerting political and economic influence by a foreign power