Ap human geo - unit 4

Autonomous regions – Areas within a country that have some degree of self-governance and control over their affairs.

Centrifugal forces – Factors that divide people and destabilize a country, such as religious conflict or economic inequality.

Centripetal forces – Factors that unite people and strengthen a country, such as a common language or shared national identity.

Chokepoints – Narrow strategic waterways or passages that are crucial for international trade and military control, such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Commonwealth – A political association of former colonies or territories that maintain economic and cultural ties with a larger state.

Devolution – The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments, often due to cultural or political pressures.

Federal states – Countries where power is shared between a central government and regional governments, such as the United States.

Gerrymandering – The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to benefit a particular political party or group.

Irredentism – A political movement to reclaim and reunite lost territory with a nation due to cultural or historical ties.

Law of the sea – A set of international rules that govern maritime rights, including territorial waters, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and open seas.

Multinational states – Countries that contain multiple ethnic or national groups with distinct identities, such as Canada or Russia.

Multistate nations – A cultural or ethnic group that is spread across multiple countries, such as the Kurds.

Nation-states – A country whose political boundaries align closely with the territory of a single ethnic or cultural group, such as Japan.

Nations – A group of people with a shared culture, history, and identity, often seeking political autonomy or recognition.

Neocolonialism – The continued economic and political influence of former colonial powers over independent developing nations.

Self-determination – The right of a people or nation to govern themselves and make their own political decisions.

Semi-autonomous regions – Areas that have some limited self-rule but still fall under the authority of a larger political entity.

Shatterbelts – Regions caught between conflicting external powers, often experiencing political instability, such as Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

Sovereignty – The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.

Stateless nations – Ethnic or cultural groups that do not have their own independent state, such as the Kurds or Palestinians.

Subnational political territorial units – Divisions within a country that have varying degrees of governmental authority, such as provinces or states.

Supranational organizations – Groups of multiple countries that work together for common goals, such as the United Nations or European Union.

Supranationalism – The process of countries giving up some sovereignty to work together for political, economic, or military purposes.

Territoriality – The connection of people to a specific land area, often leading to the desire for political control over it.

Types of boundaries:

- Relic boundary – A boundary that no longer exists but still affects cultural or political divisions, such as the Berlin Wall.

- Superimposed boundary – A boundary imposed by outside forces without regard to existing cultural or ethnic divisions, such as those in Africa after colonialism.

- Subsequent boundary – A boundary that develops over time due to cultural changes or conflict, such as the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

- Antecedent boundary – A boundary established before significant human settlement, such as the U.S.-Canada border.

- Geometric boundary – A boundary based on straight lines or latitude and longitude rat