Political Geography

1. Political Geography AP Human Geography

2. What is political geography? • The study of how people have organized the Earth’s land surface into countries. • Key Questions • What are the reasons for the arrangement/ organization of different countries? • Why do conflicts arise from arrangements/ organization of different countries?

3. Political vs. Physical Geography

4. State vs. Nation vs. Country • These three terms can mean the same things…or not.

5. State/ Country • An area organized into a political unit • Ruled by an established government • Has control over its internal and foreign affairs. • Has a defined territory • Has sovereignty= independence from others • Formal/ uniform region • Examples: Mexico, China, U.S.A., but not Texas, Illinois, Florida, etc.

6. Nation • Nation can be another way of saying state • “What nation are you from?” • “I am from South Korea.” • However, nation can also refer to a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture, but do not necessarily occupy an area of land • Examples: Palestinian people, Nation of Islam, Cherokee Nation

7. Nation-State • A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnic group. • Iraq is not a nation state, but could be if divided into 3. • Examples: Armenia, Egypt, Hungary, Japan, Israel

8. The United Kingdom • As a whole, the UK is viewed as a multi-national state. • However, it is made up of 4 nation-states.

9. State Sizes Big States Micro States • Russia • Canada • U.S. • China • Brazil • Australia • Monaco • Vatican City • Andorra • Bahrain • Lichtenstein • Most are small islands in the Caribbean, Pacific, and off the coast of larger countries.

10. Microstates of Europe

11. State Shapes- Elongated • Long and thin in shape • May cause transportation issues • People at one end are distant from people at the other end (centrifugal?) • Ex. Chile, Vietnam, Malawi

12. State Shapes- Compact • Ideal, square or circular in shape • No one feels too far from the center, transportation is easy • Ex. Poland, Switzerland, Cambodia

13. State Shapes- Fragmented • State is broken into several pieces. • May be difficult to maintain unity/ communication • Ex. Island nations such as Indonesia, Philippines, also Russia, U.S., Tanzania

14. State Shapes- Prorupted • A piece of land extends from the main country. • If man made, proruption may lead to water/ railroad, etc. • Proruption may also lead to feeling of seperation. • Ex. Namibia, Thailand, DR of Congo

15. State Shapes- Perforated • Fairly rare, when a country completely surrounds another country. • Surrounded country is completely dependent on surrounding country. • Ex. SOUTH AFRICA!!! (Lesotho perforates SA)

16. Landlocked States • No access to water. • Negative impact on trade, must rely on another country to transport goods. • Usually poor • Ex. Niger, Afghanistan, Bolivia (48 total)

17. Ancient City States • Today, city-states are not widespread, although the Vatican is an example. • Historically, city-states included a city and it’s surrounding countryside. • Each city is sovereign/ no unity. • Example: Ancient Mesopotamia (Ur) or Medieval Italy

18. Colonies • Territory legally tied to a sovereign state and is not completely independent. • e.g. 13 American colonies under the British • Motives include God (spread Christianity), Gold ($$$), and Glory (power/ prestige) • The British had colonies world wide, including India, Australia, much of Africa, Eastern N.A., Middle East • Most gained independence after-WWII. • Puerto Rico is still a colony of the U.S.