Political Geography

Political map 1 CE

Political Map 500 CE

Political Map 1400

Political Map 1700

Imperialism greatly changed this in 2 waves Prior to 1800 much of the worlds surface historically consisted of unorganized territory Imperialism greatly changed this in 2 waves 1st wave 1600s 2nd wave late 1800s

1900

Cold War Era 1945 – 1991 (174 countries)

1995 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pOFKmk7ytU

2016 – (195 countries)

Nation: geographic area that is dominated by a large population that shares a common history and culture

STATE A politically organized territory Administered by a sovereign government Recognized by a significant portion of the international community. A state must also contain: a permanent resident population an organized economy

Nation-State political unit comprising a clearly delineated territory where the population shares a common history and culture, Example - Japan.

Lines that establish the limit of each jurisdiction & authority Boundaries are: Lines that establish the limit of each jurisdiction & authority Jurisdiction administers laws; collects taxes; provides defense, education, training; enforces legal code, etc. 3-dimensional: flat, deep, high Issue of transboundary movements – I.e. the modes & routes of transportation by which oil and natural gas can be exported from the Caspian Sea basin. Since all the producer sates are landlocked, transport must involve both pipeline and tanker. However, pipelines offer no guarantee of security and the ME is replete with damaged or closed pipelines. Sanctions against Iraq have been particularly effective because the main pipelines for export were under the control of Turkey and Saudi Arabia. 3b) other transboundary movements that are undesirable or illegal, or both include: - movements of drugs, illegal arms, nuclear materials, weapons of mass destruction, - movements of refugees & terrorists And have focused global attention upon boundaries boundary lines on the ground mark the position of vertical planes that separate states these lines cut through: airspace subsoil (ground below)

They exist at different scales: Political Boundaries Political boundaries represent the spatial limit of the political organization of territory They exist at different scales: Supra-national-scale organizations, international organizations such as UN State-scale - Countries Intra-state scale; boundaries used for the many sub- divisions of territory within the state, such as…? Approximately ¼ of the wrold’s land boundaries can be classified as unstable (Anderson, 1999) and some 2/3s of the global maritime boundaries have yet to be settled (DATING PRINCIPALLY FROM THE 1958 Geneva Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone and on the Continental Shelf, where rights of a coastal state over its continental shelf was decided. MAJOR BOUNDARY PROBLEMS EXIST IN AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, LATIN AMERICAN AND SE ASIA. 2b) Since the possession of agreed boundaries has a crucial bearing upon state security and is also of great political, economic and social significance, conflicts related to boundaries are likely to remain a key component of the international scene. List 3-4 boundary flashpoints. Disputes requires geographical evidence and political will underpinned by international law and although the state is the highest level of political decision-making body, states have to agree to acquiesce in the decisions of supra-national bodies such as the UN, the European Union (EU) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 3. The Canadian-US border an example

Boundary Types Physical Boundary: major physical features such as a desert, mountain ranges, and/or water bodies that serves as a means of separation, ie. Great Lakes, Pyrenees Mountains, and Sahara desert.

Boundary Types Geometric Boundary: straight lines that serve as political boundaries that are unrelated to physical and /or cultural differences, ie. 1300 mile (straight line) United States/Canadian border.

How the States Got their Shapes? Ep 1 start

Boundary Types Cultural Political Boundary: political boundary that separates different cultures, ie. former Yugoslavia.

Boundary Types Religious Boundary: boundary that separates different religions, ie. Northern Ireland (protestant)/Ireland (Catholic).

Boundary Types Language Boundary: boundary that separates different language speakers, ie. traditionally many countries in Europe such as England, France, Spain, and Portugal.

Boundary Types Super Imposed Boundary: a boundary imposed on the territory of one nation that divides the members of the nation into two different states. Such boundaries are always unstable. North & South Vietnam North & South Korea MOST OF AFRICA!

Superimposed Boundaries

The Scramble for Africa The focus of most of Europe’s imperialist activities in the 19th century was Africa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pis5f085P3M

The Scramble for Africa Until 1880’s only the coastlines of Africa had been colonized or explored Gold, ivory and slaves had been taken from these colonies The slave trade ended in the in the 1800’s but European powers now had control of most of the African coast The Scramble for Africa

Internal Reasons for Imperialism African nations lacked unity No common language Lack of common culture Wars between different groups Lack of technology Guns germs steel

Rules for the Colonization of Africa In 1884 European powers trying to colonize Africa were coming into conflict. To avoid further conflict 14 European powers set up rules for colonizing Africa. No members of the African community were present. The Berlin Conference

Results of the Conference In 1850 most of Africa had been free. By 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia were free of European control.

Boundary Types Fortified Boundary: when a state constructs physical barriers along a boundary to either keep people in or out of their territory, ie. Great Wall of China, Berlin Wall, https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=YlSFs9Oen3A US debating over creating one

Buffer Zone/Buffer State a neutral area serving to separate hostile forces or nations broadly a small neutral country, situated between two larger hostile countries, serving to prevent the outbreak of regional conflict. Ex. Countries aligned with USSR in Europe during Cold War Ex. Mongolia, North Korea

Supranational Division or International Cooperation Multi-national treaties and trade blocks – either economic or military Example NATO – military EU - Economic

Shapes of States Compact State: the distance from the geographic center of the area to any point on the boundary does not vary greatly, ie. Hungary.

Shapes of States Elongated State: state that is geographically long and narrow, ie. Chile.

Shapes of States Landlocked State: state not having direct access to an ocean, ie. Bolivia. Problems that landlocked states face?