Political Geography Features of Government There are nearly 200 independent countries on Earth that vary in size, military might, natural resources, and world influence. Types of governments can be classified into three major groups: (1) autocracy, or rule by one person; (2) oligarchy, or rule by a few people; or (3) democracy, or rule by many people.

Political Geography Geography and Government Geographic areas can determine how political and administrative units, such as states or provinces, are drawn up and how they will be governed. Geography influences governments as they develop policy to provide people with goods and services and build infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power plants. The political boundaries of countries can follow natural boundaries such as mountains and rivers, cultural boundaries of religion or language, or geometric boundaries made by humans.

Political Geography Conflict and Cooperation Conflict between countries often includes border disputes, tensions over larger territories, multiple ethnic groups within one area, competition for resources, and control of strategic sites. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose aims are to facilitate cooperation between countries and achieve world peace. It was set up shortly after World War Two.