The Spatial Organization of States January 17, 2014 The Spatial Organization of States

Systems of States Unitary System: one that concentrates all policymaking powers in one central geographic place (European States) Confederal System: spreads the power among many sub-units and has a weak federal government (Switzerland) Federal System: divides power between strong central government and sub-units (US, Canada, Australia)

Boundaries A state is separated from its neighbor by boundaries, or invisible lines that mark the extent of a state’s territory and the control the leaders have Historically, frontiers separated states Frontier: a geographic zone where no state exercises power Ex: Antarctica and the Rub al-Khali The most complex borders in the world

Types of Boundaries Physical Boundary: Rivers, lakes, and oceans are the most common; also include mountains and deserts Law of the Sea: coastal boundaries extend 12 nautical miles from the coast

Types of Boundaries Cultural Boundaries: boundary set by ethnic differences such as language and religion Ex: India and Pakistan Geometric Boundaries: straight, imaginary lines that generally have a reason behind them

Functions of Boundaries Boundaries serve as symbols of sovereignty, or the ability of the state to carry out actions or policies within its borders Sovereignty promotes nationalism, or a sense of unity with fellow citizens and loyalty to the state Internal Boundaries: boundaries within a state Ex: The United States, Canada, China

Boundary Disputes Almost half of the world’s states have been involved in boundary disputes Positional Dispute: occurs when states argue about where the boundary actually is Ex: Argentina and Chile

Boundary Disputes Territorial Disputes: arise over ownership of a region, usually around mutual border Usually one state claims the other should belong to them due to ethnic and language commonalities Ex: German invasion of Poland

Boundary Disputes Resource Dispute: dispute involving natural resources that lie in border areas Ex: Iraq and Kuwait Functional Dispute: arise when neighboring states cannot agree on policies that arise in a border area Ex: US and Mexico border

Electoral Geography Electoral Process: the methods used in a country for selecting its leaders Electoral Geography: the study of how the spatial configuration of electoral districts and voting patterns reflect and influence social life Gerrymandering: the attempt to redraw boundaries to improve chances of winning election Minority/Majority Districting: rearranging districts to allow a minority representative to be elected Ex: North Carolina