Mapping political regions Where do you draw the line? What natural and human factors must be considered? nPQKGTU_I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/JR_cRcyNYX0/S1600-R/hand%2Bdrawn%2Bmaps.jpg

Sometimes only a frontier exists, an undefined boundary g7530 ct ct ct

physical boundaries content/uploads/2009/08/ cerrotronador-01.jpg Mountains – Argentina and Chile The Sahara Desert was an effective boundary between Libya and Chad until possible uranium deposits were discovered. Libya invaded in 1973 and the border was finally resolved in 1994.

water boundaries geometric boundaries

Human Boundaries ethnic/tribal boundaries language boundaries religious boundaries

Sometimes boundaries are created physically on the land. This doesn’t always mean it will last! Berlinermauer.jpg The Berlin Wall The U.S./Mexican border

Also consider… The Dutch mine a coal seam that runs under the boundary with Germany. An underground oil field extends between Iraq and Kuwait. Polluted air travels from one political space into another. Above ground boundaries also were important in A S. Korean plane was shot down and 269 lives lost because it strayed into Soviet airspace.

Peter Haggett, Geography: a Modern Synthesis, 3 rd ed., 1983, p.477, Harper & Row

Your turn… 1.You and your partner will receive 1 set of maps from those listed: a. climate/vegetation and annual precipitation b. population density and major religions c. major languages and ethnic core areas d. rivers and landforms 2. Your job is to divide your hypothetical land into political units, based on the information you have. 3. When you are satisfied with your results you will collaborate with another group that had different maps. 4.Again, create political boundaries that you can agree on. 5.Now you will join another group to reach consensus on a final map. Now you will have considered all known factors. 6.Select a representative to present your map to the class with your justification for the boundaries. 7.Using old transparencies or to create your maps.

Congratulations! You have completed a very difficult task by dividing a mythical country into political units. Except that… it is a real country, Nigeria

Nigeria has 36 states and 1 capital Federal Territory (Abuja) Nigeria has a population of 170,123,740 (July 2012 est.) Nigeria is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential ethnic groups: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, Traditional African Religion 10% (many Muslims and Christians may also follow Traditional African Religion along side their main faith)along side their main faith. 12/06/nigeria-states.jpg?w=540

A lot of states for a country of this size! Map overlay created at aps.com aps.com

Religious map of Nigeria

Population_density_map_of_Nigerian_states_-_English.png Population density of Nigeria

An Introduction to Human Geography by James M. Rubenstein, p.250

So how were the borders within Africa created, and for Nigeria in particular? Note: Library of Congress maps are scalable. Click on the link on each slide for more detail.

The Conference of Berlin to divide Africa

Africa, 1885 John Clark Ridpath LL. D., Cyclopedia of Universal History (Cincinnati, Ohio: Jones Brothers Publishing Co., 1885) Downloaded from Maps ETC, on the web at [map #07820] 1885

– Africa by treaty the “Scramble for Africa”

national-independence-october jpg Nigerian-Independence-Day-1960.jpg sale.com/ekmps/shops/stewcoin/images/nigeria-1960-independence-sg- 86-fine-mint p.jpg

– Nigeria administrative divisions

01e.ct001273/seq – The Times map of the tribes, peoples, & nations of modern Africa This map is particularly useful as it shows tribal groupings and current national boundaries. The complexity of Africa includes over 3000 tribes and 700 languages. Note: There is no agreed upon criteria for tribe, as a particular “tribe” may be ethnologically, linguistically, & culturally in different tribal groups.

Border Lesson extensions using Library of Congress resources India, Pakistan, and Kashmir photo Kashmir map 2003 Israel and Palestine over 1400 results Saudi Arabia and its bordering countries with Oman, Yemen, UAE with Oman, Yemen, UAE with Kuwait with Iraq and Kuwait 1991

09sudan-map.html Sudan africa Includes multiple maps – excellent resource

Library of Congress maps used in this lesson ethno linguistic Africa1996http:// relief2005http:// political2003http:// bound./1952 affiliation1952/76http:// colonies and independents1908http:// affiliations/67 boundaries1952/67http:// admin divisions1966http:// population density1979http:// administrative divisions1950http:// administrative divisions1957http:// administrative divisions1965http:// language map1883http:// administrative divisions1960http:// administrative divisions1959http:// admin with date of indep1962http:// administrative1725http:// map of Africa by treaty1909http:// Times map people, etc.1972http:// Nigeria1993http:// Nigeria - ethnic groups1961http:// Nigeria -linguistic1967http:// Nigeria - administrative1965http:// Nigeria1932http:// Nigeria administrative1962http://

other maps and references used in this lesson cultural regions cts/MUN-BC/maps/culture-2000.jpg scroll down to maps cts/MUN-BC/maps/mapindex.htm many pre & post colonial php Afr map http:// story of Berlin Congress 1885http:// incl Biafra maphttp:// map Biafra and storyhttp://