1. Welcome to Chapter 8
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

2. Key Issue 1: Where are States Distributed?
Introducing Political Geography
Challenges in Defining States
Key Issue 1: Where are States Distributed?

3. Here ya go, some definitions:
State
Four criteria
Organized into a political unit
Ruled by an established government
That government has control over its internal affairs
Occupies a defined territory
Contains a permanent population
Example: Mexico
Country is a synonym for State
Non-example: Kentucky

4. Microstate: states with very small land areas
Largest State: Russia
Microstate: states with very small land areas
Vatican City. World’s smallest microstate

5. Another one… Sovereignty Just learn how to say it now: SOV-ERN-TEE
You might as well memorize how to spell it too
Independence from control of its internal affairs by other states
Freeee!!!!
Formal or uniform region
Its own government, laws, army, leaders

6. Q: Just how many states are there
Q: Just how many states are there? A: There is no definite answer Y: Why? Well I’ll tell you…
Korea
Used to be a colony of Japan
U.S. and Soviet Union got it after WWII and divided it into North and South
Two separate governments were formed ( and )
North invaded South in the 1950s starting a 3 year war
North hasn’t made very good decisions. One of the poorest and isolated countries
But… “Both Korean governments are committed to reuniting the country into one sovereign state”

7. Q: Just how many states are there
Q: Just how many states are there? A: There is no definite answer Y: Why? Well I’ll tell you…
China and Taiwan
Most say that they are two separate, sovereignties
China says it’s a part of China
In the 1940s the nationalists went to Taiwan to establish a government separate from the Communists during a civil war
Its been back and forth, the UN finally declared the communist government the “in” government in China
Taiwan is not a member of the U.N.

8. Q: Just how many states are there
Q: Just how many states are there? A: There is no definite answer Y: Why? Well I’ll tell you…
Western Sahara
Most Africans say its sovereign
Morocco claims it and built a big wall around to keep out the rebels
It has never really been totally sovereign
Morocco controls most of the area that is populated

9. Key Issue 2: Why are Nation-States Difficult to Create?
Development of States
Nation-States and Multinational States
Russia: The Largest Multiethnic State
Nation-States in the Former Soviet Union
Colonies
Key Issue 2: Why are Nation-States Difficult to Create?

10. Nation State
Nation State: A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity.

11. Development of the State Concept
Ancient
The Fertile Crescent
Originated in the Middle East (Fertile Crescent)
Center for land and sea communications in ancient times
City-states came first
Sovereign state that= City+Surrounding countryside
City states that had surrounding power were called empires
Egypt and Mesopotamia

12. Development of the State Concept
Medieval States
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire controlled most of the ancient world (Eastern)
When the Roman Empire collapsed, the European portion was fragmented
Various kings, dukes, barons, etc. became leaders of different European estates

13. Development of the State Concept
States in 20th Century Europe
All world leaders met at Versailles Peace Conference after WWI to redraw Europe.
Goal: to divide Europe into nation-states using language as the factor for identifying ethnic groups.

14. Multiethnic States
Multiethnic state: a state that contains more than one ethnicity.
Multinational state: a state that contains more than one ethnicity with traditions of self-determination and self-government.
In some ethnicities coexist, culturally diverse
Russia = Largest multinational state
81% ethnic Russians
19% is made up of 39 other ethnic groups
Example: the Former Soviet Union

15. Colonies Colony: territory that is legally tied to a sovereign state
They are not independent
Example: Puerto Rico. Commonwealth of the U.S. Citizens of the U.S but they don’t participate in elections or representation in congress.
Colonialism: The effort by one country to establish settlements in a territory
God, Gold, Glory
Imperialism: Control of territory already occupied and organized by indigenous society

16. Colonial Possessions in 1914