1. Chapter 8
Political Geography

2. Where are States Located?
Problems of Defining States
A state is an area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government that has control over its internal and foreign affairs.
Sovereignty is independence from control of its internal affairs by other states.

3. Where are States Located?
Problems of Defining States
Korea: North and South.
China: China and Taiwan
Western Sahara: Morocco, Sahrawi, Mauritania, Spain.
Varying Size of States
Russia (6.6 million square miles)
Monaco (0.6 square miles

5. Where are States Located?
Development of the State Concept
Ancient states
The City State
Early European States
Empires were divided into provinces
Empires collapsed, provinces became countries
England, France, Spain, Poland, for example

6. Where are States Located?
Development of the State Concept
Colonies
A colony is an area that is tied to a sovereign states rather than being completely independent.
A sovereign state can run any part of a colony.
Colonialism
One country establishes settlements, and imposes its political, economic, and cultural principles on a territory
European countries established colonies for religion, economics, and power. (God, Gold, and Glory)

8. Where are States Located?
Development of the State Concept
Colonialism (Continued)
Started in the 1400s
Imperialism – control of a territory already occupied and organized by indigenous society.
“Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”

9. Where are States Located?
Development of the State Concept
Colonial Practices
Assimilation for unity
British method
Africa
The Few Remaining Colonies
Puerto Rico – U.S. Commonwealth
Mayotte and New Caledonia – France
Netherlands Antilles – Netherlands
Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands – United States
Pitcairn Island – United Kingdom

10. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Shapes of States
Five basic shapes
A boundary is an invisible line marking the extent of a state’s territory.
Compact state
Prorupted state
Elongated State
Fragmented State
Perforated State

11. Compact State

12. Prorupted State

13. Elongated State

14. Fragmented State

15. Perforated State

16. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Landlocked States
States with no access to the oceans
Southern Africa
Zimbabwe
Zambia
What problems arise for landlocked states?
A landlocked state is completely surrounded by other countries. Landlocked states are at a distinct strategic, economic, and military disadvantage.

17. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Types of Boundaries
Physical Boundaries
Mountains
Deserts
Bodies of water
Cultural Boundaries
Geometric Boundaries
Religious Boundaries
Language Boundaries
Physical boundaries follow important features in the natural landscape such as rivers or mountain ranges.
Geometric boundaries follow straight lines and have little to do with the natural or cultural landscape.
Religious Boundaries occur when an area is divided based on religious groups. (india and Pakistan)
Language Boundaries are used to distinguish distinctive nationalities.
types of boundaries—
subsequent boundaries are drawn after an area has been settled that considers the social and cultural characteristics of the area.
superimposed boundaries are lines that are drawn that ignore existing cultural patterns.
Antecedent boundaries are lines that are established before an area is populated.

18. This is the boundary between Libya and Chad
This is the boundary between Libya and Chad. It is a straight line drawn by european countries early in the twentieth century when the area comprised a series of colonies. Libya, however, claims that the boundary should be located 100 kilometers to the south and that is should have sovereignty over the Aozou strip.

20. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Boundaries inside States
Unitary and Federal States
Unitary states place most power in the hands of the federal government officials
Federal States allocate more power to local governments within a state
Trend toward Federal Government
France: Unitary
Poland: Federal
Federalism – a system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographical territories rather than concentrated within a central government.
Unitarianism – a state governed as a unit, without internal divisions or a federalist delegation of powers.

21. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Electoral Geography
Gerrymandering the process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.
Types of Gerrymandering
Wasted vote
Excess vote
Stacked vote
In the U.S. Gerrymandering is illegal
Gerrymandering – the designation of voting districts so as to favor a particular political party.
wasted vote – spread opposition across many districts but in a minority.
excess vote – opposition voters are concentrated in a few districts.
Staked vote – oddly shaped boundaries link like minded voters.
Reapportionment – the process by which districts are moved according to population shifts so that each district encompasses approximately the same number of people.

23. Why do States Cooperate with Each Other?
Political and Military Cooperation
United nations
Regional Military Alliances
Two superpowers
Balance of power
Military Cooperation in Europe
NATO
Warsaw Pact
Organization of American States
African Union
The Commonwealth

24. Why do States Cooperate with Each Other?
Economic Cooperation
European Union
Economic power is more important than military power
The EU has 27 countries in Europe in the 21st century
Purpose: promote development within member states through economic cooperation.
Euro is the common currency.

25. Why has Terrorism Increased?
Terrorism by individuals and Organizations
American Terrorists
Theodore Kaczynski -- Unabomber
Timothy McVeigh – Oklahoma City
Terry Nichols – Oklahoma City

26. Why has Terrorism Increased?
September 11, 2001
3,000 fatalities
Four airplanes
Twin towers, Pentagon, and one failed plane attack

29. Why has Terrorism Increased?
Al-Qaeda
Osama Bin Laden
U.S. Support of Saudi Arabia and Israel
Jihad
Bombings
Saudi Arabia
England
Indonesia
Spain

30. Why has Terrorism Increased?
State Support of Terrorism
Afghanistan
The Taliban
Iraq
Saddam Hussein
Desert Storm
Regime Change
Iran
War with Iraq – 1.5 million dead
Nuclear Weapon capabilities

31. The End
Chapter 8