KBAT Political Geography Flashcards
balance of power
condition of roughly equal strength between opposing alliances ex: United States and Soviet Union
autonomous region
country free from external authority EX: India, China
Berlin Conference
regulated European trade and colonization in Africa during the New Imperialism period
border/boundary
invisible line that marks the extent of a state’s territory EX: the Colorado border touches Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah on just one side
capital city
where main business of a city is located EX: Denver, CO or Phoenix, AZ
city-state
city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state EX: Athens, Rome
colony
territory legally tied to a sovereign state rather than being completely independent EX: US used to be 13 colonies of England
compact state
distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly EX: Kenya, Rwanda
democratization
process by which a country becomes a democracy, which is a country in which citizens elect leaders and can run for office EX: United States of America
devolution
delegation of authority from a central to a regional government
elongated state
long and narrow shape EX: Malawi, Gambia
EEZ
Exclusive Economic Zone is a sea zone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources EX: America’s water, England’s water, etc.
enclave
Enclave is a piece of land totally surrounded by foreign territory.
exclave
Exclave is a piece of land which is politically attached to a larger piece but not physically conterminous with it because of surrounding foreign territory
fragmented state
several discontinuous pieces of territory EX: Indonesia
federal state
federal principle or system of government
frontier
zone where not state exercises complete political control
high seas
areas of seas considered beyond territorial waters
gerrymander
process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power EX: Wasted vote, excess vote, stacked vote
irredentism
doctrine that irredenta should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or historically related
governance
the process of decision-making and the exercise of authority in the management of a community or organization.
landlocked state
lacks a direct outlet to a sea because it is completely surrounded by several other countries EX: Lesotho
microstate
a state that encompasses a very small land area EX: Lesotho
multistate nation
A multinational state or a multinational union is a sovereign entity that comprises two or more nations or states.
perforated state
State that completely surrounds another state.
prorupted state
otherwise compact state with a large projecting extension EX: Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia
redistricting
the process of drawing electoral district boundaries
separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental, or gender separation from the larger group.
sovereignty
ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states
territorial waters
wars over a territory that each side wants EX: distribution of Israel
territoriality
In political geography, a country’s or more local community’s sense of property and attachment toward its territory, as expressed by its determination to keep it inviolable and strongly defended.
terrorism
systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands EX: 9/11
unitary state
places most power in the hands of central government officials EX: states in Europe
supranational organization
having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments EX: supranational law
UNCLOS/maritime boundary
comprehensive attempt at creating a unified regime for governance of the rights of nations with respect to the world’s oceans, stands for United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
