Political Geography

Question 1

State

Answer 1

Any area with a defined territory that exercises its sovereign control over areas both inside and outside it’s borders.

Question 2

Nation

Answer 2

A group of people with common cultural characteristics such as language or religion.

Question 3

Nation State

Answer 3

Occurs when a state’s boundaries coincide with the cultural boundaries of a particular group.

Question 4

A Commonwealth

Answer 4

A territory that has established a mutual agreement with another state for the benefit of both parties.

Question 5

Sovereignty

Answer 5

The power of states to regulate their own internal and external affairs.

Question 6

Coup d’état

Answer 6

When a particular group leads a revolt against the current ruling power.

Question 7

Terrorism

Answer 7

Violence against a particular society to achieve political goals.

Question 8

Determining factors of Boundaries

Answer 8

• Geometric boundaries: latitude and longitude features,
• Physical Boundaries: natural features,
• Cultural boundaries: language, religion, ethnicity,

Question 9

Antecedent Boundary

Answer 9

A boundary that existed prior to human settlement of the area, settlement followed the boundary.

Question 10

Boundary Origins

Answer 10

• Antecedent boundaries,
• Superimposed boundaries,
• Subsequent boundaries,
• Relic boundaries,

Question 11

Antecedent Boundaries

Answer 11

Boundaries that exist before the human settlement of an area.

Question 12

Subsequent Boundaries

Answer 12

Boundaries that develop along with the development of the cultural landscape.

Question 13

Superimposed Boundaries

Answer 13

A superimposed boundary is a political boundary that ignores the existing cultural organization of the landscape that is usually placed by a higher authority.

Question 14

Conference of Berlin

Answer 14

In 1884, 14 European countries decided to divide the continent of Africa into countries while ignoring the cultural landscape.

Question 15

Relic boundary

Answer 15

The boundary does not exist any longer, but it’s impact is still felt and seen on the landscape.

Question 16

Boundary Evolution

Answer 16

The technical wording of a treaty that legally defines where a boundary should be located.

Question 17

Delimitation

Answer 17

The transition or translation of the boundary evolution.

Question 18

Demarcation

Answer 18

The process of physically representing a boundary on a landscape.

Question 19

Balkanization

Answer 19

The breakup of an area into smaller independent units that usually involves some degree of hostility.

Question 20

Annexation

Answer 20

The addition of territory to an already existing state.

Question 21

Four types of boundary disputes

Answer 21

Definitional,
Locational,
Operational,
Allocational

Question 22

Definitional boundary disputes

Answer 22

Arises from the legal language of the treaty’s definition of the boundary

Question 23

Locational boundary dispute

Answer 23

Arise when the interpretation of the border is questioned.

Question 24

Operational boundary disputes

Answer 24

The two countries next to each other disagree on a major issue involving the border.

Question 25

Allocation boundary disputes

Answer 25

Questions the use of the boundary.

Question 26

Exclusive economic zones

Answer 26

Countries have the right to drill for resources up to 200 miles offshore

Question 27

Global Commons

Answer 27

Areas where countries do not have the right to search for natural resources.

Question 28

Colonialism

Answer 28

The practice of establishing political dominance over a people for economic, social, and political gain.

Question 29

Imperialism

Answer 29

Establishing control over an area that is already politically organized.

Question 30

Organic theory

Answer 30

Political geographer Ratzel based this theory on the growth of states, which argued that the state was like a living entity that constantly needed to grow to thrive.

Question 31

Self-determination

Answer 31

The power of people to establish their own government the way they see fit.

Question 32

Democratization

Answer 32

The transition of an authoritarian regime to a more representative form of government.

Question 33

Five shapes of countries

Answer 33

Compact,
Elongated,
Fragmented,
Perforated,
Prorupted

Question 34

Shatterbelt regions

Answer 34

Regions caught up in a conflict between two superpowers.

Question 35

Irredentism

Answer 35

The attempt by one country to provoke coups or separatists movements in another country.

Question 36

Centrifugal forces

Answer 36

Forces that tend to break up a state.

Question 37

Centripetal forces

Answer 37

Forces that tend to unite a state.

Question 38

Devolution

Answer 38

The giving up of power by the central government to the different regions of the country.

Question 39

Regionalism

Answer 39

The breaking up of an area into autonomous regions.

Question 40

Supranationalism

Answer 40

A method of extending state borders through the assistance of other organizations to further political and economic cooperation.

Question 41

Immigrant state

Answer 41

State composed primarily of immigrants and their descendants.

Question 42

Confederation

Answer 42

A loose grouping of states with a common purpose.

Question 43

Frontier

Answer 43

An area that is not yet under control of the state but which people within the state are migrating to.

Question 44

Globalization

Answer 44

The movement toward a common culture across the world.

Question 45

Geopolitics

Answer 45

The study of human systems, which are constantly spatially organized to fit the needs of humans.