The study of the interaction of geographical area and political process It is the formal study of territoriality. Covers forms of government, borders, treaties, trading blocs, conflicts and war. POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY Interaction of politics and place

A politically organized territory Administered by a sovereign government Recognized by a significant portion of the international community. A state must also contain: – a permanent resident population – an organized economy STATE

A country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity. NATION - STATE Classic Example of a Nation-State: Japan

Monarchies:Constitutional MonarchyTraditional MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy Republics:DemocracyRestricted Democratic PracticeAuthoritarian Regime Totalitarian Regime Non-Sovereign:ProtectorateColonial DependencyEmpire Source: Matthew White, Adapted from FreedomHouse.orghttp://users.erols.com/mwhite28/othergov.htm Forms of Government

Monarchies:Constitutional MonarchyTraditional MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy Republics:DemocracyRestricted Democratic PracticeAuthoritarian Regime Totalitarian Regime Non-Sovereign:ProtectorateColonial DependencyEmpire Source: Matthew White, Adapted from FreedomHouse.orghttp://users.erols.com/mwhite28/othergov.htm

Monarchies:Constitutional MonarchyTraditional MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy Republics:DemocracyRestricted Democratic PracticeAuthoritarian Regime Totalitarian Regime Non-Sovereign:ProtectorateColonial DependencyEmpire Source: Matthew White, Adapted from FreedomHouse.orghttp://users.erols.com/mwhite28/othergov.htm

Politics of Geography Effect of place on politics Example: Political Borders

U.S.- Canada boundary Alberta- Montana

U.S.- Mexico boundary Calexico, California- Mexicali, Mexico

Iguazu Falls, Argentina / Paraguay

Mexico- Guatemala Border Region

GEOPOLITICSGEOPOLITICS State’s power to control territory, shape international policy and other states’ foreign policy State’s power to control territory, shape international policy and other states’ foreign policy

How Americans View the World?

East versus West: View of Communist “Red Bloc” during Cold War Lumping failed to recognize differences among Communists, or local causes of conflict

Enlargement of Soviet bloc after World War II Berlin Wall,

Changes in Europe,

African colonies

Decolonization, 1940s-1990s

International Cooperation Treaties and Trading Blocs Economic Treaties and Free Trade Agreements Military Alliances Supranational Agreements Map of NATO Countries

Trading Blocs

OPEC The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a large group of countries[1][2] made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Ecuador (which rejoined OPEC in November 2007)countries[1][2]AlgeriaAngolaIndonesiaIranIraq KuwaitLibyaNigeriaQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab Emirates VenezuelaEcuador

European Union Began as European Economic Community (EEC), Stronger in new members joined, 2004 Turkey and Romania want to join but have faced resistance.

United Nations Member States (192) Non-member States Taiwan (China) Vatican City Western Sahara (territory of Morocco) Palestinian Territories Tibet (China) The United Nations System is based on five active principal organs UN General AssemblyUnited Nations UN General Assembly UN Security Council UN Economic and Social Council UN Secretariat International Court of Justice

Sample United Nations Organizations UNDPUNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNIFEMUNIFEM - United Nations Development Fund for Women UNVUNV - United Nations Volunteers UNEPUNEP - United Nations Environment Programme UNFPAUNFPA - United Nations Fund for Population Activities UNHCRUNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesHigh Commissioner UN-HABITATUN-HABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN- HABITAT) UNICEFUNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY Political Geography of Elections Variation of voting districts and voting patterns

ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY VOTER TURN-OUT All elections since Countryvote/VAP % 1Italy92.5 2Cambodia90.5 3Seychelles96.1 4Iceland Romania Spain77 75Luxembourg Nepal Malaysia59 96Zimbabwe Jamaica Honduras Russia55 108Panama Poland Uganda USA Mexico Peru48 Source: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005

“Gerrymandering” Redistricting for partisan purposes

U.S. congressional delegation redistricting Reapportionment : allocating seats to a geographic area (normally done after every census)

Tom Delay’s District in Texas After Texas Republicans won a majority in 2002, they enacted redistricting legislation to protect their wins.

Congressional reapportionment

1860 Presidential Vote Led to Southern secession, Civil War

1996 Presidential Vote

Davis (D)48% Simon (R)42% Camejo (G) 5% Copeland (L) 2%

I

2004 Presidential Vote