Iceland Iceland State? Nation? Nation-State? Nation-State!

Canada Canada State? Nation? Nation-State? State! (Multinational)

Belgium Belgium State? Nation? Nation-State? State! (Multinational)

Stateless Nations Palestinian National Authority: interim government according to 1994 agreement with Israel. Negotiations for a permanent settlement stalled and Palestinian- Israeli conflict continues. Palestine? A NATION, but NO State

Geographic Characteristics of States: Boundaries & Borders

A. Boundaries & Borders 1.Shapes of states –five basic shapes –landlocked states 2.Types of boundaries –physical –cultural

Boundaries are vertical planes… boundary boundary: lines that establish the limits of a state’s authority

Controversies Over Airspace 1.Territorial airspace: 12 nautical miles Korean Airlines Flight 007 strayed into Soviet airspace - shot down by Soviet military jets - all 269 passengers did.

Controversies Over Subsoil Resources

San Diego, USA - Tijuana, Mexico Border

B. Types of Boundaries 1.geometric boundaries: grid systems 2.physical boundaries: natural features –mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, deserts 3.anthropographic: cultural boundaries –ethnicity, language, religion

Mountain Boundaries 1.Mountains can be effective boundaries if they are difficult to cross Argentina and Chile agreed to be divided by the crest of the Andes Mountains but could not decide on the precise location of the crest.

Water Boundaries 1.Rivers, lakes, and oceans are the physical features most commonly used as boundaries. Boundaries are typically in the middle of the water, although the boundary between Malawi and Tanzania follows the north shore of Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa).

Cultural Boundaries The boundaries between some states coincide with differences in ethnicity.

Language Boundaries 1. Language is an important cultural characteristic for drawing boundaries, especially in Europe. The movement to identify nationalities on the basis of language spread throughout Europe in the twentieth century.

C. Size & Location 1.Large size: access to natural resources & population, but can be difficult to administer 2.Small size: can be a disadvantage (W. Africa vs. Singapore)

3.Relative location can be a blessing or a curse –benefit if close to resources –landlocked countries face challenges

Landlocked States in Africa 1.Lesotho is unique in being completely surrounded by only one state and is… landlocked! The prevalence of landlocked states in Africa is a remnant of the colonial era, when Britain and France controlled extensive regions.

D. Shapes 1. compact 2. elongated 3. fragmented 4. perforated 5. prorupt

Afghanistan prorupt state prorupt state: odd shaped extension Myanmar

Elongated States: Potential Isolation Best example: Chile Elongated states may suffer from poor internal communications

Fragmented States: Problematic Defending fragmented state: includes several discontinuous pieces of territory

India: The Tin Bigha Corridor The Tin Bigha corridor fragmented two sections of the country of Bangladesh. When it was leased to Bangladesh, a section of India was fragmented.

South Africa perforated states perforated states: a state that completely surrounds another South Africa completely surrounds the state of Lesotho

E. Additional Types of Boundaries antecedent boundary: drawn before population established itself subsequent boundary: drawn after population established itself (respects existing cultural patterns) superimposed boundary: drawn after population established itself (DOES NOT respect existing cultural patterns) relict boundary: boundary that has ceased to exist but imprint remains on cultural landscape

Antecedent, Subsequent, or Superimposed? Part of U.S.-Canada is a 1,300- mile straight line along the 49° parallel (established in 1846 by a treaty between the United States and Great Britain)

The Aozou Strip: a superimposed geometric boundary The straight boundary between Libya and Chad was drawn by European powers, and the strip is the subject of controversy between the two countries.

Ethnic Groups in Southwest Asia Ethnic boundaries DO NOT match country boundaries, especially in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Antecedent, Subsequent, or Superimposed?

Treaty of Versailles Antecedent, Subsequent, or Superimposed?

Division of Cyprus Antecedent, Subsequent, or Superimposed?

Ethnicities: S.W. Asia

Africa After Berlin Conference of Antecedent, Subsequent, or Superimposed?

F. Frontier Regions frontier frontier: zone where no country exercises complete political control –Antarctica & Saudi Arabian borders

Space - The Last Frontier?

Enclaves & Exclaves exclave exclave: “outlier” territory attached to another territory enclave enclave: an area within a state that belongs to another state

The complicated border between Belgium and the Netherlands in the village of Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog

primate city: primate city: a country’s leading city that is disproportionately larger & functionally complex than any other Metropolitan Seoul contains over 40% of the total population of South Korea G. Primate Cities & Forward Capitals

Luanda has almost 2/3 of Angola’s urban population a heritage of the colonial past

Not all primate cities are in the less- developed world… Paris

forward “thrust” capital forward “thrust” capital: a capital moved to a more central location for political or economic goals; usually a “planned” city IslamabadIn 1959, Pakistan moved its capital from Karachi to Islamabad to focus attention on its historic interior

Abuja, Brasilia, & Canberra Abuja, Brasilia, & Canberra— the classic examples of forward capitals Brasilia

Abuja Canberra

Countries with Two Capitals