 Geopolitics- the study of human systems, which are constantly in a state of spatially organizing the land to fit the needs of humans  Also called political geography

 the modern concept of territory arose in early modern Europe as a system of political units came into being with fixed distinct boundaries  Territoriality- a country’s (or more local community’s) sense of property and attachment towards it territory  Territoriality is basically the expression of political control over space

 Citizenship is the legal identity of a person based on the state where he was born or where he was naturalized as an immigrant

 Marks the beginning of the modern state system  Negotiated in 1648  Ended the Thirty Years’ War  Recognized statehood and nationhood, clearly defined borders and guarantees security

 The American public often misuses terms in political geography  For example, the difference between a state and a nation, as well as a nation- state

 State- an area with boundaries and sovereignty  Nation- a group of people with common cultural characteristics  Nation-state- occurs when a state’s boundaries coincide with the cultural boundaries of a particular group

 Iraq is a state divided among three nations  Someone who uses the phrase “the nation of Iraq” is trying to describe the state of Iraq  The state of Iraq currently has three distinct nations within it: the Sunni Muslims, the Shiite Muslims, and the Kurds  These 3 nations within Iraq have disputes that are difficult to resolve within a single political system

 Sovereignty- independence from control of its internal affairs by other states

 The earth is divided among just 200 countries  These countries are correctly termed states  In the 20 th century, boundaries changed constantly  In the past 100 years, the number of states has increased by over 100

 Some states are extended through colonialism or other forces  Great Britain, Denmark and other countries posses territories all over the world  The United States owns many territories, including American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico  Puerto Rico is the largest territory in the world in terms of population

 Commonwealth- a territory that has established a mutual agreement with another state for the benefit of both parties  In return for land use as a military base by the United States, the citizens of Puerto Rico gain full citizenship rights except for representation in Congress

 Territorial dispute- a conflict that arises when two or more countries vie for control over a territory  Even when territories are small, they may be sought after vigorously for their economic benefit, their raw materials, or the added prestige that comes with owning a new territory

 In 1982, Great Britain took military action against Argentina over a small group of islands off the Argentina coast  The Falkland Islands had a population of only about 2,500. The people primarily make their living from sheep ranching and fishing  Great Britain owned it for over a century, however Argentina claimed they were the rightful owners and invaded in 1982

 The war lasted 2 months and Great Britain was victorious  After the war the citizens voted they wanted Great Britain to establish sovereign control and voted for English to be their official language

 Nationalism can derive from an existing culture group hat desires political representation or independence, or from a political state that bonds and unifies culture groups  Politicians use nationalism as motivation to support the state and oppose foreign or other political influences  Individuals tend to take pride in their nationalist identities, even though they or their neighbors may be from different ethnic backgrounds