Geographic Characteristics of States

A. Territory Size-micro vs macro Does Size =Power? No Greater land area may equal greater resources Could also lead to problems with regulating area (communication and transportation) CIA Factbook. online Vatican Map Micro State - Vatican MapMicro State - Vatican Map

Size is not necessarily an indicator for success Russia Land Area: 6,550.7 square miles Purchasing Power Parity $24,764 (2014) United States Land Area: 3,787.4 Purchasing Power Parity $54,678 (2014) CIA Factbook. online

B. Territory Shape Fellmann 423

1. Compact State: (circle shape) the distance from any point of the country to its center is about the same. supposed to provide the most geographic stability e.g. Poland, Iceland, Rwanda, Zimbabwe

2. Fragmented State consisting of 2 or more pieces can make some interactions within the country more difficult e.g. Philippines

3. Elongated Can create separatist areas due to distance from center or core Vietnam, Chile, Norway Hello down there!

Prorupt States An area that extends from a compact area Can create room for factions geographically Southern Thailand

Perforated State broken by another country 1. exclaves: separated from the state by another state e.g. Azerbaijan (Fellmann 347) 2. enclaves: surrounded by another state e.g. Christian Armenia b. e.g. South Africa- Lesotho US question next slide

Practice Analysis of Shape What US state is an exclave? The same state is also a prorupt state. What shape best describes California?

Big Theme Territory size & shape can influence political stability, but can not determine social, political, or economic well being.

Boundaries

What is a boundary? Boundary: a vertical plane that cuts through the airspace and ground to determine ownership

Problems Boundaries Lack of knowledge of underground resources when boundaries were created 1990 Kuwait vs. Iraq: Rumaylah oil reserves created International conflict (picture 349)

Who Controls Airspace? When boundaries were created there was a lack of knowledge of importance of airspace a. airline traffic b. satellite space?

How are Boundaries Created? Defined - usually legally by someone who is not directly involved (written) Delimitation - mapped Demarcation - marked with posts, walls, fences, etc. (Fellman 430)

Types of Boundaries Geometric boundary: straight line boundary totally unrelated to physical features e.g. United States border with Canada

Types of Boundaries Physical boundaries which conform to physical features (mountains, desert, or water) e.g. United States border with Mexico along the Rio Grande

The boundary between Malawi (foreground) and Mozambique (background) runs through Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi).

Electoral Geography Boundaries separating legislative districts within the U.S. and other countries are redrawn periodically to ensure each has about the same population. 435 districts of the U.S. House of Representatives are redrawn every 10 years, following the Census Bureau’s release of the official population figures. Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefits the party in power is called gerrymandering.

U.S. Supreme Court ruled gerrymandering illegal in 1985 but did not require dismantling of existing oddly shaped districts.

Types of Boundaries- genetic boundaries A. antecedent boundary: some boundaries were defined and delimited before humans settled e.g. Malaysia B. subsequent boundaries: boundaries which developed according to the cultural landscape e.g. Vietnam/ China

Types of Boundaries Genetic continued C. superimposed boundaries: forcibly drawn boundaries across a culturally unified landscape e.g. Papau New Guinea/ Indonesia d. relict boundary: border that has ceased to function imprints still evident in cultural landscape. N-S Vietnam

IV. Boundary Disputes A. Territorial / Definitional -Whose Land is it? Focus on legal language of the agreement B. Positional / Locational => focus on delimitation and demarcation of the border 2. the interpretation of the definition is the dispute 3. Saudi Arabia vs. Yemen (oil rich border not covered in the treaty)

IV. Boundary Disputes C. Functional / Operational Border Dispute 1. way boundary should function 2. how should each side handle cross-border migration D. Resources / Allocational Border Dispute 1. dispute over boundary due to location of resources 2. water supplies - Colorado River

Boundary Disputes D. Allocational Border Dispute 1. dispute over boundary due to location of resources 2. water supplies - Colorado River nasa

Various boundary disputes - what type are they? Botswana has built electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape political persecution. Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despite international intervention, mutual animosities, accusations, and armed posturing have prevented demarcation; Ethiopia refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until claimed technical errors made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including the award of Badme, the focus of the war. All of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands. Source: Functional Territorial and Positional Resource

Mari-time Boundaries UN Convention on Law of the Sea, 1982 (158 countries signed) Source:

Spratly Islands

Arctic Ocean Competing Claims Why is this a disputed region of the world? Who cares and why? Source: s/stories/News_Files/artic- skipting2.jpg

Changing political power in US 4 level analysis Which regions of the country are gaining / losing representation? How will this influence future elections? Who is gaining / losing influence?