1. Political Geography

2. Many newly independent nations have problems
Political Geography-the study of political activity in a spatial context.
Over 200 countries and territories in the world
Great inequality of size, relative location, population, resources and potential
Some are landlocked or have little coastline
Some are surrounded by hostile nations
In the last several decades-the collapse of empires has added to the number of independent states.
Many newly independent nations have problems

3. States or Countries, Nations, Stateless Nations, and Nation-States

4. State
State – a politically organized territory with a permanent population, a defined territory, and a government. To be a state, an entity must be recognized as such by other states. Exceptions: Colonies and Protectorates

5. The State A state provides services for its citizens. It demands taxes
It demands adherence to the laws.
It demands military service
Periods of adversity can increase a sense of nationalism-but can backfire
A state is possible only if a national attitude or emotional attachment to the state develops.
US Vietnam War split the nation
Canada-Quebec controversy
Argentina-Falklands crisis brought down the government

6. Defining the Nation-State
A Nation should have
A single language
A common history
A similar ethnic background
Unity from a common political system.
Cultural homogeneity not as important as “national spirit” or emotional commitment to the state.
A Nation-State has:
Clearly delineated territory
Substantial population
Well-organized government
Shared political and cultural history
Emotional ties to institutions or political systems or an ideology.
Switzerland is a good example of national spirit-a state with French, German, Italian and Romanish languages yet had endured because of its peoples’ commitment to the state.
Livy stated that what makes a society strong is the well-being of its people—basic justice, basic opportunity, a modicum of spritual reward—the people’s conviction that “the system” is set up to produce it. As Livy wrote, “An empire remains powerful so long as its subjects rejoice in it.”
*Pass out the worksheet that states all the nation-states

7. Stateless Nations
Sovereignty-complete control over a territory’s political & military affairs. Some nations do not have their own state-this can lead to conflict.
Palestinians are the most well known example-a stateless nation in conflict with Israel over territory.
Kurds-about 20 million people live in Kurdistan-which covers 6 states-since the 1991 Iraq War-Kurdish Security Zone has been virtually independent.
1990s the Palestinian Arabs gained control of fragments of territory, but most of the 6.5 million Palestinians still live in Israel and elsewhere.
Jordan 2.1 million
Lebanon 400,000
Syria 350,000
Today radical Hamas has taken over Gaza (occupied by Israel until 2005) after defeating Abbas & the Fatah movement founded by Yasir Arafat.
Gaza faces (pop. 1.4 million in 140 square miles) 50% unemployment

9. Multinational State – A state with more than one nation.
The Former Yugoslavia
Multinational State –
A state with more than one nation.
Slobadan Milosevic, leader of Serbia launched 4 Balkan Wars that killed 250,000 & left 2.5 million homeless
Milosevic was tried for war crimes (Serbia was responsible for the most vicious bloodbaths since WWII) at the Hague in the Netherlands, but died of heart failure in March 2006 before he could be sentenced.

10. A nation with more than one state.
Multistate Nation –
A nation with more than one state.
Transylvania – homeland for both Romanians and Hungarians.

11. European Boundary Changes
In Europe France is the best example of a nation-state
Others-Germany before World War I, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Sweden.
NOT nation-states-Bosnia, Moldova, Slovakia, Belgium and Latvia
Revolution and Evolution took place in Europe-absolute rule died out and was replaced by democracy
Some states abolished monarchy-France and Italy
Others retained monarchies as figure-heads; Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, etc.
Fig. 8-13: Twentieth-century boundary changes in Europe, 1914 to Germany’s boundaries changed after each world war and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

12. Geographic Characteristics of States

13. Geographic Characteristics of States
States vary greatly in………
Size-some huge like Russia 6.6 m. sq. miles, others large with 3 m. sq. miles like US, China, Brazil, Canada-some are microstates-Vatican, Monaco, Andorra, Grenada.
Shape-some are compact while other are elongated or fragmented.
Demography-some have huge populations like China’s 1.3 billion or tiny like Iceland with 250,000.
Organization-monarchy, democratic, dictatorship, theocratic.
Resources-natural and skilled population
Development-subsistence to tertiary
Power-both economic and military

14. Notice Kurdistan-covering 6 countries
The largest minority in Turkey (10 million)
Much friction between the Turkish government and the Kurds
Diyarbakir, Turkey is the unofficial Kurdish capital.

15. Territory Morphology
Territorial Morphology-shape, size & relative location of a state.
Compact-distance from the geographic center does not vary greatly.
Fragmented-consisting of 2 or more separate pieces divided by water or other territory.
Elongated-long & thin states.
In days of slow transportation & communication-compact nations were easier to control-examples-Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe
Fragmented (archipelago) states are more difficult to control due to distances involved-Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan.
Elongated-or attenuated-are long and thin states-Chile, Vietnam, Norway are examples.

16. Prorupted-states that are nearly compact, but have a narrow extension.
Perforated-having another state lie within ones territory.
Exclave-an outlier of a state located within another.
Enclave-the counterpart of exclave-it lies within a country and is independent or ruled by another country.
Prorupted-Namibia, Thailand, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Republic of the Congo,
Perforated-Italy-San Marino and the Vatican, South Africa-Lesotho, before Unification East Germany was perforated by West Berlin a part of West Germany.
Exclave-is an outlying part of another country-if landlocked within another country-it is an
Enclave-the counterpart to exclave-the same territory as viewed by the state that surrounds it.

17. Ask Students to pick out the appropriate shape
Indonesia-Fragmented
Russia-Fragmented-also Elongated
Chile-Elongated
Congo-Prorupt
Senegal-Perforated
South Africa Perforated

18. India: The Tin Bigha Corridor
India is a Prorupted State due to the Tin Bigha Corridor
Pakistan was fragmented until the 1971 Civil War during which Bangladesh became independent.
Fig. 8-7: The Tin Bigha corridor fragmented two sections of the country of Bangladesh. When it was leased to Bangladesh, a section of India was fragmented.

19. Landlocked Countries
Landlocked states have a serious disadvantage in trade and access to resources.
Africa has more landlocked states than any other continent. Sahel is poorly linked to the coastal ports; Uganda linked by rail; Zimbabwe access via South African and Mozambique ports; Rwanda & Burundi the world’s most isolated states; Zambia & Malawi have poor connections.
Asia-Mongolia & Nepal are landlocked with rough terrain, great distances and limited communication, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia & Georgia.
South America-Bolivia and Paraguay-lost coastline in war
Europe-Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Moldova, Belarus and Bosnia

20. Landlocked States

21. African States Have students come up with examples of…..
Prorupted States of Dem. Rep. of Congo, Zambia, Namibia
Landlocked States of Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Zimbabwe
Perforated State of South Africa
Elongated States of Malawi, Mozambique-also Prorupted
Compact States of Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda
Fig. 8-6: Southern, central, and eastern Africa include states that are compact, elongated, prorupted, fragmented, and perforated.

22. Land Boundaries
Not just a line, but also a vertical plane that cuts through subsoil, rocks and the airspace above-coal, gas & oil reserves often cross these lines.
Belgium, Germany & Netherlands argued over coal seams & natural gas reserves.
Kuwait Oil drilling prompted the 1991 Gulf War (Rumaylah Reserve)

23. Land Boundaries 3 Stage Evolution of Boundaries:
definition-a document is created that indicates exact landmarks;
delimitation-cartographers place the boundary on the map;
demarcation-boundary markers such as steel posts or concrete pillars, fences or wall marks the boundary

24. Types of Boundaries
Geometric-straight line boundary such as US-Canada or many in Africa.
Physical or Natural-Political Boundary-river, crest of a mountain range or some other physical landmark
Cultural or Anthro-Geographic Boundary-breaks in the human landscape, such as most of Europe’s boundaries

25. Aozou Strip: A Geometric Boundary
1995 World Court awarded the dispute territory to Chad
Fig. 8-9: The straight boundary between Libya and Chad was drawn by European powers, and the strip is the subject of controversy between the two countries.

26. Left-the Demilitarized Zone between North Korea & South Korea is heavily defended by both sides
Bottom left-the US-Canadian border is the longest undefended border in the world.
Bottom right-the Rio Grande forms the border between Mexico and the United States which is porous enough to allow million of illegal immigrants.

27. Genetic Boundary Classification
Richard Hartshorne, a leading political geographer developed this classification system;
Antecedent Boundary-physical landscape defined the boundary well before human habitation-Malaysia-Indonesian boundary on Borneo is sparsely settled.
Subsequent Boundary-Vietnam-China border results from a long period of modification.
Superimposed-forcibly drawn boundary that cuts across a unified cultural boundary-New Guinea-Indonesia West Irian & Papua New Guinea in the East.
Relict boundary no longer serves its purpose, but the imprint is still evident in the landscape-Vietnam-North South boundary, West and East Germany boundary, especially in Berlin.

29. Political Organization of States or Countries

30. Forms of Government
Unitary – highly centralized government where the capital city serves as a focus of power.
Federal – a government where the state is organized into territories, which have control over government policies and funds.

31. Nigeria’s Federal Government –
Allows states within the state to determine
whether to have Shari’a Laws
Shari’a Laws
Legal systems based on traditional Islamic laws

32. The U.S. Federal Government –
Allows states within the state to determine “moral” laws such as death penalty, access to alcohol, and concealed weapons.
Minnesota’s concealed
weapons law
requires the posting of signs such as this on buildings that do not allow concealed weapons.

33. Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces
Richard Hartshorne, a leading political geographer described Centripetal forces as things that bind or hold a nation together & promote national unity:
Strong leadership-charismatic leader
External threat
Education
Ideology-Fascism, Communism or Democracy
Movement or circulation
“Charisma” Greek for divine gift
Peron of Argentina
DeGaulle in France
Tito in Yugoslavia

34. Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces
Centrifugal forces are things that that divide or tear a state apart: (also called Devolutionary forces)
Ethnic or cultural differences
Religious differences
Linguistic diversity
Economic disparity
Movement or circulation
Physical geographical differences