1. Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
Shapes of States

2. Good & Bad Large Country Small Country
More potential resources and greater industrial base, difficult to defend borders
Small Country
Lack resources but less area to defend
Microstates- smallest states Ex: Vatican City

3. 5 Basic Shapes of States
1. Compact State- the distance from the center to any boundary doesn’t vary too much (equidistant)
Good: Communication Smaller, Boundaries to defend
Bad: lack resources

4. 5 Basic Shapes of States
2. Prorupted States- otherwise compact but with a large projecting extension
Good: usually has access to raw material because of proruption, trade opportunity
Bad: hard to defend and fiercely fought over

5. 5 Basic Shapes of States 3. Elongated States- long and narrow shape
Good: Easy transportation of raw material to industrial centers
Bad: May suffer from poor communication, ends of country may feel isolated leading to separatist movements

6. 5 Basic Shapes of States
4. Fragmented States- several discontinuous pieces of territory
Good: Hard for another country to occupy or control your country
Bad: Communication and Transportation bad.

7. 5 Basic Shapes of States
5. Perforated States- A state that completely surrounds another one.
State on the inside must almost completely rely on the surrounding state.
Good: Ethnic group has its own country
Bad: May get in way of transportation and communication (Ex: Telephone, railroad, highways)
Lesotho would be a landlocked state and an enclave