1. Types of governments

2. State – independent unit that occupies a certain area
Nation – group of people with a common culture living in an area with a strong sense of unity
Nation-state – when a nation and a state occupy the same territory
Landlocked – surrounded by land with no access to water
Boundaries can be artificial (man-made) or natural (rivers and mountains)

3. Democracy Power to the people
The citizens hold power through the exercise of voting
The United States is a representative democracy
123 out of 196 countries in the world

4. Monarchy
A ruling family headed by a king or queen that holds political power and may or may not share that power with the citizens
United Kingdom (Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), Canada, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Japan, some African countries
27 countries have monarchies today

5. Dictatorship Individual or group holds complete political power
Still about 25 in the world today
Many countries in Africa, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Madagascar

6. Socialism
Government controls most of the country’s economy, including the production and distribution of goods and services
Other areas controlled by a market economy
Individual needs are met by a collective capital > put in what you produce, and it is distributed evenly
Tanzania, People’s Republic of China, Laos, North Korea

7. Communism
The government holds all political power, makes all economic decisions, and determines all distribution of goods
Everyone contributes and then takes away what they need
Ideally, there is no government and everything is done to benefit the community
North Korea and People’s Republic of China partially practice communism