1. Where are States Located?
Ch. 8 Key Issue 1
Where are States Located?

2. Why study?
Political geography is concerned with the study of the way governments organize and administer space on Earth's surface, and especially the geographic dimensions of conflict.
Almost all habitable land belongs to a country today
50 countries in 1940; now = 192 (UN membership)

3. Key Terms Review*** State = country, a political unit
The United “States” (old colonies became independent states then unified w/ each other)
Sovereignty = self-rule w/ laws, army and leaders
Creates a uniform type of region
Disagreement of the actual number of sovereign states (free countries) in world

4. Problems with Defining States
Korea
Plans for unification halted due to Nuclear weapons
China and Taiwan
Nationalists vs Communists; disputed claims to China’s gov’t
West Sahara (Sahrawi Republic)
Moroccan/Polisario Front claim lands after Spain withdrew from area

5. FIGURE 8-1

7. Problems with Defining States
Polar Regions
Large landmasses not part of any state
Many overlapping/conflicting claims
Some are recognized, some are not
Antarctic Treaty
Research only
Law of the Sea (1982, UN)

8. FIGURE 8-3

9. FIGURE 8-4

10. Varying Size of States Large = Russia, Canada, Brazil, US etc.
Microstates- mostly islands
Monaco, Andorra, Bahrain, etc.

11. The Evolution of the Modern State
How did the idea of carving up Earth into countries/states come about?
Developed by European philosophers in the 18th century
“Democratic Evolution”: State where power gradually shifts from the monarch to the people

12. Development of State Concept
Dividing up Earth’s surface into independent states is a new idea; Pre 1800’s = unorganized territory
Ancient states
Origin of this new idea in Fertile Crescent
City-states
Walled-off city; controlled surrounding land for agriculture and “buffer” from attack
City-states were collected into empires

14. Development of State Concept
Formation of Early European States
After collapse of Roman Empire, kings competed for land ownership
Europe was a “jigsaw” of European kingdoms
Land was eventually combined under one King into states like England and France
This is where we get the idea of dividing up land into actual independent states

15. Colonialism vs. Imperialism
Colonialism- Diffused the state concept to rest of world
Era began in 1400s looking for new route to Asia
God, Gold, and Glory
Colonialism vs Imperialism
Sparsely inhabited land vs already inhabited
Americas/Western Hemisphere vs. Asia/Africa

16. FIGURE 8-8

17. Remaining Colonies Most colonies became independent after WWII
Current boundaries frequently coincide (match) with colonial ones
Most remaining colonies are islands
Puerto Rico most populous colony
Former Colonies
Greenland, Hong Kong

18. FIGURE 8-9