POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

AP Human Geography

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY IS….

• The study of the political organization of the world

• What is a state

• Why states are where they are

• Physical geography of states (their affect on a state)

• Interactions between states

• Interaction within a state

A STATE….

•An organized region with:

• Permanent population

• Defined territory

• Government

• Capacity to enter into relations with other states

• Montevideo Convention, Organization of American

States December 26, 1933

SOVEREIGNTY

•Recognized right to control

territory both politically and

militarily

:A state also needs

HOW TO GET RECOGNIZED

•Other countries must recognize your right

to exist.

•Need to have a couple of big countries

recognize you or a majority of the United

Nations

REAL STATE OR NOT?

•Republic of China (AKA Taiwan)?

•Kosovo?

•North Korea?

• Israel?

•Armenia?

•Palestine?

TERMS RELATED TO STATES

Multinational state?Country?

Microstate?

Multistate nation?

Satellite State?

NATION

• People bound together

• Ancestrally

• Historically

• Culturally

• Language

NATION STATE

•Blueistan •Everyone living

in Blueistan is

also Blueistani

MULTINATION STATE

•Blueistan •The people living in blueistan are different nationalities – like purpleini, greeneons, etc

MULTISTATE NATION

•The Blueistanis live not only in Blueistan, but also in neighboring countries. The Nationality is in several neighboring states

STATELESS NATION

•The Blueistani people

are not the majority in

any country. They

don’t have a country

to call their own

NOT A STATELESS NATION

• In this case the Bluestanis are not a stateless nation –because they are all in one country. They may not have a country called Bluestani, but they are all together

SEMI-AUTONOMOUS REGION

• In Tanalanaland:

• Several nationalities

• Orangemen have a very different

background – history, language

• More wealthy, pay higher taxes

• Want independence

• To keep them happy & part of the

country, the government has given

them autonomy over education and

tax spending in the region

AUTONOMOUS REGION

• In Tanalanaland:

• The Purpleini have been granted

complete control of the red area.

• They control:

• Schools

• Government

• Public services

• The Purpleini also has all the

benefits anyone in Tanalanaland

enjoys.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS????

•Can you divide

these

• Nations?

• States?

• Stateless nations?

• Semi/autonomous

regions?

Into the right category?

SHAPES OF STATES

THE SHAPE OF A STATE CAN EFFECT:

ORGANIZATIONCONTROL

TRANSPORTATIONMANAGEMENTGOVERNANCE

ECONOMYRELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBORS

COMPACT STATE

•Usually the perfect state shape

•Especially when capital is in

the center

•Transportation

•communication

ELONGATED STATE

•Least efficient

•Further from the capital =

isolation

•Transportation

•Defense

PRORUPT STATE

•Combo of compact and

elongated

•Proruption usually has some

sort of significance

FRAGMENTED STATE

•Most difficult

•Can be only islands or part

continent, part island

•Communication, defense,

control

PERFORATED STATE

•One state completely

surrounds another state

•Surrounded state = enclave

•Access, defense, dependence