1/18/2013 1 Political Geography What is a “state”? • A region on the earth that has: – Defined territory – Population – Political structure – Sovereignty • “country” is synonymous with “state” • “nation” is synonymous with “ethnicity” Development of the State Concept • “city-state”: included the local community and surrounding countryside – Often made alliance with nearby city-states – One city-state might gain dominance within a region and create an empire (i.e. Roman) Development of the State Concept • Roman Empire devolved into estates owned by local kings, dukes, barons, etc – Neighboring estates made alliances under a regional king – Basis for modern states in Europe • “Nation-State” dominated almost 100% by one ethnicity – Japan and Denmark Problematic States • Korea: One State or Two? – Following WWII occupied by USA & USSR – Separate governments created; divided at 38 th parallel – Korean War ensued; DMZ as buffer – Remain separate although each believes it is legitimate government for whole peninsula – 1992 each admitted to UN – “hope” of reunification Problematic States • Satellite image of Korea at night • Suggests the divide in developmental status for each North & South
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1/18/2013
1
Political Geography
What is a “state”?
• A region on the earth that has:
– Defined territory
– Population
– Political structure
– Sovereignty
• “country” is synonymous with “state”
• “nation” is synonymous with “ethnicity”
Development of the State Concept
• “city-state”: included the local community
and surrounding countryside
– Often made alliance with nearby city-states
– One city-state might gain dominance within a
region and create an empire (i.e. Roman)
Development of the State Concept
• Roman Empire devolved into estates owned
by local kings, dukes, barons, etc
– Neighboring estates made alliances under a
regional king
– Basis for modern states in Europe
• “Nation-State” dominated almost 100% by
one ethnicity
– Japan and Denmark
Problematic States
• Korea: One State or Two?
– Following WWII occupied by USA & USSR
– Separate governments created; divided at 38th
parallel
– Korean War ensued; DMZ as buffer
– Remain separate although each believes it is
legitimate government for whole peninsula
– 1992 each admitted to UN
– “hope” of reunification
Problematic States
• Satellite image of Korea
at night
• Suggests the divide in
developmental status
for each North & South
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Problematic States
• China and Taiwan: One State or Two?
– Following WWII Civil War
• Communists control mainland
• Nationalists exiled to Taiwan
– US & UN recognized Nationalists until 1971
– Mainland China contends it owns Taiwan
– Since 1999, Taiwan maintains sovereign status
• As do some other countries
Problematic States
• China and Taiwan: One State or Two?
Problematic States
• Western Sahara
– Spain leaves in 1976
– Sahrawi Republic
declared by Polisario
Front; recognized by
most African countries
– Morocco claims area &
has built wall around
– 1991 under UN forces
– Referendum continually
postponed
Problematic States
• Varying Sizes
– Largest = Russia, 17.1 million sq. km
– Smallest = Monaco, 1.5 sq. km (microstate)
Shapes of States
• Compact States
– “Efficient”
– Distance from center to
border is fairly similar
– Ideal would be “circle”
with capital in center
– Can have easy
communication
– i.e. Rwanda
Shapes of States
• Prorupted States
– “Access of Disruption”
– Compact with a large
projecting extension
– Can help gain access to
a resource
– Can help keep 2 other
states from sharing a
border
– i.e. Dem-Rep of Congo &
Afghanistan
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Shapes of States
• Elongated States
– “Potential Isolation”
– Long & narrow shape
– Might have poor
internal communication
– i.e. Chile
Shapes of States
• Fragmented States
– “Problematic”
– Discontinuous pieces of
territory
– Common for island
countries
– Separated by water
– Separated by another
state
– i.e. Angola & Indonesia
Shapes of States
• Perforated States
– “South Africa”
– Completely surrounds
another state
– Lesotho experienced
extensive hardship
when South Africa’s
apartheid discriminated
against black majority
– i.e. South Africa
Shapes of States
• Landlocked States
– “Surrounded”
– No direct outlet to sea
– 14 of 54 African states
– Complicates
international trade
– i.e. Lesotho & Paraguay
Boundaries: Frontiers
• A zone in which no state exercises complete
sovereignty
– Korean DMZ, Antarctica, Arabian Peninsula
Boundaries: Frontiers
• A zone in which no state exercises complete
sovereignty
– Korean DMZ, Antarctica, Arabian Peninsula
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Boundaries: Physical
• Use of physical feature as a boundary
– Mountains
• Chile & Argentina have a line from peak to peak
through Andes Mountains
– Deserts
• Sahara divides countries on north from those on south
– Bodies of Water
• Rio Grande divides U.S. from Mexico
• Korean Peninsula & Japan separated by sea (name?)
Boundaries: Cultural
• Creation of a boundary to divide people due
to cultural issue(s)
– Geometric: “compromise” border lines created
by cultural issues are blurred
• Canada & U.S. highly similar people in many locations
• Aozou Strip between Libya and Chad
– created by French & British in 1899
– Italy conquers Libya & desires new line further south
– Set at original line when Libya & Chad gain independence
– Libya seizes region in 1973; Chad pushes back in 1987
Boundaries: Cultural
• Creation of a boundary to divide people due
to cultural issue(s)
– Geometric: “compromise” border lines created
by cultural issues are blurred
• Canada & U.S. highly similar people in many locations
• Aozou Strip between Libya and Chad
– created by French & British in 1899
– Italy conquers Libya & desires new line further south
– Set at original line when Libya & Chad gain independence
– Libya seizes region in 1973; Chad pushes back in 1987
Boundaries: Cultural
• Creation of a boundary to divide people due
to cultural issue(s)
– Geometric
– Religious: created to separate by faith group
• Division of India (Hindu) & Pakistan (Muslim)
• Division of Ireland (Catholic) & U.K. controlled
Northern Ireland (Protestant)
Boundaries: Cultural
• Creation of a boundary to divide people due
to cultural issue(s)
– Geometric
– Religious
– Language: borders due to linguistic diversity
• Creation of modern Europe, esp. after WWI; relative
peace until 1990s
Boundaries within a State
• Unitary States: power consolidated within
centralized government
– Few, if any, internal regionalized borders
– Works best in a state with few internal cultural
differences (nation-state)
– “Ideal” for majority to dominate over minority
• Rwanda & Kenya as examples in Africa
• Communist regimes
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Boundaries within a State
• Confederate States: majority of power
expressed within regional governments
– Creation of numerous internal borders
– Minimalizes “nationalism”
– Allows greater voice from minority groups, even
if only in one region
– Switzerland is prime example today
• U.S. under Articles of Confederation
• Confederate States of America (U.S. Civil War)
Boundaries within a State
• Federalist States: powers divided between
central and regional governments; central
government retains sovereignty
– Creation of various internal borders; can create
regions which give power to minorities
– More suitable for large states
• Russia, Canada, U.S., Brazil, India
• Belgium abnormal in that is a small state
Boundaries within a State
• Trend Toward Federalism
– France: officially unitary, but increased power
being given to départments and communes
– Poland: unitary under Communism; 1989 powers
given to local gov’ts
• Lack of experienced local leaders required training
Boundaries within a State
• Electoral Geography
– Redraw regional boundaries due to population
shifts (every 10 years in U.S.)
– Some counties use independent commissions;
most U.S. “states” use state legislature
– Redrawn to benefit specific party =
gerrymandering
Boundaries within a State
• Electoral Geography
– Redraw regional boundaries due to population
shifts (every 10 years in U.S.)
– Some counties use independent commissions;
most U.S. “states” use state legislature
– Redrawn to benefit specific party =
gerrymandering
Multi-State Cooperation
• United Nations
– Replaced ineffective League of Nations
– 1945 with 49 states ���� 2007 with 192 states
– Forum for international peace discussion
– Security Council has 5 permanent members with
veto power (China, France, Russia, U.K., & U.S.)
– Relies on donations of troops for peacekeeping
operations ���� limits number of operations
– ICJ hears disputes between member states
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Multi-State Cooperation
• United Nations, 1945– To promote world peace
– 1945 with 49 states -> currently 193 states
• General Assembly (all members)
• Secretariat
• Secretary-General: Ban Ki-moon
• Economic & Social Council
• International Court of Justice
• International Criminal Court
• Security Council (10 rotating + 5 permanent)
• China, France, Russia, U.K., & U.S. (each w/ veto power)
• Relies on donated troops for peace-keeping missions; limits