Five Basic Shapes of States Compact

Five Basic Shapes of States • Compact • Prorupted • Elongated • Fragmented • Perforted • Landlocked

Compact • Efficient to govern • Distance from center to boundary does not vary • Beneficial to small states; easy to set up communication systems if capital is in center • Examples: Rwanda and Uganda

Prorupted • Compact state with a large projecting extension • Can provide access to a resource • Separate two states that would share a boundary • Example: Caprivi strip in Namibia

Elongated • Regions can be separated from capital • Country may have poor communications • Ex. include Chile and Norway

Fragmented • State that has several discontinuous pieces of territory. • 2 types • Separated by water and separated by another state.

Tin Bigha corridor (Fragment)

Perforate • A state that d completely surrounds another state. • Lesotho is surrounded by S. Africa

Landlocked states • Lacks a direct outlet to the sea. • Most common in Africa, 14 states are landlocked • Ocean access is critical, international trade. • Landlocked states must work with neighboring states to transport goods to the ocean.

Gerrymandering Manipulation of District Lines (for House seats) for political purposes

Apportionment • Occurs every 10 years, after the Census • Constitution: ▫Seats “be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers”

Why redraw the lines? • After the census, lines are redrawn • States can gain, lose, or keep the same amount of seats • To provide equal representation

Cracking q q q District lines drawn so that the minority population is broken up Members of the minority are spread among as many districts as possible, keeping them a minority in every district Done to prevent strength in the district

Packing Drawing district boundary lines so that the members of the minority are concentrated, or "packed, " into as few districts as possible Become supermajority and have “wasted” votes

Hijacking/Kidnapping

Types of boundaries Physical Geometric Cultural

Physical Boundaries Use physical features to establish boundary. Mountains Deserts Bodies of water, rivers.

Geometric Boundaries Lines drawn on maps that follow specific lines of latitude or longitude.

Cultural Boundaries Religious boundaries Used in dividing Ireland Pakistan/India Language Boundaries European countries set main boundaries based on language. Ex. France, Germany, and Italy.

May also classify boundary when boundary was made. • Antecedent boundary—drawn before an area becomes populated. • Subsequent boundary—drawn after the cultural landscape has been developed. • Consequent boundary is a type of subsequent boundary that is drawn to accommodate differences within a state. • Subsequent superimposed boundaries—boundaries forced on a country by a conquering or colonizing power.

What are the government responsibilities inside a state? • establishes the legal code • what kind of currency will be used • may have to join army • speak a common language • kind of religion that is taught in school

Boundary Disputes • 1. Positional disputes: When states disagree about the interpretations of documents that define a boundary. Usually arise when the boundary is antecedent. • 2. Territorial dispute: These arise when a boundary has been superimposed and divides a ethnic population.

Boundary Disputes (Cont. ) • 3. Resource disputes: Disagree to the resources and their use in boundary areas. • 4. Functional disputes: arise when neighboring states disagree over policies applied to boundaries. Usually over the issue of land use or immigration.

Political Geography (Nation/State) • State • an independent political unit occupying a defined, populated territory and having full sovereign control over its internal and foreign affairs. • Nation • is a group of people with a common culture occupying a particular territory, bound together by a strong sense of unity arising from shared beliefs and customs

Relationships between Nations and States • Nation-State • State that has a distinct nation, ex. Japan

Relationships between Nations and States • multinational state • A state with many nations within. Ex. Canada

Relationships between Nations and States • part-nation state • A single nation that is dispersed and predominant in two or more states. • Ex. Arab Nation

Relationships between Nations and States • stateless nation • A people without a state and are not dominant in any state. • Ex. Kurds

Korea: One State or Two?

Korea • A colony of Japan for many years • Divided into two occupation zones after WW II (USSR-North, U. S. South) • Country divided along the 38 th parallel • N. Korea invaded S. Korea in 1950 • This started a 3 year war. Border stayed the same as before the war.

Korea • Both countries want to reunite. • Talks ceased with N. Korea development of nuclear power. • In 1992 both countries were admitted to the UN as separate countries.

China and Taiwan: One state or two?

China and Taiwan • Is the Island of Taiwan a sovereign state? • Until 1999 both agreed that Taiwan was part of China • Civil War fought in late 1940’s between Communists and Nationalists. • Nationalists lost, fled to Taiwan.

China and Taiwan • Until 1971, the U. S. recognized the Nationalists as the official govt. of China • Taiwan is the most populous state not in the United Nations

Largest States • Russia (11% world’s land area) • China • Canada • United States • Brazil

Smallest States (Microstates) • Monaco (Smallest in the UN, . 6 sq. mi) • Most are islands and sovereign

What is the largest landmass not part of a sovereign state? • Antarctica

Antarctica: National Claims Fig. 8 -2: Antarctica is the only large landmass that is not part of a state, but several countries claim portions of it.

History of States • Modern movement to divide the world into states originated in Europe. • Can be traced to Middle East and Fertile Crescent • City-states were the first states to evolve • Walls established the boundaries of the city, the country side grew food for city.

History of States (Europe) • Ancient world political unity was at its height during the Roman Empire • Collapsed in 5 th Century A. D. • European portion divided into estates • Consolidation of estates by kings formed the first states (England, France, and Spain) • Germany and Italy, 19 th Century

Colonies • A colony is a territory that is legally tied to a sovereign state rather than being completely independent.

European Colonialism • European States controlled much of the world through colonialism • 3 Reasons • Promote Christianity • Colonies provide resources • Number of colonies = power • God, Gold, and Glory

History of Colonialism • Began in 1400 s and discovered N. America • From 1776 – 1824 European Powers lost most of their colonies in W. Hemisphere • European powers then focused on Africa and Asia

Imperialism v. Colonialism • Colonization of Africa/Asia is referred to as Imperialism • Imperialism is control of territory already occupied and organized by an indigenous society, whereas colonialism is control of previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land

Largest Colonial Powers • United Kingdom had the largest colonial empire. • “Sun never set” on their empire. France had the second-largest overseas territory.

Colonial Practices (France) • France attempted to assimilate colonies into French culture. • France tried to educate an elite group to provide local leadership • After independence a lot of French colonies retained close ties with France.

Colonial Practices (The U. K. ) • The British created different governments for different territories • This protected the diverse cultures and local customs. • Most British colonies made peaceful transition to independence

The Few Remaining colonies • Most Populous Colony—Puerto Rico • One half of population wants to be a state and one half wants to remain a commonwealth of the U. S. • Pitcairn is the least (U. K. ) • This is the island settled by mutineers from the ship Bounty • 54 people, 2 sq. mi.