Political GeographyAP Human Geography
What is political geography?The study of how people have organized the
Earth’s land surface into countries.
Key QuestionsWhat are the reasons for the arrangement/
organization of different countries?Why do conflicts arise from arrangements/
organization of different countries?
Political vs. Physical Geography
State vs. Nation vs. Country These three terms can mean the same
things…or not.
State/ CountryAn area organized into a political unitRuled by an established governmentHas control over its internal and foreign
affairs.Has a defined territoryHas sovereignty= independence from othersFormal/ uniform regionExamples: Mexico, China, U.S.A., but not
Texas, Illinois, Florida, etc.
NationNation can be another way of saying state
“What nation are you from?”“I am from South Korea.”
However, nation can also refer to a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture, but do not necessarily occupy an area of land
Examples: Palestinian people, Nation of Islam, Cherokee Nation
Nation-StateA state whose
territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnic group.
Iraq is not a nation state, but could be if divided into 3.
Examples: Armenia, Egypt, Hungary, Japan, Israel
The United KingdomAs a whole, the UK
is viewed as a multi-national state.
However, it is made up of 4 nation-states.
State SizesBig States Micro StatesRussiaCanadaU.S.ChinaBrazilAustralia
MonacoVatican CityAndorraBahrainLichtensteinMost are small islands in
the Caribbean, Pacific, and off the coast of larger countries.
Microstates of Europe
Ancient City StatesToday, city-states are not
widespread, although the Vatican is an example.
Historically, city-states included a city and it’s surrounding countryside.
Each city is sovereign/ no unity.
Example: Ancient Mesopotamia (Ur) or Medieval Italy
ColoniesTerritory legally tied to a sovereign state and
is not completely independent.e.g. 13 American colonies under the BritishMotives include God (spread Christianity),
Gold ($$$), and Glory (power/ prestige)The British had colonies world wide,
including India, Australia, much of Africa, Eastern N.A., Middle East
Most gained independence after-WWII.Puerto Rico is still a colony of the U.S.