political geography - moore public schools · political geography what is a “state”? • a...

1/18/2013

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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




– 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




– Geometric

– Religious: created to separate by faith group

• Division of India (Hindu) & Pakistan (Muslim)

• Division of Ireland (Catholic) & U.K. controlled

Northern Ireland (Protestant)




– 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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• 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)


• 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


• 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


• 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


• 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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• 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

quantity & quality of operations


• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• Warsaw Pact

• Organization of American States (OAS)

• European Union

• North Am. Free Trade Association (NAFTA)

• African Union

• Commonwealth (U.K. & former colonies)


in Economics

• G8: Canada, France,

Germany, Italy, Japan,

Russia, UK, & US

– G8+5: above + Brazil, China,

India, Mexico, & South Africa

– G20: above + Argentina,

Australia, Indonesia, Saudi

Arabia, South Korea, Turkey,

& EU

• BRICs or BRICS

– Brazil, Russia, India, China,

South Africa

– India might be replaced with

Indonesia

Terrorism

• Violence to foster political aims

– Assassinations target military/political leaders

• Julius Caesar, 4 U.S. Presidents, Archduke Ferdinand

– Terrorism targets civilian populations

• Doesn’t include “collateral damage” during war

Terrorism: Non-State

• Americans as Targets

– Unabomber (mail bombings), 1980s & 90s

– Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie, Scotland), 1988

– NYC World Trade Center, 1993

– OKC Murrah Federal Building, 1995

– Army barracks in Saudi Arabia, 1996

– Embassies in Kenya & Tanzania, 1998

– USS Cole in port in Yemen, 2000

– NYC World Trade Center & DC Pentagon, 2001

Terrorism: Non-State

• Al-Qaeda

– Osama bin Laden’s group; claims responsibility

for most previously noted American attacks

– Use of religion as basis to justify attacks

– 1996/1998: declaration of war on US

• Because of staunch support of Israel & Saudi Arabia

• Islam’s three holiest sites in Israel & Saudi Arabia

– Works in autonomous “cells”

– Not being a state complicates int’l response

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Terrorism: State Based

• Providing safety for terrorists wanted by

other countries

• Supplying weapons, money, & intelligence to

terrorist groups

• Planning attacks using terrorist groups


• Libya

– 1981: shot down U.S. aircraft over int’l waters

– 1986: bombed bar near U.S. base in Berlin

– 1988: Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie, Scotland)

– 1989: UTA Flight 776 (northern Niger)

• Afghanistan

– Taliban regime provides sanctuary to Al-Qaeda

– Brutal suppression of ethnic minorities

Terrorism: State Based Terrorism: State Based

• Iraq

– 1980s: UN found evidence of WMDs

• 40 nuclear facilities & 3 uranium-enrichment programs

• Program to make VX nerve agent

• Biological weapon programs including anthrax

– 1981: nuclear reactor destroyed by Israelis

– 1988: use of poisoned gas against Kurds

– 1991: invasion of Kuwait; desired Saudi Arabia

– 1990s: UN no longer found evidence of WMDs

• U.S. & U.K. intelligence still suggested otherwise


• Iran

– 1979: coup to overthrow Shah; U.S. allows Shah

to enter for medical treatment

– 1979: supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini seized

U.S. embassy & held hostages

– 1980-1988: war with Iraq (U.S. supported Iraq)

– 2003-present: accusations of supporting &

importing terrorists in Iraq to fight U.S.

– Today: concerns over nuclear programs

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