A.P. Review: Political Geography
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Political Curve
a. Boundaries
b. Territoriality
State and Nation
a. Terms
b. Stateless Nation
c. Rise of the Modern State
i. European Model (Review Hand Out)
ii. Power and Primacy
1. Mercantilism
2. Religious wars
3. Mid 17th century; Instability & strife
4. City merchants gained wealth (Middle Class)
a. Not nobility!
5. Money gains more power than land
Nation-State
a. A world model
i. Democratic; Autocratic; Parliamentary
ii. Sovereign
iii. Nation Territories defined by boundaries
Geographic properties of States
a. States are similar and different
b. Complex system
c. Must foster a sense of legitimacy
d. Boundaries often create a mix of people
Territory
a. Larger is better - Why?
b. Territorial Morphology
c. Shape
i. Compact
ii. Fragmented
iii. Elongated
iv. Prorupt (Protruded)
v. Perforated
d. Exclaves vs. Enclaves
e. Landlocked Boundaries of States
Land Boundaries of States
a. Types of Boundaries
i. Physical – Political
ii. Cultural – Political
iii. Geometric
b. International Boundaries
i. Vertical Plane (Air, Below)
ii. Natural Resources (Iraq – Kuwait)
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c. Evolution of Boundaries
i. Definition
ii. Delimitation
iii. Demarcation
iv. Not all are demarcated (Rub-Al-Kali)
d. Origin – Based Classification
i. Richard Hartshorne – Genetic boundary classification
ii. Certain boundaries were defined before present-day human
landscapes developed
iii. Types of genetic boundaries
1. Antecedent
2. Subsequent
3. Superimposed
4. Relic Boundaries
e. Frontiers
i. Frontier is not a boundary
ii. Zone of Separation
Functions of Boundaries
a. Prevent Human Movement
b. Limit State’s jurisdiction
c. Symbols of Sovereignty – Nationalism
d. Internal Boundaries
i. Administrative purposes
ii. Accommodate cultural regionalists
iii. Can culturally divide
e. Boundary Disputes
i. Definitional
ii. Locational
iii. Operational
iv. Allocatinoal
Population and Organization
a. Role of population numbers
i. China
ii. Colonial Empires
iii. Ministates
iv. No “ideal” model population size for a state
v. Peoples’ capacity for organization are more important
b. Core Areas
i. Define
ii. Multiple core areas – Nigeria
c. Capital Cities
d. Unitary and Federal Systems
i. Needs of a well functioning state
1. Clear Boundaries
2. Effective government
3. Productive Core area
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4. Prominent capital
ii. Early European Nation-States were Unitarian
1. Government highly centralized/powerful
2. Capital cities – stretched the limits of the state
iii. Federal States arise in the world
iv. Federalism replaces colonialism
e. Opposing forces
i. Centripetal (binding)
ii. Centrifugal (Divisive)
Power relationships
a. A states power lies in its size, resources, and wealth
b. Economics wins concessions
i. Example: Dominant Colonial powers
ii. Infrastructure owned by economic power
1. Ex.: Panama Canal (FR->U.S.)
c. Geopolitics
i. Ratzel’s Organic Theory
ii. Sir Halford Mackinder – Heartland Theory
iii. Nicholas Spykman – Rimland Theory
d. Multipolar World
Supranationalism
a. Definition
b. International Sanctions
c. League of Nations -> United Nations
United Nations
a. Representation
i. Membership
ii. Subsidiaries
iii. Commitment
b. Peacekeeping
c. Unrepresented Peoples
Law of the Sea
a. UNCLOS 1982
b. Truman Doctorine
c. Maritime Claims
i. 1947 – Chili/Peru
d. UNCLOS process
i. UNCLOS I – 1958 – unsuccessful
ii. UNCLOS II – 1960 – unsuccessful
iii. UNCLOS III – 1973-1982 – Treaty
1. 200 mile EEZ
2. Closer than 400 miles -> Median Line
Regional Multinational Unions
a. Benelux (1st)
b. Europe – (OEEC)
c. French Proposal (ECSC)
d. ECSE-> EEC
e. 1992 – EEC -> EU
XIV. Supranationalism elsewhere
a. NAFTA
b. OAS
c. South America
d. Africa (West)