Unit 4 Political Organization of Space
Vocabulary/Map Activity
General directions: Using the maps provided, locate places which illustrate the vocabulary words.
Label and color each place. Then create a key.
Key Issue 1: Where are states located? (p. 254-264, includes introduction/case study)
1. Who were the “superpowers” of the Cold War Era? (We will add this info to our maps in Key
Issue 3.)
2. Define and locate an example of a state:
3. Special cases:
 Antarctica: locate and explain
 North and South Korea: locate and explain
 China and Taiwan: locate and explain
 Western Sahara: locate and explain
4. Define and locate at least 5 microstates;
5. Define city-state.
(example from Pre-AP?)
6. Define colony. Are there any colonies left in the world today? If so locate and label.
7. Define Imperialism and list the areas of colonies/influence of Great Britain in 1914 at the height
of its empire.
Key Issue 2: Why do boundaries cause problems? (p. 264-274)
1. Define boundary and explain why & how geographers use boundaries to analyze regions.
2. Five basic shapes of states:
 Define compact state & locate/label/color 3 compact states.
o Advantages/disadvantages?
 Define prorupted state and locate/label/color 3 prorupted states.
o Advantages/disadvantages?
 Define elongated state and locate/label/color 3 elongated states.
o Advantages/disadvantages?
 Define fragmented states and locate/label/color 3 fragmented states.
o Advantages/disadvantages?
 Define perforated states and locate/label/color 2 perforated states.
o Advantages/disadvantages?
3. Define landlocked states and locate/label/color 5 landlocked states.
Advantages/disadvantages?
4. Define, locate, label, color the frontiers in the world today.
For each type of boundary discussed locate, label, and color an example.
Physical boundaries:
Mountain
Conflict example:
Desert
Conflict example:
Water
Conflict example:
Law of the Sea:
Cultural boundaries:
Geometric:
Religious:
Language:
Conflict explanation: Cyprus’s “Green Line” boundary:
Boundaries Inside States:
Define unitary state: locate/label/color 3 unitary states.
Define federal state: locate/labe/color 3 federal states
Create a mind map explaining Frances’s unitary government.
Create a mind map explaining Poland’s newly created federal government
Electoral Geography: create a mind map or outline explaining electoral geography. Be sure to include
a definition and example for gerrymandering and “stacked vote gerrymandering”. Is it legal?