POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
Political Geography…
Studies How Territory is Organized…
In different Environments
In different Cultural conditions
Political Culture Regions
Functional Regions…
Countries
• U.S. States
Nearly 200 Countries
– Counties
Country & “State”
Country = Political “State”
Independent with Sovereignty…
• Control over internal affairs
Problems Defining a State
One State or Two?
Korea
• North
• South
China
• Taiwan
Antarctica
National Claims…
NO Sovereign
Country
Only scientific
research stations
United Nations
1945 – 51 Countries
Today 192 Countries
Africa has most
International Organizations
Peacekeeping
UN
Defense
NATO
Economic
EU
ASEAN
Cultural
Arab League
International Organizations
NATO
(Cold War)
Military Alliance
• Against U.S.S.R.
European Union
Economic & Political…
• “Euro” money
Development of States
Earliest States…
Middle East
• Fertile Crescent
– Mesopotamia
– Egypt
• Greece
– City-States
(Polis)
Development of States
Empires…
Persian
Roman
Mongol
Development of States
European
Empires…
England
France
Russia
AustriaHungary
Germany
Italy
Expansion of Empires
Empires expanded with Colonies
Reasons for Colonies…
God…
• Promote Christianity
Gold…
• Extract Resources
Glory…
• Increase Territory
Expansion of Empires
Control of an area through…
Imperialism…
• Already inhabited by
indigenous people
Colonialism…
• Sparsely settled or
uninhabited land
European Colonies
Began in 1400s…
Sailed west to find Asia…
• Columbus
All of Americas…
Until early 1800s…
Most of Asia & Africa…
Until ~ 1950s or later
Colonies – 1914
Covered most of World
Colonies – Today
Remaining Colony with most people?
Puerto Rico – (USA)
Colonialism
Past colonial empires
influenced present…
Language
Government
Economic association
But often ignores cultural borders
Colonies vs. Ethnicity
Colonial
boundaries
Became
Country
boundaries
• Ignored
Tribal
areas
Africa
Colonies vs. Ethnicity
Colonial boundaries Æ Countries
Ignore history & ethnicity
Fig. 8-3: The Fertile Crescent was the site of early city-states and a succession of
ancient empires.
Landlocked Countries
No route to Sea…
Restricts Global Trade & Development
Buffer States
Created between 2 powerful countries
Uruguay
Thailand
Mongolia
Afghanistan
Country Shapes
Country
Shape
Affects…
Circulation
• Administration
• Social
Unity
5 Shapes…
Compact Shape
Small (& Circular)
Ideal Shape
Easy to Administer
Examples:
• Poland
• Uruguay
• Cambodia
Elongated Shape
Long & Narrow
Difficult to Administer
Examples:
• Chile
• Vietnam
• Italy
• Norway
Fragmented Shape
Territory in Separated Parts
Islands…
Difficult to Administer…
Rebel Movements
Examples:
Indonesia
Philippines
Perforated & Enclaves
Perforated Country has…
Another Country totally within itself
An “Enclave” is the surrounded Hole
Problems?
Enclave is Landlocked…
• Problem if surrounding
Country is hostile
–Lesotho
Exclaves
A smaller area physically separated
from most of country
E. Pakistan
Alaska
Kaliningrad
• Russia
Prorupted Shape
Most of Country is
Compact-shaped
+ Elongation or “Tail”
Thailand
Country
Shapes
Shapes – Europe
Shapes – SE Asia
Shapes – South America
Shapes – Africa
Elongated…
Malawi
Compact…
Sierre Leone
Ivory Coast
Gabon
Zimbabwe
Rwanda, Burundi
Shapes – Africa
Establishing Boundaries
Originally only Frontiers
Unclaimed
Neutral
Territory…
Last found
in Deserts
• Arabian
Peninsula
Boundaries – Types
Natural…
Coastlines
Rivers & Lakes
Mountains
Geometric…
Straight Lines
• Ignores natural &
cultural borders
Boundaries – Natural
Mountain – Andes
Chile & Argentina
Water – Lake Victoria
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
Boundaries – Cultural
Boundary after settlement…
Consequent…
• Matches cultures
Superimposed…
• Ignores cultures
• Former Colonies…
– Africa
– Middle East
Boundaries – Cultural
Based on…
Religion
Language
Ethnicity
Boundaries – Religion
Ireland – English
colony until 1921
Split by Religion…
Republic of Ireland
• Roman Catholic (92%)
• Independent
Northern Ireland
• Protestant (58%)
• …United Kingdom
Boundaries – Religion
1947 partition
Migrations...
India
• Hindu
Pakistan
• Muslim
Boundaries – Ethnic
Cyprus divided into…
Greek Cyprus (S) – Orthodox Christian
Turkish Cyprus (N) – Muslim
Boundaries – Cultural
Cease-Fire Lines…
North Korea
• Communist
• Isolationist
South Korea
• Democratic
• Internationalist…
– Global Trade
Relic Boundary
Political Boundary gone, but…
Cultural Landscape Boundary remains
• Architecture
• Street patterns & Land Survey
Perceptual divide (socio-economic)
Countries?
• Poland
• Germany
– Silesia
Country Strength/Stability
Centripetal Forces
+++
Unifying…
• or Strengthening
Centrifugal Forces
–––
Divisive…
• or Weakening
Country Diffusion…
Expansion from one Core Area
National Focus +++
• France
– Paris
• Russia
– Moscow
Multiple Cores
Divisive...
Potential Rivalries
Vietnam
North vs. South
Spain
Madrid vs. Barcelona
Political Ecology
Natural Environment affects…
National Defense
Internal Unity
National Defense
Good Borders:
Ocean
• Islands
are best
– Britain
Mountains
• France
Desert
• Egypt
National Defense
Worst Borders:
Flat Plains
• Poland
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• Denmark
Political Ecology
Ideal Landscape within Country:
Flat
Easy Circulation
/ Interaction
Unitary
Administration
• France
Political Ecology
Problem Landscapes
Rugged Interior
• Isolated Regions…
–Rebels
– Columbia
– Peru
Dense Forests
• Cambodia
• Philippines
Political-Cultural Interaction
Culture Influences Political Stability
Nation-States…
Single Language & Religion +++
Which continent has most Nation-States?
• Europe
Japan
Vietnam
Europe
Nation within
a State – – –
Minority Nation
within a Country
Multi-National Countries
Multiple Languages are Divisive…
Canada
Spain
• French (Quebec)
• Basque
• Catalan
Multi-National Countries
Nigeria
400+
Languages
• Yoruba
– SW
• Igbo
– SE
• Hausa
–N
Multi-National Countries
Belgium
Flemish (Germanic)
Walloon (Romance)
Multi-National Countries
Switzerland
Romance
• French
• Italian
• Romansh
Germanic
• German – 65%
Government Administration
Unitary Government
Central Government
• Typically Small Countries
• Nation-States…
– Japan
• Impose control by…
– Dominant Ethnic group
– Ideology…
– Communism or Religion (Iran)
Government Administration
Federal Government
Internal Political Divisions
• Large Area Countries…
– USA
– Canada
– Australia
– Brazil
– India
• Multi-Nation States…
– Belgium & Switzerland
Historical Experiences
Centripetal
Centrifugal
Positive
Experiences
Negative
Experiences
• War Victory
• Respected
Leader/Hero
• National
Successes
– Sports
• Civil War
• Extremist
Leader
Electoral Geography
Gerrymander…
Legislative boundaries…
• Benefit a party or incumbent
Electoral Geography
Legislative boundaries…
Wasted Vote…
• Spread Opposition to
always be minority
Excess Vote…
• Concentrate Opposition
into fewer districts
Electoral Geography
Legislative boundaries…
Stacked Vote…
• Link similar voters into
“safe” districts
–Maintains Balance of Power
–Protects incumbents
• Used for Voting Rights Act…
–Race/Ethnicity