Unit 4: Political Organization of Space

Chapter 8: Political Geography

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• After Cold War & fall of Communism in Eastern Europe/USSR – many

changes in political geography, U.S. power dwindling somewhat• 1940s – about 50 countries & some unclaimed land• 2007 – 192 countries per UN & nearly all inhabitable land occupied by a

country• Now – 193 UN member countries (South Sudan), 2 observer states

(Vatican City & Palestine), & 11 other states (disputed, partially or fully unrecognized)

• Criteria for a state (state = country):– Sovereignty – independence from control of its internal affairs by other states– Defined borders & territory– Permanent population– Acting government– International recognition

• A state is an example of a formal/uniform region

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Problems of defining states

– Antarctica – only large landmass not part of a state• portions claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand,

Norway, & UK (all disputed claims)• 1959 & 1991 Treaty of Antarctica allowed research but no military operations

– Korea: 1 state or 2?• Once a colony of Japan• Divided into 2 zones along 38° N parallel• North (USSR) as communist; South (U.S.) as democratic (U.S. & USSR

withdrew in 1940s)• 1950 – North invaded the South (3-year war); no change to division;

communist China aided the North• North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) – ruled by dictator,

building nuclear weapons, people lack food/electricity/etc.• 1992 – North & South admitted to UN as separate countries• South Korea (Republic of Korea)

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?

• Problems of defining states– China & Taiwan: 1 state or 2?

• China (People’s Republic of China) considers Taiwan a part of China• Taiwan agreed until 1999; however, they considered Taiwan to be

the legitimate Chinese government• 1940s – civil war between Nationalists (Chiang Kai-Shek) &

Communists (Mao Tse-Tung); Communists won & Nationalists fled to Taiwan (Formosa)

• Most countries recognize the 2 countries as separate countries (but with very careful wording to not upset China)

• U.S. supported Nationalists & saw Taiwan as the official Chinese government until 1971 (Nixon visited China)

• Taiwan (Republic of China) is most populous country not in the UN; recognized by 21 UN members & Vatican City

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?

• Problems of defining states– Western Sahara (Sahrawi Republic) – southern Morocco

• Most African countries consider it a sovereign state (member of African Union); recognition by 84 UN countries

• Morocco claims as its own – built a 3,000 mile wall/barrier around• Controlled by Spain until 1976• Mauritania claimed some territory but withdrew after 3 years &

Morocco claimed all of it• Polisario Front – group that declared independent country of

Sahrawi Rep.• Cease-fire in 1991 between Polisario & Morocco (UN involvement)• 2 cities in Morocco – Ceuta & Melilla – on Mediterranean,

controlled by Spain, given limited autonomy in 1994, most want to remain with Spain

Degrees of International Recognition• UN members without full recognition:

– Armenia (1 – Pakistan), Cyprus (1 – Turkey), North Korea (2 – Japan & South Korea), South Korea (1 – North Korea), Israel (32 – mostly Muslim countries; recognized by the PLO since 1993 & Israel recognizes the PLO as the sole authority of the Palestinian people)

• Non-UN members with some recognition by UN members:– Abkhazia (4 – Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Tuvalu), Taiwan (21 & Vatican),

Kosovo (108), Northern Cyprus (1), Palestine (136 & Vatican, NOT Israel), Sahrawi Republic (84), South Ossetia (3 – Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela)

• Recognized only by non-UN members:– Nagorno-Karabakh, Pridnestrovian Republic (Transnistria)

• Fully unrecognized: Somaliland• No legitimate claim: micronations (self-proclaimed, tiny model-countries

not recognized as independent) such as Sealand, The Conch Republic, The Principality of Hutt River, Molossia, NowhereIsland, etc.)

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?

• Varying Sizes of States– Largest – Russia; 6.6 million square miles (11% of world’s land);

4,300 miles long (across 11 time zones)– Next largest – China, Canada, U.S., Brazil, Australia in land area

(Canada is 2nd if water territory is included)– Approximately 2 dozen microstates (very small)

• Smallest – Vatican City (0.17 sq. miles)• Monaco – smallest UN member (0.78 sq. miles)• Other microstates – Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Malta (in

Europe); Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines (in Caribbean); Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Micronesia, Tonga, Tuvalu (in Pacific); Maldives, Seychelles (in Indian O.), Singapore in Asia, Sao Tome & Principe in Africa

• Most microstates are islands or small island groups• Microstate IS NOT the same as micronation

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Development of the State concept

– Ancient States• Fertile Crescent – between Persian Gulf & Mediterranean; eastern portion in

Mesopotamia (between Tigris & Euphrates); Nile River Valley near Fertile Crescent (often included)

• Crossroads of Europe, Africa, & Asia – center for land & sea trade & communication• City-state – a city/town & its surrounding countryside

• Surrounding area used for food, goods, & defense; city surrounded by walls

• City-states often attacked one another – empires formed by dominance over other city states (Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Phoenicians, Hittites, Akkadians, Israelites)

• Egyptian Empire along Nile lasted almost 3,000 years

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Development of the State concept

– Early European States• Roman Empire – Europe, N. Africa, SW Asia (Spain to Iran & Egypt to

England)• Empire contained 38 provinces at its height; laws used in Rome were same

all over empire• Collapsed in 400s AD due to internal disputes, weakened leadership, &

attacks by tribes within or just outside of the empire• European portion divided into land controlled by competing kings, dukes,

barons, lords, and other nobles (Feudalism)• Serfs/peasants forced to live and work on nobles’ lands & fight for the nobles• Kings emerged as most powerful 1100 AD and onward (Monarchy) –

consolidation of nobles’ lands formed most of Western Europe (England, France, Spain)

• Germany, Italy, & other Eastern European areas remained fragmented or under larger empires until 19th & 20th centuries

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Colonialism

– Colony – territory legally tied to a sovereign state (may be only military/foreign policy control but may include internal & economic control)

– Europeans controlled much of the world via colonialism (impose political, economic & cultural principles on settled territory) – make money via economic trade & exploitation of resources)

– Colonialism practiced in uninhabited or sparsely inhabited territory• “God, Gold, & Glory” – spread of Christianity, resources & money from

colonies, # & size of colonies represented power for country• 1400s – looking for trade with Asia via sea; encountered western & southern

Africa and eventually the Americas• Built cities & trading ports on coasts because of trade & ocean access to

Europe• Independence in U.S., Latin America, & Canada in 1700s & 1800s• Europeans turned their interest to Africa & Asia

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Imperialism

– Related to colonialism – difference is imperialism is control of already occupied territory (subject existing population to foreign control)

– Britain – largest colonial/imperial empire (Canada, South Asia, portions of east & south Africa, Australia, portions of Middle East, islands in Pacific & Caribbean)

– France – 2nd largest (portions of north & west Africa, SE Asia, islands in Pacific & Caribbean)

– Other empires – Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium– German colonial influence in Africa ended after WWI (1918)– U.S. imperialism – Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Cuba & Philippines

after Spanish American War• Colonial Practices

– France – attempted to assimilate into French culture; close ties remain with France– British – different structures for different colonies – acknowledged diversity &

protected cultures, mostly peaceful transitions (exceptions: Ireland, Middle East, South Africa, problems in division of India); many former colonies belong to British Commonwealth of Nations (53 members)

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Remaining Colonies/Territories/Dependencies

– Many African & Asian colonies gained independence (decolonization) following WWII (1945) – many country boundaries relate to former colonial boundaries

– Most remaining colonies in Pacific or Caribbean– Hong Kong (UK) returned to China in 1997– Macau (Portugal) returned to China in 1999– Puerto Rico – most populous colony; U.S. commonwealth; 4 million people;

citizens of U.S.; no U.S. Congress representation; do not factor into U.S. national elections; some want to remain a commonwealth but others want U.S. statehood

– France – French Polynesia, Mayotte, New Caledonia, etc.– Netherlands – Neth. Antilles, Aruba– UK – British Virgin Islands, Pitcairn, Bermuda, Cayman Is., Falkland Islands,

South Georgia Is., etc.– U.S. – Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Is., etc.

• Political Hierarchy (largest to smallest) – Empire, State, Province, County

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?

• Forward Capitals– Newly independent countries often established capitals in

major colonial port cities– Capitals are often relocated to more centrally located regions

or to peripheral regions to promote greater control and development

– Examples:• Pakistan: Karachi to Islamabad in 1960s• Kazakhstan: Almaty to Astana in 1997• Brazil: Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960• Nigeria: Lagos to Abuja in 1991• Myanmar/Burma: Yangon/Rangoon to Naypyidaw in 2006• Ivory Coast/Cote d’Ivoire: Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983• Tanzania: Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in 1996

Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?• Failed States (Fragile States)

– Loss of control of its territory, loss of authority to make decisions (sovereignty), inability to provide for its citizens, inability to interact with other states

– Potential examples based on 2014 research data by Fund for Peace:• South Sudan• Somalia• Central African Republic• Sudan• Democratic Republic of the Congo• Chad• Yemen• Syria• Afghanistan• Guinea