Where are States Located? Problems of Defining States –A state is an area organized into a...
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Transcript of Where are States Located? Problems of Defining States –A state is an area organized into a...
Where are States Located?
• Problems of Defining States– A state is an area organized into a political unit
and ruled by an established government that has control over its internal and foreign affairs.
– Sovereignty is independence from control of its internal affairs by other states.
Where are States Located?
• Problems of Defining States– Korea: North and South.– China: China and Taiwan– Western Sahara: Morocco, Sahrawi, Mauritania,
Spain.
• Varying Size of States– Russia (6.6 million square miles)– Monaco (0.6 square miles
Where are States Located?
• Development of the State Concept– Ancient states
• The City State– Early European States
• Empires were divided into provinces• Empires collapsed, provinces became
countries–England, France, Spain, Poland, for
example
Where are States Located?
• Development of the State Concept– Colonies
• A colony is an area that is tied to a sovereign states rather than being completely independent.
• A sovereign state can run any part of a colony.– Colonialism
• One country establishes settlements, and imposes its political, economic, and cultural principles on a territory
• European countries established colonies for religion, economics, and power. (God, Gold, and Glory)
Where are States Located?
• Development of the State Concept– Colonialism (Continued)
• Started in the 1400s• Imperialism – control of a territory already
occupied and organized by indigenous society.
• “Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”
Where are States Located?
• Development of the State Concept– Colonial Practices
• Assimilation for unity• British method• Africa
– The Few Remaining Colonies• Puerto Rico – U.S. Commonwealth• Mayotte and New Caledonia – France• Netherlands Antilles – Netherlands• Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands – United States• Pitcairn Island – United Kingdom
Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
• Shapes of States– Five basic shapes
• A boundary is an invisible line marking the extent of a state’s territory.
• Compact state• Prorupted state• Elongated State• Fragmented State• Perforated State
Compact State
Prorupted State
Elongated State
Fragmented State
Perforated State
Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
• Landlocked States
– States with no access to the oceans
– Southern Africa
• Zimbabwe
• Zambia
– What problems arise for landlocked states?
Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
• Types of Boundaries
– Physical Boundaries
• Mountains
• Deserts
• Bodies of water
– Cultural Boundaries
• Geometric Boundaries
• Religious Boundaries
• Language Boundaries
Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
• Boundaries inside States– Unitary and Federal States
• Unitary states place most power in the hands of the federal government officials
• Federal States allocate more power to local governments within a state
– Trend toward Federal Government• France: Unitary• Poland: Federal
Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?
• Electoral Geography– Gerrymandering the process of redrawing
legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.• Types of Gerrymandering
–Wasted vote–Excess vote–Stacked vote– In the U.S. Gerrymandering is illegal
Why do States Cooperate with Each Other?
• Political and Military Cooperation– United nations– Regional Military Alliances
• Two superpowers– Balance of power
• Military Cooperation in Europe– NATO– Warsaw Pact– Organization of American States– African Union– The Commonwealth
Why do States Cooperate with Each Other?
• Economic Cooperation
– European Union• Economic power is more important than
military power• The EU has 27 countries in Europe in the 21st
century• Purpose: promote development within
member states through economic cooperation.
• Euro is the common currency.
Why has Terrorism Increased?
• Terrorism by individuals and Organizations
– American Terrorists• Theodore Kaczynski -- Unabomber• Timothy McVeigh – Oklahoma City
–Terry Nichols – Oklahoma City
Why has Terrorism Increased?
• September 11, 2001
– 3,000 fatalities
– Four airplanes
– Twin towers, Pentagon, and one failed plane attack
Why has Terrorism Increased?
• Al-Qaeda
– Osama Bin Laden
– U.S. Support of Saudi Arabia and Israel
– Jihad
– Bombings• Saudi Arabia• England• Indonesia• Spain
Why has Terrorism Increased?
• State Support of Terrorism
– Afghanistan• The Taliban
– Iraq• Saddam Hussein• Desert Storm• Regime Change
– Iran• War with Iraq – 1.5 million dead• Nuclear Weapon capabilities
