Political Political GeographyGeography

Basic introductory conceptsBasic introductory concepts StateState

– A government with a capitol and borderA government with a capitol and border– Examples – the USA, Canada and RussiaExamples – the USA, Canada and Russia

NationNation– A national group, often the same as “ethnic group” (or A national group, often the same as “ethnic group” (or

linguistic group)linguistic group)– The Pottawatomi “nation”, the Flemish nation, the Thai The Pottawatomi “nation”, the Flemish nation, the Thai

nationnation ““nation-state”nation-state”

– When the borders of a “nation” match the border of a When the borders of a “nation” match the border of a single statesingle state

Centrifugal forcesCentrifugal forces Centripetal forcesCentripetal forces

Cooperation among States – Cooperation among States – the “supranational” the “supranational”

institutuioninstitutuion Political and military cooperationPolitical and military cooperation

– The United NationsThe United Nations– Regional military alliancesRegional military alliances

Economic cooperationEconomic cooperation– The European UnionThe European Union

United Nations MembersUnited Nations Members

Fig. 8-1: The UN has increased from 51 members in 1945 to 191 in 2003.

The European Union and The European Union and NATONATO

Fig. 8-12: NATO and the European Union have expanded and accepted new members as the Warsaw Pact and COMECON have disintegrated.

Defining States and the Development of the Defining States and the Development of the “State Concept”“State Concept”

Problems of defining statesProblems of defining states– Korea: one state or two?Korea: one state or two?– China and Taiwan: one state or two?China and Taiwan: one state or two?– Varying sizes of statesVarying sizes of states

Antarctica: National Antarctica: National ClaimsClaims

Fig. 8-2: Antarctica is the only large landmass that is not part of a state, but several countries claim portions of it.

Development of the “state concept”Development of the “state concept”– ““City state” emerged with agricultureCity state” emerged with agriculture– Multicultural Empires eventually emerge Multicultural Empires eventually emerge

and become the historical normand become the historical norm– Treaty of Westphalia – 1648 – the Treaty of Westphalia – 1648 – the

establishment of the principle of establishment of the principle of “sovereignty” “sovereignty”

– The ideal of the “nation-state” – 19The ideal of the “nation-state” – 19thth centurycentury

The Fertile CrescentThe Fertile Crescent

Fig. 8-3: The Fertile Crescent was the site of early city-states and a succession of ancient empires.

Colonial Possessions, 1914Colonial Possessions, 1914

Fig. 8-4: By the outbreak of World War I, European states held colonies throughout the world, especially throughout Africa and in much of Asia.

Colonial Possessions, 2003Colonial Possessions, 2003

Fig. 8-5: Most of the remaining colonies are small islands in the Pacific or Caribbean.

Boundaries and Boundary Boundaries and Boundary Problems of States Problems of States

Shapes of statesShapes of states– Five basic shapesFive basic shapes

Types of boundariesTypes of boundaries Boundaries inside statesBoundaries inside states

– Unitary and federal statesUnitary and federal states– Trend toward federal governmentTrend toward federal government– Electoral geographyElectoral geography

State morphologies: (1) compact, (2) State morphologies: (1) compact, (2) elongated, (3) fragmented, (4) prorupted, elongated, (3) fragmented, (4) prorupted,

and (5) perforatedand (5) perforated

African StatesAfrican States

Fig. 8-6: Southern, central, and eastern Africa include states that are compact, elongated, prorupted, fragmented, and perforated.

Types of borders: frontier, geometric and Types of borders: frontier, geometric and contestedcontested

Fig. 8-8: Several states in the Arabian Peninsula are separated by frontiers rather than precise boundaries.

Aozou Strip: Aozou Strip: A Geometric A Geometric BoundaryBoundary

Fig. 8-9: The straight boundary between Libya and Chad was drawn by European powers, and the strip is the subject of controversy between the two countries.

Division of Cyprus: a contested Division of Cyprus: a contested borderborder

Fig. 8-10: Cyprus has been divided into Green and Turkish portions since 1974.

European Boundary European Boundary ChangesChanges

Fig. 8-13: Twentieth-century boundary changes in Europe, 1914 to 2003. Germany’s boundaries changed after each world war and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Unitary vs. Federal StatesUnitary vs. Federal States

Electoral GeographyElectoral Geography

““Gerrymandering”Gerrymandering”

Fig. 8-11: State legislature boundaries were drawn to maximize the number of legislators for Republicans in Florida and Democrats in Georgia.

PG Case Study: The EU in PG Case Study: The EU in 20072007

World’s largest supranational union (with 460 World’s largest supranational union (with 460 million people presently)million people presently)

25 member states (internally very diverse, multiple 25 member states (internally very diverse, multiple languages and ethnicities)languages and ethnicities)

Established officially in 1992 by the Treaty of Established officially in 1992 by the Treaty of European UnionEuropean Union

Most significant factorsMost significant factors– Single common marketSingle common market– Customs unionCustoms union– Single currency managed by the European central bank Single currency managed by the European central bank

(Euro)(Euro)– Common trade policyCommon trade policy– Common agricultural policyCommon agricultural policy– Abolished passport and border checks internally for most Abolished passport and border checks internally for most

member states (greater mobility for people, capital, ideas) member states (greater mobility for people, capital, ideas)

Institutions of the EUInstitutions of the EU Council of the EUCouncil of the EU The EU commissionThe EU commission The European Court of JusticeThe European Court of Justice The European ParliamentThe European Parliament The European Central BankThe European Central Bank

Yet, there is no official capitol like Washington DC Yet, there is no official capitol like Washington DC in the USin the US

Rather, these institutions are headquartered in Rather, these institutions are headquartered in various important citiesvarious important cities– BRUSSELS: European CommissionBRUSSELS: European Commission– STRASBOURG: European ParliamentSTRASBOURG: European Parliament– LUXEMBOURG CITY: European Court of JusticeLUXEMBOURG CITY: European Court of Justice

Geographical Expansion of the Geographical Expansion of the EUEU

Founding members (“core members”)Founding members (“core members”) Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, LuxembourgGermany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg

Progressively expansion to Progressively expansion to Periphery and the EastPeriphery and the East

What is the point of the EU?What is the point of the EU?

Advantages of the EU…Advantages of the EU… PeacePeace

– Economically-dependent countries rarely go to Economically-dependent countries rarely go to war with each otherwar with each other

Counterweight to US dominanceCounterweight to US dominance– Population (it’s bigger)Population (it’s bigger)– Economy (about the same size)Economy (about the same size)– Rising importance of the Euro on the global Rising importance of the Euro on the global

stagestage Problem solving abilitiesProblem solving abilities Prosperity – open borders create economic Prosperity – open borders create economic

efficiency and economic growthefficiency and economic growth

However, there are However, there are “Eurosceptics”“Eurosceptics”

REJECTION REJECTION

of the EUROof the EURO MaintainMaintain

INDEPENDENCE!!INDEPENDENCE!!

Economic Patterns within the Economic Patterns within the EUEU

What about Culture?What about Culture?People who identify as European People who identify as European first, their nationality secondfirst, their nationality second……

GermanyGermany 22%22% BelgiumBelgium 21%21% LuxembourgLuxembourg 21%21% FranceFrance 20%20%

BritainBritain 15%15% DenmarkDenmark 6%6% GreeceGreece 5%5%