THE NATURE AND THE NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SIGNIFICANCE OF

POLITICAL BOUNDARIESPOLITICAL BOUNDARIES

AP Human Geography 2015AP Human Geography 2015

NationNation

Nation: geographic area that is dominated by a large population that shares a common history and culture, regardless of whether the group owns its own territory ie. Kurds and Palestinians.

Nation

Comes from the Latin word natio, meaning “birth, nation, race, species,or breed

A nation is usually territorially based. We call that territory its homeland

StateState

State: sovereign (implies a state's lawful control over it's territory generally to the exclusion of other states, authority to govern in that territory, and authority to apply law there.) political entity that maintains status as an independent country.

Nation-StateNation-State Nation-State: political

unit comprising a clearly delineated territory where the population shares a common history and culture, ie. Japan, Korea, Uruguay

Nation’s homeland corresponds exactly to a state’s territory

Definitions:Definitions:

StateState = country = country Territory = Territory = area controlled by a area controlled by a

statestate NationNation = cultural group = cultural group

• people with a common ancestry, culture, people with a common ancestry, culture, language, religion, historylanguage, religion, history

Nation state =Nation state = clearly defined clearly defined cultural group (a nation) occupying a cultural group (a nation) occupying a spatially defined territory (a state)spatially defined territory (a state)

BoundariesBoundaries

Boundaries are:Boundaries are:

Lines that establish the limit of each Lines that establish the limit of each jurisdiction & authorityjurisdiction & authority• Jurisdiction administers laws; collects Jurisdiction administers laws; collects

taxes; provides defense, education, taxes; provides defense, education, training; enforces legal code, etc.training; enforces legal code, etc.

3-dimensional: flat, deep, high3-dimensional: flat, deep, high

Political BoundariesPolitical Boundaries

Political boundaries represent the spatial Political boundaries represent the spatial limit of the political organization of territorylimit of the political organization of territory

They exist at different scales:They exist at different scales:• Supra-national-scale organizations, such Supra-national-scale organizations, such

as UNas UN• State-scale State-scale • Intra-state scale; boundaries used for the Intra-state scale; boundaries used for the

many sub-divisions of territory within the many sub-divisions of territory within the statestate

How Boundaries are established

Definition Delimitation Demarcation Administration

Forms of Boundary Disputes

Definitional boundary disputes- focus on the legal language of the boundary agreement

Locational boundary disputes- center on the delimitation and possibly the demarcation of the boundary

Operational boundary disputes-involve neighbors who differ over the way their border should function.

Allocational boundary disputes- relate to disagreement on the use of resources by two countries who share the same border

May be a source of friction between May be a source of friction between competing political entities competing political entities (flashpoints)(flashpoints)

May serve as peaceful reminders of May serve as peaceful reminders of contrasting but accepted differencescontrasting but accepted differences

Boundaries & state cohesivenessBoundaries & state cohesiveness

Centripetal forcesCentripetal forces • A clearly bounded territory promotes A clearly bounded territory promotes

unity/national stability unity/national stability Centrifugal forcesCentrifugal forces

• The more boundaries possessed by a The more boundaries possessed by a state, the greater is the likelihood of state, the greater is the likelihood of conflict which disrupts unity/national conflict which disrupts unity/national stability stability

Possible centrifugal forces: Possible centrifugal forces: • internal divisions in language, religion internal divisions in language, religion • lack of a long history in commonlack of a long history in common• state boundaries that are subject to disputestate boundaries that are subject to dispute

Possible centripetal forces:Possible centripetal forces:• clear and well accepted state identityclear and well accepted state identity• long state historylong state history• boundaries that are clearly delimited and boundaries that are clearly delimited and

well-acceptedwell-accepted

Disputes for regional autonomyDisputes for regional autonomy

Separatism or autonomous Separatism or autonomous nationalismnationalism• Canada’s secessionist movement in Canada’s secessionist movement in

Quebec: 1995 referendum 49% yes, 51% Quebec: 1995 referendum 49% yes, 51% no. no.

Other separatist movements: Other separatist movements: Basques in Spain; Basques in Spain; Bretons in France,Bretons in France, Palestinians in Israel, Palestinians in Israel, Sikhs in India, etc.Sikhs in India, etc.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Physical Boundary: major physical features such as a desert, mountain ranges, and/or water bodies that serves as a means of separation, ie. Great Lakes, Pyrenees Mountains, and Sahara desert.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Geometric Boundary: straight lines that serve as political boundaries that are unrelated to physical and /or cultural differences, ie. United States/Canadian border.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Cultural Political Boundary: political boundary that separates different cultures, ie. former Yugoslavia.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types Religious Boundary:

boundary that separates different religions, ie. Northern Ireland/Ireland.

Two Types: interfaith (between two religions) and intrafaith(within the same religion) boundaries

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Language Boundary: boundary that separates different language speakers, ie. traditionally many countries in Europe such as England, France, Spain, and Portugal.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Antecedent Boundary: boundary that was created before the present day cultural landscape developed, ie. Malaysia/Indonesia on the island of Borneo.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Subsequent Boundary: boundaries that are created as a result of long term processes, ie Vietnam/China.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Super Imposed Boundary: boundary that has been forced upon the inhabitants of an area to solve a problem and/or conflict, ie. Indonesia/Papau New Guinea.OR MOST OF AFRICA!

Africa after Berlin Conference Africa after Berlin Conference

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Relict Boundary: boundary that ceases to exist, however the imprint of the boundary still remains on the cultural landscape, ie. north/south Vietnam.

Boundary TypesBoundary Types

Fortified Boundary: when a state constructs physical barriers along a boundary to either keep people in or out of their territory, ie. Great Wall of China, Berlin Wall, Earth berms along the Morocco/Spanish Sahara border.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Compact State: the distance from the geographic center of the area to any point on the boundary does not vary greatly, ie. Hungary.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Elongated State: state that is geographically long and narrow, ie. Chile.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Enclave: portion of a state that is totally surrounded by another state, ie. Armenia.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Fragmented State: state split into many pieces, ie. Philippines and Indonesia.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Landlocked State: state not having direct access to an ocean, ie. Bolivia.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Microstate: state that is extremely small, ie. San Marino.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Perforated State: state that totally surrounds another state, ie. South Africa.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Prorupt State: state having a portion of territory that is elongated, ie. Thailand.

Shapes of StatesShapes of States

Frontier - zone where no state exercises political control, ie. Antarctica and Portions of Saudi Arabia.