Slide 1: Geopolitics--Part 1
Slide 2: What is Geopolitics (a.k.a. Political Geography)?
Political geography “is about power, an ever-changing map revealing the struggles over borders, space, and authority.” —Gearóid Ó Tuathail, geographer
Slide 3: Political Regions: Formal and Functional
Formal regions are based on specific culture traits Functional regions are based on the workings of government on all scales, large or small
Slide 4: Geopolitical Functional Culture Regions
Independent Countries Supranational political bodies
• U.N., E.U., etc.
Governmental subdivisions
• Voting districts, etc.
Slide 5: Geopolitical Functional Culture Regions
The most easily recognizable (and arguably the most important) is the independent State/country An independent State/country is based on political functioning; may bear little or no resemblance to formal culture regions within its boundaries
Soldier on routine patrol along a beach in Gaza
Slide 6: The Independent State
A State (note the capital “S”) is a selfgoverning political entity “State” can be used interchangeably with “country” A “state” (with a lower-case “s”) is usually a division of a federal State (such as the states of the United States of America).
Slide 7:
Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK). Has people who live there on an ongoing basis. Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money. Has the power of social engineering, such as education. Has a transportation system for moving goods and people. Has a government which provides public services and police power. Has sovereignty. No other State has power over the country's territory. Has external recognition by other countries.
A State…
Slide 8: Nation
Nations are culturally homogeneous groups of people, larger than a single tribe or community, which share a common language, institutions, religion, and historical experience.
Slide 9: Nation
In other words, a nation is a tightlyknit group of people which share a common culture
• Nation = formal culture region • State = functional culture region
Slide 10: What is a nation-state?
When a nation of people have a State or country of their own, it is called a nation-state.
• Examples: France, Egypt, Germany, and Japan • Within a nation-state, both functional and formal culture regions have closely-matching boundaries
Some States have more than one nation
• Canada and Belgium
Even with its multicultural society, the United States is also referred to as a nation-state because of the shared “American culture.”
Slide 11: Nations without States
There are nations without States. For example, the Kurds are a stateless people.
Slide 12: How many countries are there?
There are 192 members of the United Nations.
• Vatican City, South Sudan and Kosovo, are not members of the U.N.
The United States' State Department recognizes 195 independent countries. Who is missing?
Slide 13: Taiwan
A member of the United Nation until 1971, when mainland China took Taiwan’s seat. Taiwan continues to seek full recognition worldwide. China, however, claims that Taiwan is a province of China. Although the international community does not recognize it as independent, Taiwan meets the definitions of an independent country or state.
Slide 14: The Best Probable Answer?
However... Many territories and colonies are sometimes thought of as countries, but are governed by other countries.
• Examples: Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Palestine, Western Sahara, and the components of the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England - they're not fully independent countries, states, or nation-states). (Excerpted from geography.about.com by Matt Rosenberg)
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Slide 15: What factors create conditions for the formation of an independent state?
In other words…What creates stability? Stability is related to:
• Nationalism and Territoriality • The shape of a country • The type of boundaries that make up a country’s borders • Spatial organization (power structure) • Other Centripetal and Centrifugal forces
Slide 16: Nationalism and Territoriality
Nationalism—an expression of feelings of connection to one’s nation, country, national territory; a feeling that this nation is the best, a feeling of cohesion. Territoriality—the tendency [of humans] to want to control parts of Earth’s surface.
• Arises from a strong sense of place, a sense of “us” separate from “them”. Who we are is closely linked to where we are.
Slide 17: Shape
• Affects communication, transportation, administration, distribution (of people, cities, goods and services, etc.) • The ideal shape is a circle or hexagon (minimizes distance for governance, transportation, etc.); the more compact the country is, the better
Slide 18: Shape
• The most detrimental to stability are enclaves and exclaves
– Enclave—a district surrounded by another country
• Lesotho, South Africa
Slide 19: Shape
– Pene-enclave—a district partially surrounded
• The Gambia (Senegal, Africa)
Slide 20: Shape
– Exclave—piece of a country separated from the main body by another country
• Armenia and Azerbaijan
Armenia Azerbaijan
Slide 21: Boundaries
A modern construct
• Marchlands—A no-man’s land between countries; one day’s march for infantry
Many countries have composite boundaries—they are demarcated by more than one type of boundary
Slide 22: Boundaries—4 Basic Types
Natural—follow physical features
Ethnographic—based on formal culture traits, such as language or religion Geometric—based on latitude/longitude lines Relic—no longer existing; leaves some imprint on the landscape
• Germany, post re-unification • Much of the U.S./Canadian border • Israel
• Texas/Mexico—the Rio Grande River • Chile (eastern border)—the Andes Mountains • France—Pyrenees/Alps/Jura/Ardennes Mtns.
Slide 23: Germany: A Relic Border
Slide 24: What happens when functional and formal boundaries don’t match up?
CONFLICT
Slide 26: Iraq’s political geography is at odds with its cultural geography
Cultural Geography
Political Geography
