Transcript Western Sahara(Sahrawi Republic)

Political Geography
Why do you think European nationstates have put aside their
centuries-old rivalries?
Political Geography:
The study of how people have
organized Earth’s land surface into
countries and alliances, reasons
underlying the observed
arrangements, and the conflicts that
result from the organization.
You should be able to explain, analyze and
provide examples of the following for
Key issue 1:
1. Territorial dimensions of politics
a. The concept of territoriality
b. The nature and meaning of
boundaries
c. Influences of boundaries on identity,
interaction and exchange
2. Evolution of the contemporary political
pattern
a. Territorial assumptions underlying the
nation-state ideal.
b. Colonialism and imperialism
c. Internal political boundaries and
arrangements
3. Challenges to the inherited politicalterritorial arrangements
a. Changing nature of sovereignty
b. Fragmentation, unification and alliance
c. Spatial relationships between political
patterns and patterns of ethnicity,
economy, and environment.
Key issue 1: Where are states located?
1. Define “state” and give its synonym
2. What is the only large landmass that is
not part of a state? Explain its status
3. Describe where Korea is located and
explain the situation in Korea
STATE CONCEPT
-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.
- The term country is a synonym for state.
EX=The 50 states of the U.S. are
subdivisions within a single state: The
United States of America
Antarctica
-Antarctica is the only large landmass
on Earth’s surface that is not part of
a state.
-Several states…claim portions of
Antarctica (the U.S., Russia, and
other states do not recognize the
claims of any country to Antarctica.
Antarctica
-The Treaty of Antarctica, signed in
1959 renewed in 1991, provides a
legal framework for managing
Antarctica.
-Know the legal framework (evidence
from the text)
Korea
-A colony of Japan for many years, Korea was
divided into two occupation zones by the
United States and former Soviet Union after
they defeated Japan in WWII.
-North Korea and South Korea became separate
governments in the 1940s and North Korea
invaded South Korea in 1950, starting a 3
year war.
Korea
-In 1992 North Korea and South Korea
were admitted to the United
Nations as separate countries.
CHINA AND TAIWAN
-List anything you have on you or that
you can think might be labeled
“Made in Taiwan”
-List anything you have on you or that
you can think might be labeled
“Made in China”
CHINA AND TAIWAN
4. Describe the dispute over Taiwan.
Find it on a map and outline in
bullet form the situation since 1949.
What is the U.S. position?
CHINA AND TAIWAN
-According to China’s government
officials, Taiwan is not a separate
sovereign state but is part of China.
-Until 1999 the government of Taiwan
agreed.
-The confusing situation arose from a civil
war. After losing, nationalist leaders in
1949 fled to the island of Taiwan.
CHINA AND TAIWAN
-Most other governments in the world
consider China and Taiwan as two
separate and sovereign states.
-In 1999 Taiwan also regarded itself as a
sovereign independent state.
-U.S. supported the Nationalists as official
government of China until 1971.
Article Question
Explain the conflicts involving
business relationships between
China and Taiwan.
(Use evidence from the text to
support your answer)
Western Sahara(Sahrawi Republic)
5. Can the desert sustain life? Ask
any resident of the Sahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic! Or perhaps
you should ask a Moroccan. Why??
What’s the problem with the
Western Sahara??
Western Sahara(Sahrawi Republic)
-The Sahrawi Arab Democratic
Republic is considered by most
African countries as a sovereign
state.
-Morocco, however, controls the
territory, which it calls Western
Sahara.
Western Sahara(Sahrawi Republic)
-The United Nations is sponsoring a
referendum for the residents of
Western Sahara to decided whether
they want independence or want to
continue to be part of Morocco.
Development of the State Concept
-The concept of dividing the world into a
collection of independent states is
recent. Prior to the 1800s, Earth’s
surface was organized in other ways,
such as city-states, empires, and tribes.
-Much of the Earth’s surface consisted of
unorganized territory.
Development of the State Concept
-Ancient, Medieval, and Early
European States.
-Colonies, Colonialism, and Colonial
Practices
• When referring to European nations
occupying areas around the world,
taking over the governments and
often brutally suppressing any
resistance, why do you think the
word "colonialism" is used instead of
"invasion?" Explain and elaborate.
Give 2 examples that illustrate the
problems of defining states. Use
text evidence to support your
response.