Transcript Unit 4: Political Organization of Space

Unit 4: Political Organization of
Space
Chapter 8: Political Geography
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• After Cold War & fall of Communism in Eastern Europe/USSR –
many changes in political geography, U.S. power dwindling
somewhat
• 1940s – about 50 countries & some unclaimed land
• 2007 – 192 countries per UN & nearly all inhabitable land occupied
by a country
• Now – 193 UN member countries (South Sudan), 2 observer states
(Vatican City & Palestine), & 11 other states (disputed, partially or
fully unrecognized)
• Criteria for a state (state = country):
– Sovereignty – independence from control of its internal affairs by
other states
– Defined borders & territory
– Permanent population
– Acting government
– International recognition
• A state is an example of a formal/uniform region
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Problems of defining states
– Antarctica – only large landmass not part of a state
• portions claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand,
Norway, & UK (all disputed claims)
• 1959 & 1991 Treaty of Antarctica allowed research but no military
operations
– Korea: 1 state or 2?
• Once a colony of Japan
• Divided into 2 zones along 38° N parallel
• North (USSR) as communist; South (U.S.) as democratic (U.S. & USSR
withdrew in 1940s)
• 1950 – North invaded the South (3-year war); no change to division;
communist China aided the North
• North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) – ruled by
dictator, building nuclear weapons, people lack food/electricity/etc.
• 1992 – North & South admitted to UN as separate countries
• South Korea (Republic of Korea)
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Problems of defining states
– China & Taiwan: 1 state or 2?
• China (People’s Republic of China) considers Taiwan a part of
China
• Taiwan agreed until 1999; however, they considered Taiwan
to be the legitimate Chinese government
• 1940s – civil war between Nationalists (Chiang Kai-Shek) &
Communists (Mao Tse-Tung); Communists won &
Nationalists fled to Taiwan (Formosa)
• Most countries recognize the 2 countries as separate
countries (but with very careful wording to not upset China)
• U.S. supported Nationalists & saw Taiwan as the official
Chinese government until 1971 (Nixon visited China)
• Taiwan (Republic of China) is most populous country not in
the UN; recognized by 21 UN members & Vatican City
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Problems of defining states
– Western Sahara (Sahrawi Republic) – southern Morocco
• Most African countries consider it a sovereign state (member of
African Union); recognition by 84 UN countries
• Morocco claims as its own – built a 3,000 mile wall/barrier around
• Controlled by Spain until 1976
• Mauritania claimed some territory but withdrew after 3 years &
Morocco claimed all of it
• Polisario Front – group that declared independent country of
Sahrawi Rep.
• Cease-fire in 1991 between Polisario & Morocco (UN involvement)
• 2 cities in Morocco – Ceuta & Melilla – on Mediterranean,
controlled by Spain, given limited autonomy in 1994, most want to
remain with Spain
Degrees of International Recognition
• UN members without full recognition:
– Armenia (1 – Pakistan), Cyprus (1 – Turkey), North Korea (2 – Japan &
South Korea), South Korea (1 – North Korea), Israel (32 – mostly Muslim
countries; recognized by the PLO since 1993 & Israel recognizes the PLO as
the sole authority of the Palestinian people)
• Non-UN members with some recognition by UN members:
– Abkhazia (4 – Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Tuvalu), Taiwan (21 & Vatican),
Kosovo (108), Northern Cyprus (1), Palestine (136 & Vatican, NOT Israel),
Sahrawi Republic (84), South Ossetia (3 – Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela)
• Recognized only by non-UN members:
– Nagorno-Karabakh, Pridnestrovian Republic (Transnistria)
• Fully unrecognized: Somaliland
• No legitimate claim: micronations (self-proclaimed, tiny modelcountries not recognized as independent) such as Sealand, The Conch
Republic, The Principality of Hutt River, Molossia, NowhereIsland, etc.)
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Varying Sizes of States
– Largest – Russia; 6.6 million square miles (11% of
world’s land); 4,300 miles long (across 11 time zones)
– Next largest – China, Canada, U.S., Brazil, Australia in
land area (Canada is 2nd if water territory is included)
– Approximately 2 dozen microstates (very small)
• Smallest – Vatican City (0.17 sq. miles)
• Monaco – smallest UN member (0.78 sq. miles)
• Other microstates – Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein,
Malta (in Europe); Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada,
St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines (in
Caribbean); Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Micronesia, Tonga, Tuvalu
(in Pacific); Maldives, Seychelles (in Indian O.), Singapore in
Asia, Sao Tome & Principe in Africa
• Most microstates are islands or small island groups
• Microstate IS NOT the same as micronation
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Development of the State concept
– Ancient States
• Fertile Crescent – between Persian Gulf & Mediterranean; eastern
portion in Mesopotamia (between Tigris & Euphrates); Nile River
Valley near Fertile Crescent (often included)
• Crossroads of Europe, Africa, & Asia – center for land & sea trade &
communication
• City-state – a city/town & its surrounding countryside
• Surrounding area used for food, goods,
& defense; city surrounded by walls
• City-states often attacked one another –
empires formed by dominance over
other city states (Sumerians, Assyrians,
Babylonians, Persians, Phoenicians,
Hittites, Akkadians, Israelites)
• Egyptian Empire along Nile lasted almost
3,000 years
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Development of the State concept
– Early European States
• Roman Empire – Europe, N. Africa, SW Asia (Spain to Iran & Egypt
to England)
• Empire contained 38 provinces at its height; laws used in Rome
were same all over empire
• Collapsed in 400s AD due to internal disputes, weakened
leadership, & attacks by tribes within or just outside of the empire
• European portion divided into land controlled by competing kings,
dukes, barons, lords, and other nobles (Feudalism)
• Serfs/peasants forced to live and work on nobles’ lands & fight for
the nobles
• Kings emerged as most powerful 1100 AD and onward (Monarchy)
– consolidation of nobles’ lands formed most of Western Europe
(England, France, Spain)
• Germany, Italy, & other Eastern European areas remained
fragmented or under larger empires until 19th & 20th centuries
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Colonialism
– Colony – territory legally tied to a sovereign state (may be only
military/foreign policy control but may include internal &
economic control)
– Europeans controlled much of the world via colonialism (impose
political, economic & cultural principles on settled territory) –
make money via economic trade & exploitation of resources)
– Colonialism practiced in uninhabited or sparsely inhabited
territory
• “God, Gold, & Glory” – spread of Christianity, resources & money from
colonies, # & size of colonies represented power for country
• 1400s – looking for trade with Asia via sea; encountered western &
southern Africa and eventually the Americas
• Built cities & trading ports on coasts because of trade & ocean access
to Europe
• Independence in U.S., Latin America, & Canada in 1700s & 1800s
• Europeans turned their interest to Africa & Asia
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Imperialism
– Related to colonialism – difference is imperialism is control of already
occupied territory (subject existing population to foreign control)
– Britain – largest colonial/imperial empire (Canada, South Asia, portions of east
& south Africa, Australia, portions of Middle East, islands in Pacific &
Caribbean)
– France – 2nd largest (portions of north & west Africa, SE Asia, islands in Pacific
& Caribbean)
– Other empires – Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands,
Belgium
– German colonial influence in Africa ended after WWI (1918)
– U.S. imperialism – Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Cuba &
Philippines after Spanish American War
• Colonial Practices
– France – attempted to assimilate into French culture; close ties remain with
France
– British – different structures for different colonies – acknowledged diversity &
protected cultures, mostly peaceful transitions (exceptions: Ireland, Middle
East, South Africa, problems in division of India); many former colonies belong
to British Commonwealth of Nations (53 members)
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Remaining Colonies/Territories/Dependencies
– Many African & Asian colonies gained independence (decolonization)
following WWII (1945) – many country boundaries relate to former
colonial boundaries
– Most remaining colonies in Pacific or Caribbean
– Hong Kong (UK) returned to China in 1997
– Macau (Portugal) returned to China in 1999
– Puerto Rico – most populous colony; U.S. commonwealth; 4 million
people; citizens of U.S.; no U.S. Congress representation; do not factor
into U.S. national elections; some want to remain a commonwealth
but others want U.S. statehood
– France – French Polynesia, Mayotte, New Caledonia, etc.
– Netherlands – Neth. Antilles, Aruba
– UK – British Virgin Islands, Pitcairn, Bermuda, Cayman Is., Falkland
Islands, South Georgia Is., etc.
– U.S. – Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Is., etc.
• Political Hierarchy (largest to smallest)
– Empire, State, Province, County
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Forward Capitals
– Newly independent countries often established
capitals in major colonial port cities
– Capitals are often relocated to more centrally located
regions or to peripheral regions to promote greater
control and development
– Examples:
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Pakistan: Karachi to Islamabad in 1960s
Kazakhstan: Almaty to Astana in 1997
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960
Nigeria: Lagos to Abuja in 1991
Myanmar/Burma: Yangon/Rangoon to Naypyidaw in 2006
Ivory Coast/Cote d’Ivoire: Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983
Tanzania: Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in 1996
Key Issue #1: Where Are States Located?
• Failed States (Fragile States)
– Loss of control of its territory, loss of authority to make
decisions (sovereignty), inability to provide for its citizens,
inability to interact with other states
– Potential examples based on 2014 research data by Fund
for Peace:
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South Sudan
Somalia
Central African Republic
Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Chad
Yemen
Syria
Afghanistan
Guinea