Human Geography: Chapter 5

Front 1

antecedent boundaries

Back 1

A boundary line established before an area is populated.

Front 2

Balkanization

Back 2

The contentious political process by which a state may break up into smaller countries.

Front 3

Colonialism

Back 3

the expansion and perpetuation of an empire.

Front 4

Commonwealth of Independent States

Back 4

Confederacy of independent states of the former Soviet Union that have united because of their common economic and administrative needs.

Front 5

Compact state

Back 5

A state that possesses a roughly circular, oval, or rectangular territory in which the distance from the geometric center is relatively equal in all directions. (ex. Poland)

Front 6

Confederation

Back 6

A form of an international organization that brings several autonomous states together for a common purpose.

Front 7

East/west divide

Back 7

Geographic separation between the largely democratic and free-market countries of Western Europe and the Americas from the communist and socialist countries of East Europe and Asia.

Front 8

Elongated State

Back 8

A state whose territory is long and narrow in shape. (ex. Chile)

Front 9

Enclaves

Back 9

Any small and relatively homogenous group or region surrounded by another larger and different group or region.

Front 10

European Union

Back 10

International organization comprised of Western European countries to promote free trade among members.

Front 11

Exclave

Back 11

A bounded territory that is part of a particular state but is separated from it by the territory of a different state.

Front 12

Federalism

Back 12

A system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographic territories rather than concentrated within a central government.

Front 13

Fragmented state

Back 13

A state that is not a contiguous whole but rather separated parts. (ex. Malaysia)

Front 14

Frontier

Back 14

An area where borders are shifting and weak and where peoples of different cultures or nationalities meet and lay claim to the land.

Front 15

Geometric boundary

Back 15

Political boundaries that are defined and delineated by straight lines.

Front 16

Heartland theory

Back 16

Hypothesis proposed by Halford Mackinder that held that any political power based in the heart of Eurasia could gain enough strength to eventually dominate the world.

Front 17

Imperialism

Back 17

The perpetuation of a colonial empire even after it is no longer politically sovereign.

Front 18

International orgainization

Back 18

An alliance of two or more countries seeking cooperation with each other without giving up either's autonomy or self-determination.

Front 19

Landlocked state

Back 19

A state that is completely surrounded by the land of other states, which gives it a disadvantage in terms of accessibility to and from international trade routes. (ex. Afghanistan)

Front 20

Law of the sea

Back 20

Law establishing states' rights and responsibilities concerning the ownership and use of the earth's seas and oceans and their resources.

Front 21

Exclave

Back 21

A bounded territory that is part of a particular state but is separated from it by the territory of a different state.

Front 22

Federalism

Back 22

A system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographic territories rather than concentrated within a central government.

Front 23

Fragmented state

Back 23

A state that is not a contiguous whole but rather separated parts. (ex. Malaysia)

Front 24

Frontier

Back 24

An area where borders are shifting and weak and where peoples of different cultures or nationalities meet and lay claim to the land.

Front 25

Geometric boundary

Back 25

Political boundaries that are defined and delineated by straight lines.

Front 26

Heartland theory

Back 26

Hypothesis proposed by Halford Mackinder that held that any political power based in the heart of Eurasia could gain enough strength to eventually dominate the world.

Front 27

Imperialism

Back 27

The perpetuation of a colonial empire even after it is no longer politically sovereign.

Front 28

International orgainization

Back 28

An alliance of two or more countries seeking cooperation with each other without giving up either's autonomy or self-determination.

Front 29

Landlocked state

Back 29

A state that is completely surrounded by the land of other states, which gives it a disadvantage in terms of accessibility to and from international trade routes. (ex. Afghanistan)

Front 30

Law of the sea

Back 30

Law establishing states' rights and responsibilities concerning the ownership and use of the earth's seas and oceans and their resources.

Front 31

Lebensraum

Back 31

Hitler's expansionist theory based on a drive to acquire "living space" for the German people.

Front 32

Microstate

Back 32

A state or territory that is small in both population and area.

Front 33

Nation

Back 33

Tightly knit group of individuals sharing a common language, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes.

Front 34

Nation-state

Back 34

A country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity.

Front 35

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Back 35

Agreement signed on January 1, 1994, that allows the opening of borders between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Front 36

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Back 36

An international organization that has joined together for military purposes.

Front 37

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Back 37

An international economic organization whose member countries all produce and export oil.

Front 38

Perforated state

Back 38

A state whose territory completely surrounds that of another state. (ex. Italy)

Front 39

Prorupted state

Back 39

A state that exhibits a narrow, elongated land extension leading away from the main territory. (ex. Greece)

Front 40

REapportionment

Back 40

The process of a reallocation of electoral seats to defined territories.

Front 41

Redistricting

Back 41

The drawing of new electoral district boundary liens in response to population changes.

Front 42

Relic boundaries

Back 42

Old political boundaries that no longer exist as international borders, but that have left an enduring mark on the local cultural or environmental geography.

Front 43

Rimland theory

Back 43

Nicholas Spykman's theory that the domination of the coastal fringes of Eurasia would provide the base for world conquest.

Front 44

Self-determination

Back 44

The right of a nation to govern itself autonomously.

Front 45

Sovereignty

Back 45

Supreme or independent political power.

Front 46

State

Back 46

A politically organized territory that is administered by a sovereign government and is recognized by the international community. (aka country)

Front 47

Subsequent boundaries

Back 47

Boundary line established after an area has been settled that considers the social and cultural characteristics of the area.

Front 48

Superimposed boundaries

Back 48

Boundary line drawn in an area ignoring the existing cultural pattern.

Front 49

Supranational organization

Back 49

Organization of three or more states to promote shared objectives.

Front 50

Territorial organization

Back 50

Political organization that distributes political power in more easily governed units of land.

Front 51

Theocracy

Back 51

A state whose government is either believed to be divinely guided or a state under the control of a group of religious leaders.

Front 52

Unitary state

Back 52

A state governed constitutionally as a unit, without internal division or a federalist delegation of powers.

Front 53

United Nations

Back 53

A global supranational organization established at the end of World War II to foster international security and cooperation.