Chapter 11. Political Geography

A state (country) has defined territory, a permanent population, a government and recognition by others. A nation is a group sharing a sense of identity. A nation-state is where the two broadly coincide [3].

Number of states. The United Nations has 193 member states, plus two permanent observer states [22].

Boundaries. Physical boundaries follow rivers or mountains; geometric boundaries follow straight lines, often latitude or longitude; cultural boundaries follow language or religion. Boundary disputes often arise where lines were drawn without regard to local peoples, as in parts of Africa after European colonization [3].

Forms of government. Democracy, monarchy, one-party rule and other systems. States may be unitary (power centralized) or federal (power shared with regional units), as in the United States, India and Germany [3].

International organizations. Examples include the United Nations (global), the European Union, the African Union, ASEAN, and the World Trade Organization. Such bodies shape trade, security and shared rules [22].

Territorial concepts. Countries claim territorial waters out to 12 nautical miles and an exclusive economic zone out to 200 nautical miles under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea [23].

Review: Distinguish between a nation and a state, with one example of each.