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Chapter 8
Introduction
Political geography helps explain the cultural
and physical factors that underlie political
unrest
Political geographers study how people have
organized Earth’s land surface into countries
and alliances, the reasons for doing so, and
the conflicts that can erupt from the
organization
Where are States Located?
Almost all land on the Earth belongs to a
country
Not true as recently as 1940s – only about 50
countries then
Now there are 192 members of the UN
State- an area organized into a political unit
and ruled by an established gov. that has
control over its internal and foreign affairs
Occupies a defined territory and has a
permanent population
continued
Sovereignty- independence from control of
its internal affairs by other states
States are examples of formal regions
because the entire territory is ruled by a
common gov., laws, military etc.
Country and state are synonyms
Problems of Defining States
Antarctica is the only large landmass on Earth
that is not part of a state
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New
Zealand, Norway, and the UK all claim
portions of Antarctica
The US and Russia do not recognize these
claims
The Treaty of Antarctica 1959 (1991) says states
may establish research stations but may not have
a military presence
continued
There is some disagreement about the
number of sovereign states around the world
Korea, China, and Western Sahara (Sahrawi
Republic) are examples of places that test the
definition of state
Korea: One State or Two?
After Japan was
defeated in WWII,
Korea was divided into
two occupation zones
by the US and Russia
Division was made at
38 degrees N. Latitude
N. Korea invaded South
Korea in 1950
After 3 years, a cease-
fire was agreed upon
near the 38th parallel
continued
Both gov. are committed to reunification
In 2000 they agreed to exchange visits of
families separated for more than 50 years
and for increased economic cooperation
Progress slowed by N. Korea’s decision to
build nuclear weapons even though the
country can’t provide its citizens with food,
electricity, etc.
Both countries were admitted into the UN in
1992
China and Taiwan: One State or Two?
In 1949 the ruling gov. of China lost a civil
war and fled to the island of Taiwan
They claimed to still be the rightful gov. of
China and that they were waiting for the defeat
of the communists so they could return to the
mainland
Communist China claimed Taiwan and vice
versa
They agreed there was only 1 states, but not
about who ruled it
continued
In 1999, Taiwan decided to claim itself a
separate sovereign state
NC
continued
Supreme Court ruled Gerrymandering illegal
in 1985, but doesn’t have the power to keep it
from happening
Estimated that only 10% of congressional
seats are actually competitive because of
gerrymandering
Political and Military Cooperation
The United Nations was created to prevent
the likelihood of a third World War
It was created at the end of WWII by the
Allies
In 1945 there were 45 members, by 2007
there were 192
The UN replaced the failed League of Nations
that was created after WWI
The United Nations
The UN has had three major expansionary
periods
1955- 16 countries were added –mostly
European countries that had been liberated
from Nazi Germany
1960- 17 new members added –mostly former
British and French colonies in Africa
1990-1993- 26 countries were added—mostly
from the breakup of the Soviet Union and
Yugoslavia
continued
UN members can vote to send a
peacekeeping force into unstable areas
Member countries send troops to make up the
force
China, Russia, France, the UK, and the US
(permanent members of the UN Security
Council) have the power to veto a
peacekeeping force
Happened often during the Cold War
continued
The UN is currently trying to separate warring
groups in Eastern Europe, the Middle East,
and sub-Saharan Africa
Ties to maintain neutrality b/w the two sides
Not always possible, esp. in cases involving
genocide
Ex. Bosnian Serbs were seen as the aggressor
versus Bosnian Muslims
Regional Military Alliances
In addition to the UN, many states also joined
regional military alliances after WWII
Era of Two Superpowers
During the Cold War, the US and Soviet
Union were the World’s two superpowers
Before this time, there were usually multiple
powerful states, none of which could
dominate on their own
Major states joined together for temporary
alliances
Balance of power- condition of roughly equal
strength between opposing countries or
alliances of countries
continued
After WWII, the US and Soviet Union were
the only powers left that were not battered to
the point of losing there power status
During the Cold War, the world was split into
allies of the US and allies of the Soviet Union
Both superpowers created military bases in
ally countries around the world
Therefore, they could maintain strength in
regions not near their own territory
Military Cooperation in Europe
2 military alliances were formed in Europe
after WWII –NATO and the Warsaw Pact
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a
military pact between the US, Canada, and
14 democratic European States
The Warsaw Pact was a military agreement
among 7 Communist countries in Eastern
Europe
continued
NATO and the Warsaw Pact were created to
maintain a bipolar balance of power in
Europe
NATO wanted to prohibit the Soviets from
taking over W. Germany and many smaller
nations in Europe
The Warsaw Pact created a buffer zone
between the Soviet Union and W. Germany
continued
After the Cold War, the Warsaw Pact
disbanded and most of its former members
joined NATO
Which offers its members a sense of security
against Russian threats in the future
Other Regional Organizations
The Organization of American States (OAS)
includes all 35 states in the W. Hemisphere
Cuba has been suspended since 1962
Promotes social, cultural, political, and
economic links b/w member states
The African Union (AU) was created in 2001
and has 53 members
Tries to promote economic integration in Africa
Economic Cooperation
The need for a bipolar balance of power ended
when the Soviet Union disbanded in 1992
We are now back to having more than 2 major
powers—like before WWII, but with 2 diff.
1. Economic power becoming more important than
military power—allows Japan and Germany to be
considered powers
2. The leading power is not a single state, but an
economic union in Europe led by Germany
European Union
Predecessor was established in 1958 with 6
members
Originally designed to help Europe’s WWII scars heal
Expanded to 12 countries in the 1980’s and now has
27 members with 2 more wanting to join (Croatia and
Turkey)
Wants to promote development through economic
cooperation
Removes barriers to free trade– goods and services
and people can travel throughout the Union without
stopping
Created a common currency (the Euro)
Has become the World’s wealthiest market
Terrorism
Def- the systematic use of violence by a
group to intimidate a population or coerce a
gov. into granting its demands
Terrorism attacks usually target ordinary
people rather than military or political leaders
Al-Qaeda
Terror network founded by Osama bin Laden
Believed to be living in Afghanistan since
1994
Issued a declaration of war against the US
because of its support for Saudi Arabia and
Israel
Al-Qaeda means “the foundation”
Created around 1990 to unite jihad fighters
around the world—est. 20,000 members in 34
countries
continued
Network consists of a large number of
autonomous cells who have little contact with
other cells and other members of their own
Not all Muslims agree with the terror tactics of
Al-Qaeda
Americans and Europeans have the
challenge of distinguishing b/w peaceful
Muslims and the handful of terrorists out of
the 1.3 billion Muslims in the World
State Support of Terrorism
Several Middle Eastern states have
provided support for terrorists—3 types
1. Providing sanctuary
2. Supplying weapons, money, and intelligence
3. Planning attacks using terrorists
Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran have all
been accused by the US of supporting
terrorism
Libya
1986- bombing of a night club popular with
US service men in Berlin
Bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie,
Scotland in 1988
Bombing of UTA flight 772 over Niger in 1989
After 8 years of UN trade sanctions, Colonel
Muammar el-Qaddafi turned over flight 103
suspects and agreed to compensate
survivors of the victims
Afghanistan
Sheltered Osama bin Laden and other
terrorists after the attack on the World Trade
Center in NY
Gov. known as the Taliban
Strict Islamic Fundamentalist
Ruled for six years until the US expelled them
in 2001
Iraq
US claimed Iraq was supporting terrorism and
creating weapons of mass destruction
Invaded in 2003 and deposed longtime ruler
Saddam Hussein
Iran
Hostility with the US began in 1979 when a
revolution removed pro-US leader from office
and placed the Ayatollah Khomeini as ruler
In Nov. of 1979, 62 Americans at the US
embassy were kidnapped and held hostage
until Jan. of 1981
US has accused Iran of harboring terrorists
and of trying to develop nuclear weapons