Friedrich Ratzel
“The state is better understood as a 'natural' rather than a 'mechanical' phenomenon, with different institutions performing different functions, and the good health of the whole being attributable as much to the good working of the whole as to the contribution of any particular part.”
Environmental Determinism
- The belief that the physical environment by itself shapes humans, their actions, and their thoughts.
- Central Geographic Paradigm up until the 1940’s
- Humans operate under a stimulus-response relationship with the environment
- Used to explain and maintain European/Western cultural and physical dominance
- Ellen Churchill Semple – central
- Underlay the justifications used by the Nazi’s for their genocidal practices
- State
- An independent political unit occupying a defined territory and having full sovereign control over its internal and foreign affairs.
- Does not include colonies or protectorates
- Doe not actually include Anocracies –
- Country
- Same as state
- Nation
- A community of people with a common culture and territory, bound together by a strong sense of unity arising from shared beliefs and customs.
- Nation-State
- European invention
- Where a nation corresponds to a state
- Bi-national or
- States which contain more than one nation
- Empires
- A single nation predominant in and dispersed across two or more states
- Greater
- Stateless Nation
- A people without a state
- Amerindian Tribes, the Kurds, Basques, Palestinians
- Size
- Mini-states – states with very small land areas and, generally, less than one million people
- Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, island states of the Pacific
- Shape
- Compact States
- Roughly circular states
- Maximum amount of territory within a minimum length of boundary
- Protruded/Prorupt States
- Compact but with one or more narrow extension of territory
- Elongated States
- Long and narrow states
- Diversity of climate and peoples
- Fragmented States
- States with territory separated from the rest, as on islands
- Issues of control and centralization
- Enclave
- Territory of one state is located within another state (form of fragmentation)
- Perforated State
- A state which surrounds an area which it does not rule
- Contracts between States
- Definition
- Elaborate description of the boundary, usually in a treaty
- Delimitation
- The drawing of the border on a map
- Demarcation
- Physical boundary located on the ground at the delimitated border
- Lines that establish the limit of each state’s jurisdiction and authority
- Where the sovereignty of one state ends and another begins
- Ill-defined and fluctuating zones marking the edge of a state’s authority
- Modern state boundaries generally eliminate frontier zones
- Based on recognizable physiographic features
- Mountain chains
- Rivers
- Coastlines
Anthropo-geographic Boundaries
- A boundary which coincides with breaks or transitions in the cultural landscape
- Such as those formed between nations
- European states
- A boundary without an obvious physical or geographic boundary
- Often a parallel of latitude or meridian of longitude
- Boundaries created by colonial powers in Africa and
Antecedent Boundary
- A boundary drawn before the landscape is populated and developed
- The western boundary between the
- 54-40 or fight…
- Drawn after the development of the populated cultural landscape
- Consequent (Ethnographic) Boundary
- Drawn to accommodate existing linguistic, ethnic, etc., differences
- Generally a long process of adjustment and modification
- Superimposed Boundary
- Forced upon existing cultural landscapes, a country, or a people by a conquering or colonizing power.
- Africa and the
- A former boundary line that no longer functions as such and is still marked by some landscape features on differences on the two sides
Major Geographic Qualities
- Fragmented Physiography of islands and peninsulas, dominated by high relief, tropical climates, tectonic plate intersections, earthquake and volcanic activity (Ring of Fire) –
- Fragmented Political Geography – quasi-Shatter Belt, increasing presence of Anocracy and instability
- Population focused on
- Fragmented political, linguistic, religious, and cultural histories
- Colonial legacies from Europe and Asia (mainly
- Previously divided between north and south
- Formerly French Indo-China
- Formerly French Indo-China
- Formerly
- Five states
- Dominated by Buddhism
- Multicultural and Multiethnic region
- One of the least urbanized areas of the world
- Multiple core areas
- Population of 85.2 million
- Population has doubled since 1975
- 86.2% ethnic Vietnamese
- 9.3% Buddhist
- 80% no religious affiliation
- Portion of French
- Divided into three colonial districts
- French Defeated in 1954
- Defeat of
- Elongated country
- Bi-polar division between
- Both considered Core Areas
- Government similar to Chinese but maintaining more control over economy
- Shift to a
- Population of 14 million
- 90% Khmer
- 5% Vietnamese
- 95% Buddhist
- Golden Age of the
- Portion of French
- American involvement in 1970
- Beginning of Civil War
- Khmer Rouge Rule 1975 – 1978
- Between one and two million people killed
- Massive anti-urban, anti-intellectual campaign
- Genocide
- Installation of democratic government in 1993
- Capital of
- Former French
- Population of 6.5 million
- 68% Lao Loum
- 60% Buddhist
- 19% Urbanized
- Undeveloped
- No railroads
- Few good roads
- Little industry
- Interference by Western Powers
- Drug Trade – The Golden Triangle
- Resettlement and death for many of the hill peoples
- Ethnic Cleansing?
- Formerly
- A Protruded/Prorupt state
- Population of 65 million
- 75% Thai
- 14% ethnic Chinese
- 94.6% Buddhist
- 4.6% Muslim
- Concentrated in the southern regions
- The economy is stronger than all of the other mainland states combined
- Strong workforce
- Varied economy
- Only SE Asian nation not controlled by colonial powers
- Ethnic instability and unrest in the southern portions of the state
- Capital of
- Overthrow of monarchy in 1932
- Constitutional democracy until 2006
- Military coup
- Rising corruption
- AIDS/HIV a growing crisis
- Also known as
- A second
- Population of 47 million
- 68% Burmese
- Many other ethnicities present
- 89% Buddhist
- History of independent kingdoms
- Finally conquered by the British in 1886
- Front lines during WWII
- Military coup in 1962
- Rapacious and oppressive Military Junta
- Poorest state in
- Despite rich agricultural lands
- Newfound oil and gas reserves
- Minorities oppressed and ignored by the ruling junta
- Sub-realm of islands and peninsulas
- Fragmented political and cultural entities
- Multi-cultural and multi-ethnic
- Colonial legacy
- Islam dominant
· A Fragmented State
· Population of 25 million
o 50% Malay
o 24% Chinese
o 7% Indian
o 11% other indigenous
o Population concentrated on the mainland
o No single dominant religion although Islam is strongest
· British Colony
o
o
o Secession of
o Conflict with
· Strong, growing, and diversified economy
o Mainland
o Malaysian Borneo rich in natural resources
· Sultanate
o Defeated Spanish
o British Protectorate – maintained royal family in power
o
· Population of almost 400,000
o 67% Malay
o 15% Chinese
o 6% Indigenous
o 67% Muslim
o 13% Buddhist
· Very similar to a Gulf State Sultanate
· Extensive oil and gas reserves
o Highest GDP in
·
· Founded as a British trading port
· Population of 4.5 million
o 77% Chinese
o 14% Malay
o 8% Indian
o 43% Buddhist
o 15% Muslim
· Some of the highest population densities in the world
· Serves as an Entrepôt for much of
· Economy focused on trade and high tech industries
· Parliamentary Democracy – Authoritarian tendencies
· World’s most expansive Archipelago (fragmented state – 1300 islands)
o Four major islands plus Papua
§ Java – Core Area
§
§
§
o Physiography dominated by volcanoes
· World’s fourth most populous state – 235 million
o 45% Javanese
o 14% Sundanese
o 7.5% Madurese
o 7.5% Malay
o 88% Muslim
o 8% Christian
· Largest Muslim nation in the world
· Former Dutch Colony
o
· Newly democratic
· Capital at
· Fragmented State – islands
o 7000+
o Three main groups
§ Luzon-Mindoro (north)
§ Visayan (central)
§
· Population of 91 million
o 28% Tagalong
o Very ethnically diverse
o 81% Roman Catholic
§ 7% Other Christian
o 5% Muslim
· Former Spanish then American Colony
o Commonwealth in 1935
o
· Capital of
· Insurgencies
o Muslim in the South
o Communist in central and north
o Pirates
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