political geography n location n capital cities n boundaries
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Political Geography
Location Capital Cities Boundaries
Relative Location Landlocked States are
disadvantaged for access to ocean and resources. Some have land corridors to ocean. Eg. Democratic Rep of Congo
Strategic Location of resources in Iraq/Kuwait.
Capital Cities
Seat of government. Often centre of finances, education, health services.
Symbol of national pride. Palestinians say only Jerusalem could be the capital of a Palestinian state.
New capitals can open territory eg. Brasilia
Boundaries Natural
Boundaries-based on natural features like rivers and mountains. Difficult to determine the height of land or the middle of the river for boundaries.
Geometric Boundaries- based on lines of latitudes or longitude of arcs of circles eg. Saskatchewan Antecedent were laid
down before most of the cultural landscape.
Subsequent were laid down after most settlement patterns were developed.
Geometric Boundaries of Antarctica
Disputed mountain (natural boundary)-
Antecedent Boundary
Antecedent Boundary. The 49th parallel of latitude was used for most of the western US/Canada boundary. Transportation links developed around the boundary.
Subsequent Boundaries
Consequent Boundaries-drawn to account for cultural patterns eg. Eire/N Ireland
Superimposed Boundaries-boundaries disregard cultural patterns eg. African states vs tribal boundaries (right)
Consequent Boundaries - drawn according to the cultural patterns present eg. Eire/N. Ireland
Labrador Boundary Canada
Coast of Labrador belonged to Nf.
One mile from water
wanted interior for resources
Privy Council in 1927
Newfoundland Coast was
watershed divide
Previous use of “coast” - HBCo
Previous definitions of coast in Africa
decision in NF favour
Maritime Boundaries
Increased importance in c.20. Islands especially crucial (St.
Pierre et Miquelon increases France’s maritime boundary)
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) widely accepted by 1990.
Still disputes of ownership and boundary baselines all over world.
Maritime Boundaries
Territorial Sea- up to 12 nm , exclusive fishing rights
Contiguous Zone-24nm immigration and sanitation controls
Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ-200nm. Economic advantage for all resources
High Seas-all states of world. Resources are common heritage
Mexican-US border tries to curtail illegal immigration
Canberra, the capital of Australia. A city planned as the centre of federal government
Natural boundaries can pose problems of demarcation….Chile/Argentina
Geometric boundary called Four Corners:Utah/Arizona/Colorado/ New Mexico
Ministates claim 200-mile nautical limit. Gain considerable control of oceans
Azerbaijan has an exclave separated by Armenia.
Nagorno-Karabakh is 80% Armenian within Azerbaijan.
Armenians are Christians/Azers are Shiite Muslims
Stalin awarded N-K to Azerbaijan Nationalism became stronger In Gorbachev’s perestroika N-K
lobbied for a 16km corridor to Armenia
Azerbaijan tightened grips on N-K Guerilla war ever since