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