Multistate Nations
ethnic groups territorially divided by one or more international boundaries
Examples of Multistate Nations
Korea (North and South)
Autonomous region
A subdivision or dependent territory of a country that has a degree of self-government, or autonomy, in its decision making.
Semi Autonomous region
A subdivision or dependent territory of a country that has some degree of, but not complete, self-government
Political Geography
branch of HUG concerned with spatial analysis of political systems
Political Map
map that shows the spatial organization of the countries and territories on the entire globe at a given point in time
State/country
an independent political unit with a centralized authority that makes claim to solve legal, political, and economic jurisdiction over a region with defined boundaries
sovereign states
a state that possesses the sole authority over the land and people within its boundaries
Nation
a community of people bound to a homeland and possessing a common identity based on cultural traits such as language and ethnicity.
Nation-state
The ideal political geographical unit; one in which the nation’s geographic boundaries (a people and its culture) exactly match the state’s territorial boundaries (governance and authority)
Examples of Nation States
Iceland, FInland, Japan, Slovenia, Poland, North and South Korea
Nation-state ideal
people feel united and the government treats them as one national group.
Nationalism
the sense of belonging to and self-identifying with a national culture.
Stateless nation
An ethnic group or nation that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation-state.
Examples of Stateless Nations
Kurds; their historic territory, Kurdistan is now divided among Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
Multinational State
A country containing multiple national, ethnic, and religious groups within its boundaries
Examples of Multinational states
South Africa and Canada
