AP Human Geography Barron’s Ch.5 Vocab – Flashcards

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antecedent boundaries
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boundary line established before an area is populated
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balkanization
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the contentious political process by which a state may break up into smaller countries
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buffer state
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a relatively small country sandwiched between two larger powers. The existence of this may help prevent dangerous conflicts between powerful countries.
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centrifugal force
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forces that tend to divide a country
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centripetal forces
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forces that tend to unite or bind a country together
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colonialism
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the expansion and perpetuation of an empire
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Commonwealth of Independent States
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confederacy of independent states of the former USSR that have united because of their common economic and administrative needs
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compact state
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a state that possesses a roughly circular, oval, or rectangular territory in which the distance from the geometric center is relatively equal in all directions
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confederation
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a form of an international organization that brings several autonomous states together for a common purpose
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Domino Theory
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the idea that political destabilization in one country can lead to collapse of political stability in neighboring countries, starting a chain reaction of collapse
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East/West divide
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geographic separation between the largely democratic and free market countries of W. Europe and the Americas from the communist and socialist countries of E. Europe and Asia
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Electoral College
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A certain number of electorics from each state proportional to and seemingly representative of that state's population. Each elector chooses a candidate believing they are representing their constituency's choice. The candidate who receives a higher proportion of electoral votes within a state receives all the electoral votes for that state
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electoral vote
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the decision of a particular state elector that represents the dominant views of that elector's state
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elongated state
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a state whose territory is long and narrow in shape
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enclaves
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any small and relatively homogenous group or region surrounded by another larger and different group or region
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European Union
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International organization comprised of W. European countries to promote free trade among members
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exclave
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a bounded territory that is part of a particular state but is separated from it by the territory of a different state
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Federalism
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a system of government in which power is distributed among certain geographical territories rather than concentrated within a central government
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fragmented state
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a state that is not a contiguous whole but rather separated parts
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frontier
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an area where borders are shifting and weak and where people of different cultures or nationalities meet and lay claim to the land
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geometric boundary
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political boundaries that are defined and delimited by straight lines
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geopolitics
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the study of the interplay between political relations and the territorial context in which they occur
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gerrymandering
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the designation of voting districts so as to favor a particular political party or candidate
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Heartland Theory
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Hypothesis formed by Halford Mackinder that held that any political power based in the heart of Eurasia could gain enough strength to eventually dominate the world
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Imperialism
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the perpetuation of a colonial empire even after it is no longer politically sovereign
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international organization
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an alliance of two or more countries seeking cooperation with each other without giving up either's autonomy or self-determination
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landlocked state
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a state that is completely surrounded by the land of other states, which gives it a disadvantage in terms of accessibility to and from international trade routes
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Law of the Sea
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law establishing states' rights and responsibilities concerning the ownership and use of the earth's seas, oceans, and their resources
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lebensraum
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Hitler's expansionist theory based on a drive to acquire "living space" for the German people
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microstate
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a state or territory that is small in both population and area
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nation
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tightly knit group of individuals sharing a common language, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes
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nationalism
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a sense of national pride to such an extent of exalting on nation above all others
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nation-state
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a country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity
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North American Free Trade Agreement
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agreement signed on January 1, 1994 that allows the opening of borders between the USA, Canada, and Mexico
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
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An international organization that has joined together for military purposes
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North/South divide
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the economic division between the wealthy countries of Europe, N. America, Japan, and Australia, and the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America
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organic theory
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the view that states resemble biological organisms with life cycles that include states of youth, maturity, and old age
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Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
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an international economic organization whose member countries produce and export oil
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perforated state
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a state whose territory completely surrounds that of another state
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physical boundary
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political boundaries that correspond with prominent physical features such as mountain ranges or rivers
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political geography
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spatial analysis of political phenomena and processes
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popular vote
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the tall of each individual's vote within a given geographic area
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prorupted state
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a state that exhibits a narrow, elongated land extension leading away from the main territory
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reapportionment
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the process of a reallocation of electoral seats to defined territories
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rectangular state
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a state whose territory is rectangular in shape
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redistricting
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the drawing of new electoral district boundary lines in response to population changes
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relic boundaries
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old political boundaries that no longer exist as international borders, but that have left an enduring mark on the local cultural or environmental geography
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Rimland Theory
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Nicholas Spykman's theory that the domination of the costal fringes of Eurasia would provide the base for world conquest
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self-determination
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the right of a nation to govern itself autonomously
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sovereignty
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supreme of independent political power
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state
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a politically organized territory that is administered by a sovereign government and is recognized by the international community
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states' rights
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rights and powers believed to be in the authority of the state rather than the federal government
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subsequent boundaries
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boundary line established after an area has been settled that considers the social and cultural characteristics of the area
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superimposed boundaries
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boundary line drawn in an area ignoring the existing cultural patterns
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supranational organization
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organization of 3 or more states to promote shared objectives
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territorial dispute
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any dispute over land ownership
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territorial organization
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political organization that distributes political power in more easily governed units of land
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Theocracy
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a state whose government is either believed to be divinely guided or a state under the control of a group of religious leaders
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unitary state
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a state governed constitutionally as a unit without internal divisions or a federalist delegation of powers
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United Nations
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a global supranational organization established at the end of WWII to foster international security and cooperation
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balance of power
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condition of roughly equal strength between opposing countries or alliances of countries
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boundary
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invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory
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city-state
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a sovereign state comprising a city and its immediate hinterlands
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colony
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a territory that is legally tied to a sovereign state rather than completely independent
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federal state
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an internal organization of a state that allocates most powers to units of local government
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