Geography: Shapes of States

Study Notes

Shapes of States

Five basic shapes of states are: Compact, Prorupted, Elongated, Fragmented, and Perforated.

Compact States

Compact states are small and centralized, allowing easier governance and management due to close proximity of government to all areas.
Their greatest advantage is improving communication, helping to maintain national unity.
Compact states are generally easier to defend compared to larger, irregularly shaped states.
They may lack abundant natural resources found in larger states.
Examples include Poland, Uruguay, and Lesotho.

Prorupted States

Prorupted states have a long extension, which can be beneficial for access to resources.
Extensions are created mainly for two reasons: access to valuable resources (like water) or to separate two neighboring states with a shared boundary.
The primary advantage is easy access to coastlines and nearby local resources.
Examples of prorupted states are Thailand and regions in Southern Africa.

Perforated States

A perforated state completely surrounds another state, such as South Africa which surrounds Lesotho.

Fragmented States

Fragmented states consist of multiple disconnected pieces of territory separated by physical or human barriers.
These may include offshore islands as part of their territory.
Portions of fragmented states can be separated by oceans, lakes, or mountains.
Examples include Tanzania and Indonesia for those separated by water, and Angola, Russia, Panama, and India for those separated by other states.
Communication can be challenging within fragmented states due to the disconnection of territories.

Elongated States

Elongated states have a long and narrow shape, presenting unique challenges.
These states are difficult to defend and often experience poor internal communication.
One advantage is that they can encompass diverse landscapes.
Examples of elongated states include Malawi, Chile, Italy, and Gambia.

Enclaves and Exclaves

An enclave is a territory completely surrounded by another state that does not have political ties to it, such as Vatican City in Rome.
The Vatican City functions independently from Rome and Italy's governance and rules.
An exclave is a portion of a country isolated from the main territory and surrounded by foreign land, with Alaska being a notable example.
Although Alaska is separated from the contiguous U.S., it shares a boundary with Canada.

Landlocked States

A landlocked state has no direct access to the sea, surrounded entirely by other countries.
Landlocked states are particularly common in Africa, with 14 out of 54 countries having no ocean access.
The lack of direct access to the ocean presents challenges for international trade and economic activities.

Description

Explore the five basic shapes of states including compact, prorupted, elongated, and fragmented. This quiz will help you understand the advantages of compact states and their geographical significance. Test your knowledge on state shapes and their implications for governance and communication.