Geography: Shapes of States

Questions and Answers

What are the five basic shapes of states?

Compact (correct)

Fragmented (correct)

Prorupted (correct)

Elongated (correct)

What is a compact state?

A small and centralized state that is easy to manage since the government is close to all portions of the state.

What is the greatest advantage of compact states?

They help to keep the country together by making communications easier within it.

What is a disadvantage of compact states?

They do not have as many natural resources as larger states. Signup and view all the answers

Name examples of compact states.

Poland, Uruguay, and Lesotho. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a prorupted state?

A state that has a long extension. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two principal reasons for creating proruptions?

To provide a state with access to a resource such as water, and to separate two states that otherwise would share a boundary. Signup and view all the answers

What is the greatest advantage of prorupted states?

The state gets easy access to the coast and the local resources around it. Signup and view all the answers

What is a perforated state?

A state that completely surrounds another one. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a fragmented state?

A state that includes several discontinuous pieces of territory, separated by a physical or human barrier. Signup and view all the answers

What problems do landlocked states face?

They do not have direct access to the ocean, which is critical for international trade. Signup and view all the answers

In which continent are landlocked states most common?

Africa. Signup and view all the answers

What is an exclave?

A part of a country that is isolated from the main part and is surrounded by foreign territory. Signup and view all the answers

What is a landlocked state?

A state that lacks direct access to the sea because it is completely surrounded by several other countries. Signup and view all the answers

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.