Political Organization of Space

Political Organization of Space

• Political space is organized into various entities.
• A state has a defined territory with borders, a permanent population, and a government.
• Sovereignty is the right of the government to control and defend its territory, plus determine actions within.
• Recognition from other states is crucial for a state's existence.

Criteria for a Country

• What criteria are needed for a place to be considered a country?
• The criteria include clear borders, a permanent population, a functioning government, and sovereignty.

Sealand

• Sealand is a small territory occupied by a person.
• It has a very limited land area.
• The debatable aspect of Sealand is whether or not it meets the criteria to be called a country.

Types of Political Entities

• Nation: A group of people sharing a common cultural identity—language, religion, ethnicity, and heritage.

  • Example: The Maasai in East Africa. They are a semi-nomadic ethnic group with a traditional culture and language.

• Nation-State: Ideally, nations and states overlap completely in terms of borders.

  • Example: Japan, Denmark, Iceland.

• Stateless Nation: A nation of people who do not have their own state to occupy.

  • Examples: The Kurds in SW Asia, The Basque in Spain, Palestinians in Israel.

• Multistate Nation: A nation of people who live in more than one state.

  • Example: Russians living in Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine - after the Soviet Union dissolved.

• Multinational State: A state with several culturally diverse ethnic groups in its territory. A state that encompasses a variety of ethnic groups.

  • Examples: The United States, Russia, the former Yugoslavia, and Iraq.

• Autonomous or Semi-Autonomous Region: A region within a state that has a degree of self-governance.

  • Example: Hong Kong, Tibet, other regions.