Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. No Africans were invited to the Berlin Conference, and so they had no say in how the political boundaries of their countries were eventually drawn. Sometimes these align with a natural geographic feature like a river to form a border or barrier between nations. International political boundaries determine which national or federal political system you can participate in; which military will defend you in a war; which government will respond in the event of a natural disaster; which laws you have to follow; what national or federal taxes you have to pay; and which economy you participate in. 1, Antarctica map (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctica,_unclaimed.svg) by Chipmunkdavis (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Chipmunkdavis) is licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en), Fig. False! The establishment of political boundaries is a central part of the process of nation-building. Have students brainstorm examples of different types of borders and what defines them. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. The border was guarded by both North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese military forces and was the site of numerous battles and skirmishes. Canada and US-49th parallel. Curvilinear forms, though less common (e.g., the northern border of Delaware, US), are also types of geometric boundaries. Artificial boundary lines at the scale of sovereign states were quite uncommon until modern times. North Korea and South Korea-38th parallel (DMZ) What is a physical political boundary? Boundaries are serious business, whether at the scale of a neighbourhood or the entire planet. The Korean DMZ cuts through the Korean peninsula roughly in line with the 38th parallel. The break-up of what political entity led to the existence of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia? What ar3 examples of physical political boundaries? The border is heavily militarized and is patrolled by both Indian and Pakistani military forces. What information did you think was missing, or would have been helpful to know in order to avoid conflict when creating borders? The high seas are international waters. A demilitarized zone is an area where military activity is officially forbidden. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. An example is the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, which was drawn as a consequence of disagreements between the majority Protestant north and the majority Catholic south on the island of Ireland. This type of boundary is often used in cases where two countries have a strong relationship and want to avoid any potential conflict or tension between the two countries. In Europe, many subsequent boundaries have been imposed based on high-level treaties that end wars. In drawing electoral districts, a state may take these political boundaries into account in order to keep existing constituencies within one district rather than splitting them across multiple districts. Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. After political decisions were made on the . Create and find flashcards in record time. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. 2023 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved. Cultural and national reasons may overlap, but cultural boundaries are less motivated by political power than they are ways of life. Its 100% free. Geological features such as oil deposits or minerals, which can influence the economic development of a region and create conflicts over resources. Ask students to think about borders in their state, community, or school. True or False: DMZs MUST be political boundaries. A border the location of which cannot be agreed upon. (2017). Have each spokesperson present their groups map, along with the reasons for creating borders where they did, including why each group, religion, or physical region was placed there, to the class. Fig. Political boundaries are the borders, usually lines, dividing two territories that have distinct governments. The process of immigrating to the United States can be complicated and is often driven by a few key principles including uniting families, boosting the economy with skilled professionals, promoting diversity, and helping refugees. English Language Arts, Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Make sure students understand that there are no right or wrong answers. Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. The border between the United States and Mexico, which has been heavily militarized in recent years due to concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking. These disputes might arise due to a natural resource both groups want, like in the case of Sudan and South Sudan, or in an attempt to gain more political power, as in the case of Pakistan and India in the Kashmir region. Political Maps show boundaries between countries, states, counties, and other political units. Borders are political boundaries. Political boundaries allow societies to organize themselves, demarcate sovereignty over land, and avoid political disputes over land ownership. Borders of regions or of countries define an area, which has a particular shape and size. Political boundaries indicate what political entity has sovereignty (governing power and authority) over a physical location. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. 1 - Antecedent boundaries (red) in Antarctica. African countries had their boundaries superimposed on them as a result of European colonialism. Contact Us. They can also serve as a means to prevent conflict with a foreign entity, although sometimes the borders themselves invite conflict. Political Boundaries: lines on land and/or water separating the territories of countries or sub-national entities such as states, provinces, departments, counties, and so forth. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. Countries that share political boundaries may claim ownership over a region along their borders, often because these border regions have some economic or cultural significance to both sides. Ask: What is a border? If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. No one nation has sovereignty over the high seas, but certain activities may be regulated by the UN. Brainstorm other factors that shape country borders. Occasionally, two countries may contest where a particular border is drawn. Create beautiful notes faster than ever before. Your email address will not be published. A political boundary is an imaginary line separating one political unit, such as a country or state, from another. [1], A total of 42 states require state legislative districts to take political boundaries into account; 19 states take political boundaries into account when drawing congressional districts. Display each groups map in the classroom and provide sticky notes and pencils. The division of Yugoslavia into several independent countries in the 1990s. You know, the type of fellow with the perpetually barking dogs and the "Keep Out" signs? landmass that forms as tectonic plates interact with each other. False! True or False: While conducting innocent passage, normal military operations and exercises are still authorized. Operations: Meghann Olshefski Mandy Morris Kelly Rindfleisch The political boundary between Forsyth County and Davidson County is an internal political boundary within the state of North Carolina. Note that one boundary can be of multiple different types simultaneously. How many Africans were present at the Berlin Conference? Each of these boundaries is clearly defined, and both sides are aware of the situation along each side of the boundary. If time allows, extend the discussion to include some of the benefits and challenges of borders. However, there has been significant animosity between the groups as Tutsi traditionally had higher status as pastoralists and warriors, while Hutu were primarily lower-caste farmers. A political boundary is an imaginary line separating one political unit, such as a country or state, from another. Elicit ideas such as wars between countries, natural resources, or dividing land evenly between different groups. For example, the Berber ethnic groups span nations including Libya, Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, despite the fact many were not politically separated prior to colonization. Write the guiding questions for the activity on the board: How are regions defined? Where, approximately, is the Korean Demilitarized Zone located? A de jure political boundary is a boundary that is legally recognized by foreign political entities. Grades 6 - 8 Subjects English Language Arts, Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography Contents 2 Activities Image Checkpoint Charlie Which of the following BEST describes the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea? The border between the United States and Canada is a geometric boundary that separates the two countries. Ballotpedia features 407,502 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. These can create economic conflict between the two countries and can lead to retaliatory measures. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. This lesson targets the following skills: The resources are also available at the top of the page. (True or False) As used in the Berlin Conference, "Congo Basin" refers solely to the area drained by the Congo River. Have each group create a name for their country and label landforms and features of the country. At other times, people remain in ethnic enclaves or exclaves rather than move, and these areas can frequently become the source of conflict. Similarly, an ethnic, political, or religious group may feel that its needs are not being met by a country's government, or that policy-created borders are unjust, and may resort to armed rebellion or terrorism in an attempt to get political boundaries redrawn. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, for example, establishes maritime political boundaries with the consent of over 160 signatories. A delimited boundary is a geographic boundary that is drawn on a map. The third Convention on the Law of the Sea began in what year? Before strict border controls, the boundary had little effect on the movement of people back and forth. The definition of a political boundary is a fixed line, officially drawn to divide and outline political territorial units such as states, counties, cities, or other jurisdictions. The Singapore-Malaysia border is one of the busiest international political boundaries in the world and is easily demarcated by large customs buildings and huge flags. Instruct students to use the information in three of the mapsReligions, Mountains and Rivers, and Languagesto determine where they would place borders in the Outline map and draw them. A political boundary is an imaginary line separating one political unit, such as a country or state, from another. Superimposed boundaries are boundaries that are drawn without the consent or consultation of locals. How are borders defined? They are generally unmarked and are often difficult to see. In Africa, despite Rwanda and several other examples, post-independence countries have kept their superimposed boundaries at all costs rather than engage in the kind of consequent boundary drawing seen elsewhere in the world. Many internal political boundaries, like the boundaries between the counties throughout the US, are entirely invisible except on a map. These boundaries are used to define the areas over which a particular government or political entity has jurisdiction and the areas within which it can exercise its authority. The evolution of both types involved 2 distinct stages. By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Political Boundaries: lines on land and/or water separating the territories of countries or sub-national entities such as states, provinces, departments, counties, and so forth. )is a plea for immigration reform. Sign up to highlight and take notes. 2. Economic factors include taxation and the preference for different economic systems. More about Function of Political Boundaries. Distribute a copy of the worksheet Draw Political Borders to each student. Explain the function of a demilitarized zone. Political features are characteristics . Hutus are the vast majority in each country, and Tutsis the minority. Which of the following was not part of the General Act of the Berlin Conference? The United States and Mexico are two very different cultures, and the border between them is a physical boundary that separates two very different societies (Pavlakovich-Kochi, & Morehouse, 2017). The most commonly used political map in the United States is a map like the one above that illustrates the 50 states. What is the difference between a negotiated boundary and an imposed boundary? This is also true for some internal boundaries. Have students work independently to draw political borders. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Communications: Alison Graves Carley Allensworth Abigail Campbell Sarah Groat Erica Shumaker Caitlin Vanden Boom Political boundaries have evolved out of the need to define territory. Beyond that, political boundaries do not exist. 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