8.4 Why Do States Have Distinctive Geographic Structure?
perforated state
a state that completely surrounds another one (South Africa)
elongated state
a state that has a long and narrow shape (the Gambia)
fragmented state
a state that includes several discontinuous pieces of territory (Angola)
landlocked state
a state that lacks a direct outlet to a sea because it is completely surrounded by other countries
frontier
a zone where no state exercises complete political control
boundary
an invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory
prorupted state
an otherwise compact state with a large projecting extension (Namibia)
geometric boundary
based on human constructs (such as straight lines and parallels of latitude)
physical boundary
coincide with significant features of the natural landscape
cultural boundary
follow the distribution of cultural features
gerrymandering
redrawing legislative boundaries to benefit the party in power
compact state
the distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly (Kenya)
boundary line
the only location where direct physical contact must take place between two neighboring states (must be shared by more than one state)