Chapter 8 Study Questions: Political Geography

Which country of the former Soviet Union is the most ethnically homogenous? a. Kyrgyzstan b. Kazakhstan c. Georgia d. Crimea e. Armenia

e. Armenia

Which of the following is NOT true about Russia's multinational state? a. Nineteen percent of its non-Russian population is made up of 185 different ethnicities. b. A mix of many ethnic groups are located along the borders with Mongolia and the Caucasus states. c. Russia's constitution grants autonomy in local governance to some of its major ethnic populations. d. Uralic-speaking and Turkic-speaking ethnicities are concentrated in the region between the Ural Mountains and the Volga River. e. In order to maintain the primacy of the Russian language, Russia prohibits the designation of ethnic languages as official languages.

e. In order to maintain the primacy of the Russian language, Russia prohibits the designation of ethnic languages as official languages.

Which statement about the United Nations is correct? a. Any of the five permanent members of the Security Council can veto a peacekeeping operation. b. The United Nations was established primarily as an economic alliance to help nations recover from the devastation of World War I. c. Membership in the United Nations decreased after the breakup of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. d. The original members of the United Nations included only sovereign states. e. In 1950 the Security Council approved sending U.N. troops to Korea because the veto of the Soviet delegate was overridden by a vote in the General Assembly.

a. Any of the five permanent members of the Security Council can veto a peacekeeping operation.

Which country is the best example of an autocratic unitary state? a. China b. France c. Russia d. Canada e. Brazil

a. China

Which of the following statements regarding the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is correct? a. Members of the Islamic State are Sunni Muslims. b. The group was founded by Osama bin Laden. c. The group mainly controls territory in Iraq and Iran. d. The organization is based in Afghanistan. e. Its name means "Western education is forbidden."

a. Members of the Islamic State are Sunni Muslims.

Which of the following countries is an example of a prorupted state? a. Namibia b. Chile c. Gambia d. Lesotho e. Indonesia

a. Namibia

Which of the following U.S. states was judged by the Washington Post to be the most gerrymandered? a. North Carolina b. South Dakota c. Wyoming d. Kentucky e. North Dakota

a. North Carolina

The world's largest state is a. Russia. b. China. c. Canada. d. India. e. Alaska.

a. Russia.

The world's smallest state is a. Vatican City. b. Bahrain. c. Andorra. d. Tuvalu. e. Monaco.

a. Vatican City.

Which term describes a country that is NOT fully autocratic or democratic? a. anocracy b. totalitarian state c. kleptocracy d. plutocracy e. bureaucracy

a. anocracy

Which of the following statements describes "packing" gerrymandering? a. linking like-minded voters through the creation of oddly shaped boundaries b. concentrating opposition supporters into few districts to dilute their votes c. using nonpartisan commissions without regard for past boundaries or impact on incumbents d. creating compact, evenly spaced districts such as those found in Iowa e. spreading opposition voters across many districts where they become a minority in that district

a. linking like-minded voters through the creation of oddly shaped boundaries

An area organized into an independent political unit is a a. state. b. nation. c. nationality. d. colony. e. territory.

a. state.

Use Figure 8-2 to answer the question. Identify the British colony east of Argentina. a. the Falkland Islands b. Anguilla c. Saint Helena d. the British Virgin Islands e. Gibraltar

a. the Falkland Islands

The type of boundary between the United States and Canada is best described as a. water and geometric b. mountain and water. c. water and linguistic. d. linguistic and religious. e. geometric and latitudinal.

a. water and geometric

Which area experienced a Turkish-initiated genocide in the early twentieth century? a. South Ossetia b. Nagorno-Karabakh c. Azerbaijan d. Georgia e. Armenia

e. Armenia

Evaluate the following examples, factors, or concerns that illustrate the difficulty in defining some states. Select the answer option that is accurately supported by the facts in the text. a. Although Taiwan seeks reunification with mainland China, the People's Republic of China considers itself and Taiwan to be separate and sovereign states. b. Disagreement about the sovereignty of states is closely tied to the history and geography of places and often involves neighboring states, and sometimes multiple states, claiming a territory. c. Although Western Sahara claims to be a sovereign state, most African countries refuse to recognize its independence from Spain. d. The governments of North and South Korea are committed to maintaining two separate, sovereign states although the United Nations will only award one seat to Korea. e. The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands are densely populated and desire sovereignty, but they are claimed by several countries.

b. Disagreement about the sovereignty of states is closely tied to the history and geography of places and often involves neighboring states, and sometimes multiple states, claiming a territory.

Which is NOT true about the Law of the Sea? a. It identifies international waters not subject to a single state's control. b. It ensures free trade by classifying internal shoreline waters as international. c. It identifies a contiguous zone in which a state may enforce pollution controls and levy taxes for its use. d. It identifies territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles as under a state's control. e. It identifies a state's sole right to resources within its exclusive economic zone.

b. It ensures free trade by classifying internal shoreline waters as international.

Which statement about the practice of gerrymandering is correct? a. It is a Republican process to ensure control by the wealthy elite. b. It is the redrawing of legislative boundaries to the advantage of one party over the other. c. It is the redrawing of legislative boundaries to ensure federal funds are distributed to those who need them the most. d. It is only done by Democrats to ensure control of the House. e. It is only done by Republicans to ensure Congress is ineffective.

b. It is the redrawing of legislative boundaries to the advantage of one party over the other.

Which of the following is the best example of a nation-state today? a. the former Yugoslavia b. Japan c. Slovenia d. Russia e. Czechoslovakia

b. Japan

This country eventually accepted responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and paid reparations to victims' families. a. North Korea b. Libya c. the Sudan d. Iraq e. Iran

b. Libya

Which country has built a sand wall around the disputed Sahrawi Republic? a. Mozambique b. Morocco c. Malawi d. Mauritania e. Mali

b. Morocco

A territory legally tied to sovereign state rather than being completely independent is a a. nation. b. colony. c. nation-state. d. state. e. patron-state.

b. colony.

North and South Korea provide a good example of a. defeated states. b. ethnicities divided between more than one state. c. nuclear states. d. colonies divided between more than one ethnicity. e. nation-states existing in a unified condition.

b. ethnicities divided between more than one state.

Which term describes a state with control over its internal affairs, independent of outside influence? a. centrifugal b. sovereignty c. ethnicity d. nationality e. centripetal

b. sovereignty

The fragility of the European Union is best illustrated by a 2016 referendum that a. withdrew Brittany, a province of France, from the EU. b. supported the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU. c. divided the United Kingdom into smaller provinces. d. set stringent standards for countries seeking to join the EU. e. planned to move the capital of the EU to London.

b. supported the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.

Disagreement over the sovereignty of Taiwan can be traced to a. an election won by the Communist government in China. b. the United States support of Taiwan instead of mainland China during WW II. c. a declaration of independence made by the leaders of Taiwan. d. the United Nations recognition of Taiwan as the legitimate government of China. e. an election won by the Nationalist government of China.

b. the United States support of Taiwan instead of mainland China during WW II.

Compare the different types of boundaries, and choose the example that represents a cultural boundary. a. the boundary between Chile and Argentina b. the boundary between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland c. the boundary between Mali and Mauritania d. the boundary between Malawi and Mozambique e. the boundary between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda

b. the boundary between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Which of these statements regarding colonialism is correct? a. France had the largest global colonial empire in the past and remains the country with the most colonial holdings in the present. b. Over 100 colonies remain today. c. Colonialism was motivated by purposes related to religious, economic, and political power. d. Most remaining colonies are held by Asian or South American powers. e. By World War II, most countries in Africa had won their independence.

c. Colonialism was motivated by purposes related to religious, economic, and political power.

Which of the following eurozone countries was the LEAST affected by the global recession of 2008? a. Italy b. Spain c. France d. Ireland e. Greece

c. France

Which country of the former Soviet Union has faced the greatest challenges to its territorial integrity due to its ethnic diversity? a. Belarus b. Armenia c. Georgia d. Azerbaijan e. Moldova

c. Georgia

The republics of the former Soviet Union were established based on a. natural resources. b. religious values. c. ethnicity. d. economic contributions. e. language.

c. ethnicity.

An increasing number of states have adopted a federal form of government primarily to a. govern compact states more effectively. b. encourage the breakup of international military and economic alliances. c. grant different ethnicities or nationalities more effective representation. d. accommodate right wing political parties and their demands for increased representation in national elections. e. deploy scarce resources efficiently.

c. grant different ethnicities or nationalities more effective representation.

Which of the following is NOT a major contrast between claims to the Arctic and claims to the Antarctic? a. The main purpose of claims in Antarctica is for research purposes whereas conflict in the Arctic will most likely be over economic potential. b. Claims in the Arctic are based on proximity whereas in Antarctica they are based on geometric lines. c. Even though there are overlapping claims to portions of the Arctic, some parts of Antarctica are unclaimed by any nation. d. Claims in the Arctic are not contested whereas claims in Antarctica are recognized by the United States and Russia. e. The deadline for making claims to the Arctic was 2009 whereas claims to the Antarctic are negotiated through the Antarctic Treaty.

d. Claims in the Arctic are not contested whereas claims in Antarctica are recognized by the United States and Russia.

A list of uninhabited or autonomous island territories without full independence would NOT include a. Midway Islands. b. Greenland. c. Hong Kong. d. Cuba. e. Puerto Rico.

d. Cuba.

Boko Haram seeks to turn which African country into an Islamic State? a. Algeria b. Mali c. Somalia d. Nigeria e. Mauritania

d. Nigeria

Use Figure 8-7 to answer the question. Which state is perforated by Lesotho? a. South Sudan b. Mozambique c. Zimbabwe d. South Africa e. Madagascar

d. South Africa

Which factor would NOT be used to explain the classification of many sub-Saharan African countries as fragile states? a. high population growth and poor health b. problematic shapes and colonial boundaries c. poverty and unemployment d. alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War e. ethnic tensions and ethnic cleansing

d. alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War

Which of the following statements typifies the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War? a. formation of two economic alliances-NATO and the Warsaw Pact b. increasing the balance of trade between Eastern and Western Europe c. U.S. military invasions into the Soviet Union d. creation of a bipolar balance of power recognizing the roughly equal strength of the United States and the Soviet Union e. formation of military alliances called the European Community and COMECON

d. creation of a bipolar balance of power recognizing the roughly equal strength of the United States and the Soviet Union

Extremely small states in the world are called a. small nation-states. b. island-colonies. c. macrostates. d. microstates. e. island nations.

d. microstates.

The boundary between Argentina and Chile is an example of a a. water boundary. b. geometric boundary. c. desert boundary. d. mountain boundary. e. frontier boundary.

d. mountain boundary.

This gerrymandering strategy concentrates opposition voters into a small number of districts, allowing the party in power to gain control of numerous other districts such as a. wasted vote. b. stacked vote. c. disenfranchising. d. packing. e. excess vote cracking.

d. packing.

Of the five nations who are not bound by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which is the only one to have tested nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century? a. South Africa b. Israel c. South Korea d. India e. North Korea

e. North Korea

Which pair of countries seeks to reunify, but disagree about the dominant political and economic ideology? a. Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa b. Moldova and Romania c. Morocco and Sahrawi Republic d. North and South Vietnam e. North and South Korea

e. North and South Korea

Which answer correctly pairs a colony (or former colony) with its colonizing country? a. Pitcairn Island and Cayman Islands b. Greenland and Norway c. Hong Kong and Macao d. The United Kingdom and France e. Puerto Rico and the United States

e. Puerto Rico and the United States

What is the main reason why the ethnic conflict in the Caucasus region has resulted in an armed struggle? a. Armenia was independent before World War I, and since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Armenians living in the Caucasus region have been fighting to reestablish an independent republic of Armenia. b. Ethnic Azeris have been fighting for independence from Iran and Armenia in order to form their own sovereign state. c. Nation-states formed in the Caucasus region after World War I have come into repeated conflict with each other because of the scarcity of natural resources. d. Members of the Ossetian ethnicity dominate the government of the Republic of Georgia, even though they are numerically much smaller than the ethnic majority, which are Abkhazians. e. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, long-simmering conflicts among ethnicities have erupted into armed conflicts in the Caucasus region.

e. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, long-simmering conflicts among ethnicities have erupted into armed conflicts in the Caucasus region.

An example of terrorism would NOT include a. a systematic use of violence by a group to create fear or coerce a government into actions it would not have taken. b. attacks largely aimed at ordinary people rather than military targets. c. an attempt to reach objectives of the group through bombing, kidnapping, hijacking, or assassinations. d. viewing violence as means to publicizing grievances. e. a government imposing economic sanctions followed by a bombing strategy to coerce another government into behaving differently.

e. a government imposing economic sanctions followed by a bombing strategy to coerce another government into behaving differently.

Which shape most easily fosters the establishment of effective internal communications for a smaller state? a. prolonged b. prorupted c. elongated d. fragmented e. compact

e. compact

Sovereignty can sometimes be difficult to determine because a. islands that are former colonies want to remain part of the colonizing country. b. borders change regularly in some parts of the world. c. islands that are near several countries launch missiles to defend themselves. d. states in the desert cannot determine national boundaries. e. of ongoing disputes between some states as to the status of territory.

e. of ongoing disputes between some states as to the status of territory.

Which three places claim sovereignty over The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands? a. Japan, Russia, The People's Republic of China b. the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Russia c. the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Australia d. the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia e. the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan

e. the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan

Which statement is TRUE regarding countries of the world? a. there has been an average of 200 for the last century b. they are natural features c. there is a minimum size in order to be considered a country d. the UN decides who can become a country e. they are cultural features

e. they are cultural features