Our Fragmented World: An Introduction To Political Geography

Our Fragmented World Our Fragmented World An Introduction to Political Geography W. Gordon East Professor Emeritus of Geography in the University of London J. R. V. Prescott Reader in Geography_ in the University of Melbourne M c W. Gordon East and J. R. V. Prescott 1975 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1975 All rights reserved. No part orthis publication may be reproduced or transmitted , in any form or by any means, without permission First published 1975 by THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD London and BasingslOke Associated companies in New York Dublin MelbourneJohannesburgand Madras SBN 333 15109 7 (hardcover) 333 15169 o(paper cover) ISBN 978-0-333-15169-3 ISBN 978-1-349-15561-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-15561-3 The paperback edition ofthis book is sold subject to thecondition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise. be lent, resold. hired out. or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition inc ludi ng this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. The authors dedicate this book to Dorothea East and Ada S. Prescott Contents xi xii xiii xv List of Maps Note on References Preface Acknowledgements 1 1 THE WORLD POLITICAL MAP Variety of states Empires Past Nature of states Political maps of Europe political maps of the world Collapse of empires Political map of today Decolonisation Nations and nationalism State patterns by continents Conclusion 21 2 THE INHABITANTS OF STATES Language differences Racial and ethnic differences Nations and nationalism National homogeneity and heterogeneity Manpower numbers and trends Four representative examples: Switzerland, Belgium, the Soviet Union, Canada 49 3 THE TERRITORIES OF STATES Size of states clusion Shape of states Location of states Con- 4 FRONTIERS AND INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES Frontiers: settlement and political Boundaries: evolution and disputes A representative example: the evolution of the Russo-Afghan boundary Conclusion 69 viii Our Fragmented World 5 THE CATEGORIES OF STATES 101 States in international law Hierarchy of states Unitary states Federal states: United States of America, Yugoslavia, recent federal failures Other categories of states Conclusion 6 THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF STATES 129 Economic aspect of political geography Industrial structure Regional structure Sectional structure Comparative economic structure of states Concl usion 7 THE TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE STATE'S ADMINISTRATION Governmental areas Field service areas ning areas Conclusion OF THE 159 Regional plan- 8 THE POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA 181 International law and the sea Maritime boundaries Sea-bed resources Land-locked states and access to the International waterways: canals and canalised sea routes Fishing and pollution problems Military uses of the sea Conclusion 9 THE GROUPING OF STATES Trend towards international groupings United Nations Commonwealth Regional blocs - Defensive: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Warsaw Treaty Organisation Other defensive groupings Regional blocs - Economic: European Economic Community, Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, European Free Trade Association, Latin American economic groupings, Caribbean Free Trade Area, Association of South East Asian Nations Regional blocs - Political: Organisation of American States, Organisation of African Unity, Arab League Conclusion 209 Contents 10 COMPASS OF THE WORLD ix 233 Geopolitik and geopolitics Geopolitical patterns after two wo