Many borders act to create cultural distance between people of the same ethnic group, a phenomenon that most often leads to

A) the militarization of that ethnic group
B) the fragmentation of that ethnic group
C) the unification of that ethnic group
D) the blending of that ethnic group with at least two other ethnic groups
E) the political rise of that ethnic group

Answer: (B)

According to the Rimland theory by Nicholas J. Spykman, in order to control the Eurasian continent, it is much important to control

A) the costal areas at the edge of the continent
B) major cities spread throughout the continent
C) the central part of the continent located near Russia
D) sub-Saharan Africa
E) the Indian and Mediterranean oceans

Answer: (A)

The presence of a national boundary between two cities has the potential to decrease the amount of trade that occurs between them if

A) the two countries in which the cities are located have tariffs on certain goods
B) the two countries in which the cities are located are party to a free trade agreement
C) the two countries in which the cities are located do not share a common port
D) the two countries in which the cities are located are both clients of the world bank
E) the two countries in which the cities are located are connected by expressways

Answer: (A)

Cities along national borders often contain evidence of the interdependence that exists between two states, which is demonstrated on an individual level by residence of these cities who

A) frequently tell stories about the two states
B) frequently migrate between the two states
C) frequently pass legislation regarding the two states
D) frequently work only in one state
E) frequently are tourists in a third state

Answer: (B)

Some states, such as India and Nepal, have treaties that allow citizens to live, work, and travel freely in both lands, a practice that typically leads to the development of

A) opposing national identities
B) fluid national identities
C) rigid national identities
D) postindustrial national identities
E) Communist national identities

Answer: (B)

A federal state is likely to possess

A) citizens who favor democratic elections
B) a leader with the power to revise the state's constitution
C) a large amount of mineral resources
D) multiple systems of checks and balances
E) a king and a queen

Answer: (D)

A state that is governed by a single centralized power with little power given to substantial units except as deemed by the central government is called a

A) puppet state
B) Communist state
C) federal state
D) single-party state
E) unitary state

Answer: (E)

A confederacy or union between territories, regions, or other countries is most likely to arise in a

A) federal state
B) unitary state
C) puppet state
D) monarchy
E) Communist state

Answer: (A)

The centralize power of a unitary state is most likely to be threatened by the development of

A) a self-governing region
B) a broad trade agreement with a neighboring state
C) a constitution that requires citizens to be born within the state
D) voting districts that divide large rural areas
E) a new religion found only within the state

Answer: (A)

When several unitary states choose to become one state, their initial attempt to govern themselves is likely to take the form of a

A) series of colonizations
B) series of civil wars
C) series of annexations of territory
D) series of treaties
E) series of redistricting efforts

Answer: (D)

Most of the world's unitary states can be found on the continent of
A) North America and South America
B) Africa and Asia
C) Australia and Europe
D) Antarctica and North America
E) Australia and South America

Answer: (B)

A buffer state is a politically neutral state that lies between two or more states and acts

A) to enhance both states' political powers
B) as a taxing authority for both states
C) to balance power between the two states
D) to minimize the religious authority of major institutions
E) to stop immigrants from travelling to the larger of the two states

Answer: (C)

Today, states act to establish control over disputed areas of the sea primarily by

A) charting endangered species in uninhabited coastal areas
B) attending international conventions on maritime law
C) mapping uncharted areas of the world's oceans using advanced technology
D) engaging in economic activities in coastal areas and open waters
E) allocating funding to increase the size of their naval forces

Answer: (D)

Territoriality is the practice of creating geographic boundaries in response to social and political conditions and typically acts to

A) separate different populations by culture
B) reaffirm ethnic ties between different populations
C) stop the sharing of languages and religions between two neighboring ethnic groups
D) link the economies of two neighboring states
E) strengthen trade relations between wealthy and less wealth states

Answer: (A)

People divide a continent into regional trade blocs primarily to

A) increase the amount of fair trade
B) promote the goal of global free trade
C) strengthen economic ties between member states
D) form cultural links between former military enemies
E) weaken influence of communism

Answer: (C)

A boundary that was put in place by an outside, conquering, or other political power that ignores the cultural organization of the landscape is called a

A) cultural boundary
B) physical boundary
C) relic boundary
D) superimposed boundary
E) buffer state

Answer: (D)

The geographic boundary of a state can also be a physical boundary such as a

A) religious movement
B) lake or mountain
C) language barrier
D) type of currency
E) national dish

Answer: (B)

One example of a geometric political boundary is the

A) cultural divide between Creole and Cajun communities in New Orleans, Louisiana
B) straight line of the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey
C) sharp ascent of the Sierra Nevada
D) curve of Ohio's coast around Lake Erie
E) straight line between the states of Colorado and Kansas

Answer: (E)

Political boundaries existed in the ancient world and were often maintained by small groups at

A) agricultural storehouses
B) defensive fortresses
C) scientific research stations
D) open-air markets
E) seasonal hunting camps

Answer: (B)

In democratic nations, legislators and political parties typically redraw boundaries for voting districts after the release of data from a

A) national geographical survey
B) state public opinion poll
C) state primary election
D) national census
E) national study on spending patterns

Answer: (D)

A conflict over the sharing of the water in the Kaveri River between the south Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would best be classified as a(n)

A) allocational boundary dispute
B) locational boundary dispute
C) operational boundary dispute
D) definitional boundary dispute
E) genetic boundary dispute

Answer: (A)

A separation fence, such as that which exists on the territory between India and Pakistan, is most often used to demarcate a(n)

A) cease-fire line
B) cross-border region
C) linguistic border
D) annexed zone
E) decolonized territory

Answer: (A)

During the 20th century, the collapse of the intricate political networks, such as existed in the USSR, led to the understanding that

A) strong economic ties are necessary to overcome major ethnic differences
B) trade partners should not work together to develop alternative energy resources
C) nations should eliminate their trade tariffs to encourage economic security
D) environmental justice campaigns fail to adequately identify the hardest-hit areas
E) politicians must implement global, rather than local, anti-terrorist policies

Answer: (A)

When a nation-state undergoes a revolution, there is a high likelihood that its citizens will leave, causing an

A) increase in trade tariffs in neighboring states
B) increase in mechanization of labor in neighboring states
C) increase in environmental equity in neighboring states
D) increase in ethnic diversity in neighboring states
E) increase in economic stability in neighboring states

Answer: (D)

The Kurds are an example of a

A) a nation-state
B) political party
C) multi-state nation
D) stateless nation
E) border state

Answer: (D)

What kind of diffusion occurs when the innovation or concept being diffused spreads from a place or person of higher authority or power?

A) Stimulus diffusion
B) Contagious diffusion
C) Hierarchical diffusion
D) Random diffusion
E) Relocation diffusion

Answer: (C)

When two states begin to compete with one another economically, they are most likely to become

A) trade partners
B) politically unstable
C) political antagonists
D) multicultural democracies
E) colonies of large empires

Answer: (C)

A nation-state is most often defined by its twin attributes of sovereignty and

A) religious tolerance
B) social democracy
C) ethnic homogeneity
D) economic prosperity
E) a strong antiterrorist policy

Answer: (C)

What term is used for an often marginal or underdeveloped region that is not fully integrated into a nation state?

A) Rimland
B) Primate city
C) Frontier
D) Stateless nation
D) City-state

Answer: (C)

A political leader might seek to make his or her state conform to the traditional concept of a nation-state by

A) demanding representation in the United Nations
B) openly encouraging civil disobedience
C) instituting a bicameral system of legislature
D) using the popular media to promote the idea of a national culture
E) advocating a policy of multiculturalism

Answer: (D)

The government's role in the development of a nation-state is critical because the government is required to

A) protect its borders and resolve and internal conflicts
B) locate and restore lost items of cultural heritage
C) serve as an intermediary to resolve conflicts between its religious leaders

D) prevent the exploration of local agricultural products

E) take part in international talks regarding economic globalization

Answer: (A)

Which of the following events ha the most potential to determine whether a nation will remain a nation-state?

A) A rejection of capitalism
B) A reduction in the availability of mineral resources
C) A large influx of immigrants
D) A development of a national scientific research program
E) A sudden natural disaster

Answer: (C)

The leader of a nation-state would be likely to reject an intergovernmental action that

A) recognized a cultural monument important to the primary ethnic group of the state
B) formed the foundation of a peace agreement
C) promoted the concept of self-governance
D) added protections for existing maritime borders
E) required land to be swapped between itself and another country

Answer: (E)

Gerrymandering is a practice in which a political party attempts to gain an unequal advantage by

A) nominating a candidate who challenges the state's constitution
B) advocating that the electoral college by replaced by the popular vote
C) changing the boundaries of a legislative district
D) electing a party chairperson who is a friend of the current president
E) seeking the support of labor unions

Answer: (C)

The Arab League, an international organization of Arab states, limits the sovereign power of its members by

A) planning joint attacks on common enemies
B) promoting tourism in member states
C) coordinating free trade agreements among member states
D) funding the building of wells in member states
E) failing to count the number of literate citizens in member states

Answer: (C)

An area organized into an independent political unit is a

A) colony
B) nationality
C) satellite
D) state

Answer: (D)

A group of people who occupy a particular area and have a strong sense of unity based on a set of shared beliefs is a

A) centripetal force
B) nation
C) self-determination
D) unitary state

Answer: (B)

A state with control over its internal affairs has

A) centripetal force
B) nationality
C) nation-state
D) sovereignty

Answer: (D)

The world's largest state (in land area) is

A) China
B) Canada
C) Russia
D) Africa

Answer: (C)

Large size is an asset for a state because it is able to do all but which of the following?

A) produce a larger supply of food
B) guard borders from invasion more easily
C) possess a larger supply of raw materials
D) withstand a limited nuclear war

Answer: (B)

The first states in ancient Mesopotamia were

A) city-states
B) colonies
C) empires
D) nation-states

Answer: (A)

A territory tied to a state rather than being completely independent is a

A) nation
B) state
C) nation-state
D) colony

Answer: (D)