There are many factors that contribute to the formation of modern state borders. territorial boundaries are just one of many. Sometimes borders correspond with natural features like mountains or rivers. Other times, they are delineated by political agreements between states. And still other times, borders simply reflect the division of a territory during colonization.
When looking at the territorial boundaries of contemporary states, it is clear that they do not always correspond with modern state borders. For example, the African country of Niger is bounded by the Sahara Desert to the north and west, the Sahel to the south, and the Niger River to the east. However, its modern state borders do not reflect these features. Niger is currently divided into 7 political regions, with only 3 of them corresponding to the traditional territorial boundaries.
This discrepancy is due to a number of factors. First, the process of decolonization that took place in Africa in the mid-20th century led to the redrawing of many state borders. Second, the territorial boundaries of some states were changed as a result of conflict or war. For example, the current border between Niger and Chad was established after the Niger-Chad Border War of 1974-1980. And third, many states have simply redefined their borders for political or economic reasons.
Despite the fact that they do not always correspond with modern state borders, territorial boundaries remain an important factor in the formation and classification of states. They provide a sense of identity for a state and its citizens and help to define the limits of a state's sovereignty. In a world where states are increasingly interacting with one another, territorial boundaries will continue to play a role in the way we understand and organize the world around us.
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How did the territorial boundaries of the United States come to correspond with modern state borders?
TheBorder between the United States and Canada was established by the Jay Treaty in 1794. The United States and Spain reached a similar agreement in the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, which fixed the present-day southern border of the US. With the expansion of the US through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the acquisition of Florida from Spain in 1819, the country's border reached its current configuration.
The US-Canada border was further defined by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which resolved a number of outstanding boundary disputes. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled the boundary between the US and Britain in the Pacific Northwest. The US acquired additional territory in the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, which added land in the present-day southwestern US.
With the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the US borders became firmly established. The last major change was the Alaska Purchase of 1867, in which the US acquired the territory that would later become the state of Alaska. Since then, the borders of the US have remained largely unchanged.
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How did the territorial boundaries of Argentina come to correspond with modern state borders?
Argentina is a country located in southern South America. Sharing the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west, the country is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi), Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the fourth largest in the Americas, and the largest Spanish-speaking nation. The sovereign state is subdivided into twenty-three provinces (Spanish: provincias, singular provincia) and one autonomous city (ciudad autónoma), Buenos Aires, which is the federal capital of the nation (Spanish: Capital Federal) as decided by Congress. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but exist under a federal system. Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas), and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
The earliest recorded human presence in modern-day Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period. A group of Japanese researchers have discovered the first ever signs of human life in Argentina, dating back 13,000 years. The find was made in the Cueva de las Manos, or 'Cave of the Hands', in the southern province of Santa Cruz. Stone tools and animal bones bearing markings that appeared to have been made by human hands were among the items found in the cave.
The first European to visit the region was Santiago del Estero in 1527. In 1536, Pedro de Mendoza established a small settlement at the Modern day site of Buenos Aires, which was abandoned in 1541 due to bad weather and attacks from native Indians. In 1580, Juan de Garay founded the second city in Argentina, which was also called Buenos Aires. From that time, the territory was known as the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.
Argentina declared independence from Spain on July 9, 1816. The official Argentina history books claim that General José de San Martín first proclaimed the independence of Argentina on July 9, 1816, in Buenos Aires. Two years later, on February 3, 1818, the Constitution of Argentina was promulgated. The Constitution was drafted by a Constitutional Assembly made up of representatives from the
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How did the territorial boundaries of Chile come to correspond with modern state borders?
In 1818, Chile's independence movement reached a critical juncture. After successfully expelling the Spanish colonial forces from Chilean soil, the patriot Army of the Andes under the command of Bernardo O'Higgins and José de San Martín crossed the mountains and entered Argentine territory in an attempt to liberate that country as well. This failed campaign ultimately led to the retreat of the Chilean forces back to their own country. In the years that followed, the Chilean state consolidated its hold over the entire territory that would eventually become modern Chile.
During the early years of Chilean independence, the country's border with Argentina was ill-defined. The Andes mountain range served as a natural barrier between the two young nations, but there was no agreed upon boundary. This led to a number of conflicts, most notably the 1833 uprising in Araucanía, when the Mapuche people living in modern-day southern Chile and Argentina revolted against Chilean rule. The Chilean government eventually put down the rebellion, but it was a costly and bloody affair.
It was not until 1881 that Chile and Argentina finally agreed to a definitive border. The Treaty of Limits was signed between the two countries, and a commission was established to survey and mark the boundary. The commission's work was completed in 1884, and the modern border between Chile and Argentina was officially demarcated.
Chile's border with Peru was also ill-defined during the early years of independence. The War of the Pacific (1879-1883) was fought between Chile and a coalition of Peru and Bolivia over the control of the nitrate-rich Atacama Desert. The war ended with a decisive victory for Chile, and as part of the peace settlement, Chile annexed a large swath of Peruvian and Bolivian territory, including the port of Antofagasta and the nitrate fields of Tarapacá. This expansion of Chile's territory increased its size by almost a third and solidified its control over the resource-rich northern part of the country.
Today, the borders of Chile correspond closely with the modern state's borders. Chile is a long, narrow country that stretches over 4,300 kilometers (2,674 miles) from north to south. It is bounded by Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its current territory includes the Chilean Antofagasta and Easter Island.
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How did the territorial boundaries of Colombia come to correspond with modern state borders?
In 1819, the Congress of Angostura created the republic of Gran Colombia, which included present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. Under the leadership of Simón Bolívar, Gran Colombia dissolved in 1830 into what are now the separate republics of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. The current border between Colombia and Venezuela was demarcated in 1891. The line between Colombia and Ecuador was established in 1899 with a treaty between the two countries, and the Colombia-Panama border was set in 1903.
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How did the territorial boundaries of Peru come to correspond with modern state borders?
In the late 1500s, the Spanish began to explore and colonize present-day Peru. They quickly conquered the indigenous people and established a strict hierarchy, with the Spanish at the top and the indigenous people at the bottom. The Spanish divided the land into two viceroyalties, New Spain and Peru. New Spain included modern-day Mexico, Central America, and the southwestern United States, while Peru included present-day Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, as well as Peru. The Spanish crown eventually divided Peru into smaller units, called intendancies. In the early 1800s, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne. Joseph abolish the viceroyalties and placed all of the Spanish colonies under direct crown control. The colonies, including Peru, were then divided into departments.
In 1821, Peru won its independence from Spain. At first, it was part of Gran Colombia, which included present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. However, Gran Colombia soon broke apart, and Peru became its own country. In the late 1800s, Peru conquered the nitrate-rich province of Tarapacá from Chile. This conquest caused a war between Peru and Chile, which Peru lost. As part of the peace treaty, Peru ceded Tarapacá to Chile. In the early 1900s, Peru and Bolivia fought a war over the territory of Acre. Bolivia won the war, and Peru ceded Acre to Bolivia. These territorial disputes continued into the late 1900s. In 1998, Peru and Ecuador fought a brief war over a small strip of land in the Amazon. The war ended when Ecuador agreed to give the land to Peru.
The territorial boundaries of Peru have changed several times throughout history. At present, the country is bounded by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, and the Pacific Ocean.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is territorialism in geography?
Territorialism is the influence or control that a group of people or individuals have over a set of resources. This is made possible by boundaries or borders, created artificially by humans, to define physical locations that are under the administration of these individuals. Continental territories are, however, created by natural boundaries.
What is the purpose of the borders?
The main purpose of the borders is to protect the people of the countries within them. They also help to eliminate security issues and illegal activities within the boundaries of the respective countries.
Why study boundaries and borders?
Borders and boundaries play an important role in political geography because they can divide states and territories, help to identify important population centres and natural resources, and affect the way people interact with their environment. They can also influence decision-making processes, economic development, and military strategy.
What are the effects of boundaries in territorialism?
Boundaries in territorialism result in one of the many causative effects of its existence- heat up tension between nations. This is mostly imminent in countries down south in the African continent, such as Namibia and South Africa, which has had one of the oldest border disputes (Oduntan, 2019). This translation also equates to another effect stated by Oduntan, which is that territorial boundaries often "transform communities and cultures into political entities […] through exclusionary policies" (Oduntan, 2019). In other words, countries with territorial boundaries often enforce policies that separate groups of people based on where they live. This can lead to strife and unrest due to cultural clashes.
What are political boundaries in geography?
A political boundary is an imaginary line separating one political unit, such as a country or state, from another. Sometimes these align with a natural geographic feature like a river to form a border or barrier between nations.
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