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Unit 4: Political Geography

Total questions: 75

Worksheet time: 38mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

An area organized into an independent political unit is a

a)

colony.

b)

nationality.

c)

nation.

d)

state.

e)

territory.

2.

Which statement is TRUE regarding countries of the world?

a)

they are natural features

b)

there has been an average of 200 for the last century

c)

they are cultural features

d)

the UN decides who can become a country

e)

there is a minimum size in order to be considered a country

3.

The world's largest state is

a)

China.

b)

Canada.

c)

Russia.

d)

Alaska.

e)

India.

4.

Extremely small states in the world are called

a)

island nations.

b)

macrostates.

c)

microstates.

d)

small nation-states.

e)

island-colonies.

5.

The world's smallest state is

a)

Monaco.

b)

Bahrain.

c)

Andorra.

d)

Vatican City.

e)

Tuvalu.

6.

Which term describes a state with control over its internal affairs, independent of outside influence?

a)

centripetal

b)

nationality

c)

centrifugal

d)

sovereignty

e)

ethnicity

7.

Sovereignty can sometimes be difficult to determine because

a)

borders change regularly in some parts of the world.

b)

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

c)

islands that are former colonies want to remain part of the colonizing country.

d)

islands that are near several countries launch missiles to defend themselves.

e)

states in the desert cannot determine national boundaries.

8.

Which country has built a sand wall around the disputed Sahrawi Republic?

a)

Mauritania

b)

Mali

c)

Malawi

d)

Mozambique

e)

Morocco

9.

Which three places claim sovereignty over The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands?

a)

the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia

b)

Japan, Russia, The People's Republic of China

c)

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

d)

the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Australia

e)

the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Russia

10.

Which pair of countries seeks to reunify, but disagree about the dominant political and economic ideology?

a)

North and South Vietnam

b)

Moldova and Romania

c)

Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa

d)

Morocco and Sahrawi Republic

e)

North and South Korea

11.

North and South Korea provide a good example of

a)

defeated states.

b)

nation-states existing in a unified condition.

c)

ethnicities divided between more than one state.

d)

colonies divided between more than one ethnicity.

e)

nuclear states.

12.

Disagreement over the sovereignty of Taiwan can be traced to

a)

an election won by the Nationalist government of China.

b)

a declaration of independence made by the leaders of Taiwan.

c)

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

d)

an election won by the Communist government in China.

e)

the United Nations recognition of Taiwan as the legitimate government of China.

13.

Which term describes a sovereign state comprised of an urban area and the surrounding countryside?

a)

rural-state

b)

nation-state

c)

city-state

d)

primate-state

e)

homogeneous state

14.

The Fertile Crescent played an important role in the evolution of states because

a)

it was developed near the Nile and Euphrates rivers.

b)

it was instrumental in the rise of the Roman Empire.

c)

it was the location of the first city-states in the Southwest Asia and the first large-scale agricultural project of sub-Saharan Africa.

d)

it was the first known example of an empire run by nobles.

e)

its geographical location and use of arable land made it home to the first city-states in the Southwest Asia.

15.

The first states in ancient Mesopotamia were

a)

city-states, that incorporated cities as well as their countryside.

b)

colonies, which incorporated cities as well as their countryside.

c)

empires, which incorporated dozens of unified colonies.

d)

nation-states, which incorporated city-states, colonies, and empires.

e)

patron-states ruled by sheiks.

16.

The foremost example of political unity in the ancient Mediterranean world occurred in

a)

the Fertile Crescent.

b)

Egypt.

c)

the Roman Empire.

d)

Western Europe.

e)

the Alexandrian Empire.

17.

The collapse of the Roman Empire resulted in which of the following outcomes?

a)

outlawing control by emperors and the rise of democracy in Europe

b)

rapid rejection of kings and the establishment of a single European state

c)

republics formed by the consolidation of Roman territory with that of the Ottoman Empire

d)

territorial organization into smaller states that eventually evolved into empires

e)

dukes and other nobles retreating to the area now known as the United Kingdom

18.

The concept that ethnicities have the right to govern themselves within a nation-state is known as

a)

independence.

b)

nationalism.

c)

universal suffrage.

d)

self-determination.

e)

sovereignty.

19.

The first widespread use of the nation-state concept occurred in

a)

Mesopotamia.

b)

the Roman Empire.

c)

Western Europe.

d)

the United States.

e)

Southeast Asia.

20.

20) A nation-state differs from other states because

a)

nation-states result from migration.

b)

nation-states have sovereignty.

c)

a nation-state includes territory in the surrounding countryside.

d)

a nation-state has national symbols while other types of states do not.

e)

a nation-state has boundaries that correspond to a particular nation.

21.

After World War II which European country was divided into a Democratic Republic and a Federal Republic?

a)

the United Kingdom

b)

Czechoslovakia

c)

Yugoslavia

d)

Germany

e)

Poland

22.

Use Figure 8-1 to answer the question. If nation-states are those with the least diversity, which of the following are the best examples?

a)

Russia, the United States, and Argentina

b)

Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom

c)

China, Australia, and Japan

d)

India, Indonesia, and most of Sub-Saharan Africa

e)

European countries and Russia

23.

Which statement is TRUE regarding nation-state development in Europe?

a)

Shared language was not taken into account in drawing nation-state boundaries.

b)

The creation of nation-states was a goal of the Allies after WWII.

c)

The nation-states created at the Versailles Peace Conference still exist today.

d)

The establishment of nation-states in Europe has ensured lasting peace.

e)

Language was the primary factor in the designation of nation-states in this region.

24.

The republics of the former Soviet Union were established based on

a)

economic contributions.

b)

natural resources.

c)

ethnicity.

d)

religious values.

e)

language.

25.

After becoming an independent country Moldova sought ethnic reunification with

a)

Bulgaria.

b)

Hungary.

c)

Austria.

d)

Romania.

e)

Slovenia.

26.

Which of the following is NOT true about the Baltic states?

a)

Lithuanians are largely Roman Catholic.

b)

Latvians are largely Lutheran with a significant Roman Catholic minority.

c)

Most Estonians are Protestant.

d)

In all three states, Russian has remained the official language.

e)

Balto-Slavic and Uralic languages are the official languages in these states.

27.

Which area experienced a Turkish-initiated genocide in the early twentieth century?

a)

Azerbaijan

b)

Armenia

c)

Georgia

d)

Nagorno-Karabakh

e)

South Ossetia

28.

Which set of countries correctly links the predominant ethnicity of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave with the country in which it is currently located?

a)

Georgia; Russia

b)

Moldova; Romania

c)

Armenia; Azerbaijan

d)

Azerbaijan; Georgia

e)

Armenia; Georgia

29.

Which states that emerged from the Soviet Union after its dissolution in 1991 had NOT been part of the Soviet Union?

a)

Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

b)

eastern European states (Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine)

c)

western European states (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania)

d)

Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan)

e)

Caucasus states (Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia)

30.

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)

Uralic-speaking and Turkic-speaking ethnicities are concentrated in the region between the Ural Mountains and the Volga River.

d)

Russia's constitution grants autonomy in local governance to some of its major ethnic populations.

e)

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

31.

This type of state contains more than one ethnicity with traditions of self-determination and self-government.

a)

multi-linguistic state

b)

multinational state

c)

anocratic

d)

city-state

e)

fragile state

32.

Which states are among the world's largest multinational states?

a)

Russia and the United States

b)

Australia and New Zealand

c)

Japan and Denmark

d)

Mexico and Russia

e)

Mexico and Japan

33.

Which country of the former Soviet Union has faced the greatest challenges to its territorial integrity due to its ethnic diversity?

a)

Armenia

b)

Georgia

c)

Azerbaijan

d)

Moldova

e)

Belarus

34.

During the twenty-first century which of the following former Soviet countries is accused of using ethnic cleansing against minority groups within its borders?

a)

Kazakhstan

b)

Uzbekistan

c)

Tajikistan

d)

Kyrgyzstan

e)

Turkmenistan

35.

Russia justified its annexation of Crimea by asserting

a)

Russia's rights to Ukraine's coal deposits.

b)

Russia's interest in Ukraine's Black Sea tourist industry.

c)

Ukraine's lack of response to the Chernobyl disaster in the 1980s.

d)

the endangerment of the Russian minority in Ukraine.

e)

Russia's interest in Crimea's oil deposits.

36.

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

a)

nation.

b)

state.

c)

nation-state.

d)

colony.

e)

patron-state.

37.

The attempt by one country to impose political, economic, and cultural control over another territory is

a)

colonialism.

b)

constitutionality.

c)

self-determination.

d)

sovereignty.

e)

suffrage.

38.

All of the following identify a motive of European states in establishing colonies EXCEPT

a)

promote Christianity.

b)

achieve personal or national glory.

c)

right past wrongs committed against weaker nations.

d)

search for riches such as gold and to obtain other natural resources.

e)

expanding the power of their nation and ruler.

39.

A list of uninhabited or autonomous island territories without full independence would NOT include

a)

Cuba.

b)

Greenland.

c)

Greenland.

d)

Hong Kong.

e)

Midway Islands.

40.

This 1884 meeting resulted in Africa being carved into colonies controlled by European powers.

a)

Versailles Peace Conference

b)

Berlin Conference

c)

France-Belgium Summit

d)

United Nations San Francisco Conference

e)

Africa-Europe Peace Summit

41.

Use Figure 8-2 to answer the question. Which of the following is a small British colony in the Pacific Ocean?

a)

Hong Kong

b)

Pitcairn

c)

Puerto Rico

d)

San Marino

e)

St. Lucia

42.

Use Figure 8-2 to answer the question. Identify the British colony east of Argentina.

a)

Gibraltar

b)

Saint Helena

c)

the British Virgin Islands

d)

the Falkland Islands

e)

Anguilla

43.

Use Figure 8-2 to answer the question. Identify the U.S. colony located east of the Philippines.

a)

Palmyra

b)

Guam

c)

Jarvis Island

d)

Puerto Rico

e)

the U.S. Virgin Islands

44.

Which of the following countries did NOT have overseas colonial possessions?

a)

Belgium

b)

The United Kingdom

c)

Germany

d)

Finland

e)

Japan

45.

Which statement best describes the world's superpowers between the 1940s and 1980s?

a)

The United States and the Soviet Union were superpowers for the first time.

b)

The two superpowers were never involved in wars.

c)

The number of superpowers became bipolar.

d)

The superpowers had satellites.

e)

The superpowers used religion to settle conflicts.

46.

Which of the following is NOT a permanent member of the UN Security Council?

a)

China

b)

France

c)

Germany

d)

Russia

e)

United Kingdom

47.

The cooperative efforts of the United Nations are primarily dedicated to

a)

international peacekeeping.

b)

military operations.

c)

economic treaties.

d)

cultural exchange.

e)

environmental management.

48.

Over the past 60 years, the number of sovereign states admitted to the United Nations has

a)

remained approximately the same.

b)

increased by 30 countries.

c)

decreased by 30 countries.

d)

increased by more than 50 countries.

e)

increased by more than 100 countries.

49.

Which global peace-keeping organization did the United Nations replace?

a)

the North American Treaty Organization (NATO)

b)

the Warsaw Pact

c)

the Alliance for Peace

d)

the Organization of American States (OAS)

e)

the League of Nations

50.

In the geopolitical sphere, a balance of power is

a)

a condition of roughly equal strength between opposing sides.

b)

always bipolar but reinforced by satellite states.

c)

a condition of unequal strength between opposing sides.

d)

exemplified by a League of Nations or, in the post-World War II era, the United Nations.

e)

the type of power shared by the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

51.

Which of the following is an INCORRECT statement about the Cold War?

a)

The United States and the USSR were the only two remaining superpowers after WWII.

b)

The United States reinforced its political alliances and ideology through military intervention in Panama and Grenada.

c)

Both the United States and the USSR established military bases and stationed troops in allied countries.

d)

The Cuban Missile Crisis was negotiated and settled peacefully by the United Nations.

e)

Countries in the Soviet bloc were described as satellites.

52.

Which of the following statements about the United Nations is NOT true?

a)

The United Nations provides a forum for all member states to discuss conflicts rather than engage in warfare to solve problems.

b)

The United Nations deploys international teams of peacekeepers to missions throughout the world.

c)

The United Nations plays a role in addressing global economic problems.

d)

The United Nations provides humanitarian aid and assistance.

e)

The five permanent members of U.N. Security Council continue to vote as a bloc when major international decisions are made.

53.

What are three essential ways democracies and autocracies differ?

a)

longevity of regime, citizen participation, and adoption of free market economies

b)

selection of leaders, citizen participation, and checks and balances

c)

longevity of regime, checks and balances, and selection of leaders

d)

selection of leaders, adoption of free market economies, checks and balances

e)

longevity of regime, checks and balances, membership in the United Nations

54.

Which term describes a country that is NOT fully autocratic or democratic?

a)

bureaucracy

b)

totalitarian state

c)

kleptocracy

d)

plutocracy

e)

anocracy

55.

Which of the following democracies represents a unitary state in which power is concentrated in the hands of the central government?

a)

India

b)

France

c)

South Africa

d)

Russia

e)

the United States

56.

Which type of state places the most power in the hands of a central government?

a)

federal

b)

anocratic.

c)

fragmented

d)

unitary

e)

compact

57.

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)

poverty and unemployment

c)

alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War

d)

ethnic tensions and ethnic cleansing

e)

problematic shapes and colonial boundaries

58.

Use Figure 8-3, Regime Type, to answer the question. Which of the following regions has the most extensive area of democracy or full democracy?

a)

The Pacific

b)

Russia and Central Asia

c)

Sub-Saharan Africa

d)

North and South America

e)

Europe

59.

Which of the following countries is a federal state in which power is allocated to local governments?

a)

Rwanda

b)

France

c)

Kenya

d)

China

e)

Brazil

60.

An increasing number of states have adopted a federal form of government primarily to

a)

grant different ethnicities or nationalities more effective representation.

b)

encourage the breakup of international military and economic alliances.

c)

govern compact states more effectively.

d)

deploy scarce resources efficiently.

e)

accommodate right wing political parties and their demands for increased representation in national elections.

61.

Devices or technologies that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans or cause great damage to human-made structures, natural structures, or the biosphere are known as

a)

nuclear disasters.

b)

chemical warfare.

c)

commercial airliners used as weapons.

d)

weapons of mass destruction.

e)

weapons of biological warfare.

62.

Which would NOT appear on a list of countries that has developed, stockpiled, and tested nuclear weapons?

a)

Russia

b)

France

c)

Libya

d)

The United States

e)

Pakistan

63.

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 Korea

b)

North Korea

c)

South Africa

d)

India

e)

Israel

64.

The suspicion of development or ability to develop weapons of mass destruction has led to conflicts between the United States and

a)

Iran and Iraq.

b)

Israel and Cuba.

c)

Libya and South Africa.

d)

Syria and South Sudan.

e)

North Korea and China.

65.

The euro is a common currency used by

a)

all European states.

b)

all members of the European Union.

c)

the euro is used by 19 EU member states and 6 non-member states.

d)

only member states are permitted to use the euro.

e)

has been retired due to economic challenges in Spain and Greece.

66.

Which of the following eurozone countries was the LEAST affected by the global recession of 2008?

a)

Greece

b)

Ireland

c)

Italy

d)

France

e)

Spain

67.

NATO membership expanded immediately after the dissolution of the USSR to include

a)

former Warsaw Pact countries.

b)

the remaining colonies under British and U.S. control.

c)

Cuba to avoid another missile crisis.

d)

Switzerland, Austria, and Serbia.

e)

Ireland, Sweden, and Finland.

68.

The European Union is important in global politics because

a)

its main objective is to promote development within member states through economic and political cooperation.

b)

it has the power to consolidate all economic planning.

c)

it relocates large urban populations to undeveloped rural areas in order to distribute development and wealth.

d)

it negotiates restrictive immigration policies and reduces mobility within member states.

e)

it established English as the national language of all member states.

69.

The fragility of the European Union is best illustrated by a 2016 referendum that

a)

divided the United Kingdom into smaller provinces.

b)

withdrew Brittany, a province of France, from the EU.

c)

set stringent standards for countries seeking to join the EU.

d)

supported the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.

e)

planned to move the capital of the EU to London.

70.

Which of the following does NOT illustrate economic and political cooperation within the European Union?

a)

subsidies to economically depressed areas

b)

simplified transfer of finished products among countries

c)

permitted, with a few exceptions citizens living in one country to work in another without political difficulty

d)

mandated that every member country adopt the euro its currency

e)

established a European Parliament with representatives elected by member states

71.

Terrorism differs from assassinations and other acts of political violence because the attacks

a)

are never well coordinated.

b)

are aimed at military targets or political leaders.

c)

are aimed at ordinary people.

d)

use only personal and improvised weapons.

e)

are typically made without regard for political goals.

72.

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)

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

c)

an attempt to reach objectives of the group through bombing, kidnapping, hijacking, or assassinations.

d)

viewing violence as means to publicizing grievances.

e)

attacks largely aimed at ordinary people rather than military targets.

73.

Which of the following is a characteristic of terrorist acts within the United States?

a)

They are restricted to foreigners inciting violence in another country.

b)

They are only associated with al-Qaeda.

c)

They are based on the belief that every citizen is responsible for the actions they oppose and are therefore legitimate targets.

d)

There has been almost no terrorist attacks since the death of Osama bin Laden.

e)

The frequency and accuracy of drone attacks has prevented new terrorist attacks.

74.

Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States?

a)

they resulted in nearly 3,000 civilian deaths

b)

they are attributed to the al-Qaeda network

c)

the victims were all inside the Twin Towers or the airplanes that crashed

d)

there were victims in multiple locations on the same day

e)

they were the deadliest attacks on U.S. soil

75.

Boko Haram seeks to turn which African country into an Islamic State?

a)

Mali

b)

Nigeria

c)

Algeria

d)

Somalia

e)

Mauritania