Political
Geography
Political geography is a branch of
human geography that studies how
people organize space through
governments, borders, and power. It
helps us understand how countries are
divided, how borders are created, and
how political decisions affect places
and people.
Example:
Why does a country have a certain shape?
For example, Chile is long and narrow because of
the Andes Mountains on one side and the Pacific
Ocean on the other. Political geography explains
how geography influenced the country’s borders.
What’s the Difference
Between Political
Geography and
Geopolitics?
It is a part of political
geography that focuses
on power between
countries. It looks at how
geography, resources, and
location affect global
decisions and conflicts.
Example:
Why do countries fight over oil?
The Middle East has many oil resources.
Geopolitics helps us understand why countries
are interested in controlling or influencing this
region.
Simple Comparison
Political Geography Geopolitics
Studies how space is organized politically Studies how geography affects global
power
Focuses on countries, borders, maps
Focuses on power, war, alliances, strategy
Looks inside and between countries
Looks mostly at relations between countries
Branches of Political Geography
Political geography has several branches or areas of study
Geopolitics Electoral Geography
Analyzes how people vote and how political
Studies how geography influences
areas (like districts) are divided.
international power and strategy.
Example: In the United States, states are
Example: Russia tries to keep control of
divided into voting districts. Electoral
warm-water ports to have access to trade
geography helps understand why some
routes all year. That’s a geopolitical decision.
districts vote one way and others differently.
Territoriality Border Studies
Studies how people or countries claim,
Focuses on how borders are created, how they
control, and defend space.
work, and how they affect people.
Example: China claims the South China
Example: People who live near the Mexico–U.S.
Sea, and other countries disagree.
border experience different rules, trade, and
Territoriality explains why and how they
migration. Border studies help understand these
try to control that area.
differences.
Supporting Sciences of Political
Geography
Political geography uses other sciences to understand the world better
Law
History
To understand rules, rights, and international
To learn how countries and borders changed
agreements.
over time.
International treaties that protect rivers
The division of Germany into East and West
between two countries are based on political
after World War II is an example of how
geography and international law.
history changes borders.
Sociology
Economics
To understand how people live and interact
To understand how political decisions affect under political systems.
money, trade, and resources.
In democracies, people have freedom to
When a country closes its borders, it affects protest. In dictatorships, they may not.
trade. For instance, sanctions on North Korea Sociology helps explain how people react to
limit its economic activities. government systems.
Why is Political
Geography
Important?
Political geography helps us:
Understand conflicts between countries or
regions.
Analyze how governments organize space and
power.
Study elections and voting patterns.
Know how laws, borders, and governments affect
daily life, migration, and trade.
Improve international cooperation.
Example
When Venezuela had political and economic
problems, many people migrated to Colombia.
Political geography helps us understand how
and why this happened.
