KQ1 What is meant by sovereignty & territorial integrity
Key terms
State
- A politically organised group of people occupying a definite territory (clearly defined
boundaries)
Nation
- A large group of people with strong bonds of identity who share they same descent, history,
traditions & culture
Sovereignty
- Absolute authority independent states have to exercise over governance of territory
Internal: power of a state to govern itself by making laws & enforcing them without INT intervention
External: recognition of a state’s independence & right to govern without intervention from other
states
Territorial integrity
- Principle under INT law that gives right to sovereign states to defend their borders and all
territory
Geopolitics
- Study of how physical features of a country affect its political activity and relationships with
other countries
Intervention
- Action taken by one or more sovereign states, within the territory of another
Norms
- Accepted standards, customs & ways of living people have developed over time
International border
- Boundary that separates geographic areas either imposed by physical features or political
entities (e.g. governments, sovereign states etc.)
Types of borders:
1. Physical: based on landforms, physical features such as mountain ranges, river etc (e.g.
Rio Grande River separates US from Mexico)
2. Superimposed: drawn on an area by a conquering or colonising power
(e.g. 1885 European states met in Berlin to divide up Africa)
3. Subsequent boundaries: established after settlement in area, so changes as cultural
landscape changes, due to events such as war
(e.g. Yugoslavia faced heavy ethnic conflict in the 1990s = breaking up over course of 90s and
2000s)
4. Consequent boundaries: drawn to separate groups based on ethnic, linguistic, religious
or ethnic differences
(e.g. between India & Pakistan to separate main religious groups: Hindu & Islam)
5. Geometric: drawn using straight lines with little concern for physical or cultural diff
(US-Canada border is drawn as a rough straight line 49N = known as ‘49th’ parallel)
4 characteristics that make up states:
1. Population- people who live in state
2. Territory- area of land & water that a state occupies & has authority over
3. Sovereignty- ability of state to govern itself & make decisions without intervention
4. Government- institution establishing & enforcing rules & order
, Causes of territorial & border changes:
1. Secession: transfer of part of a state’s area & population to another state
2. Annexation: formal act whereby a state proclaims its sovereignty over territory outside it’s
domain
Example = Russia invading Ukraine
3. Independence: situation in which people of a county exercise self government &
sovereignty over their state
Example = India from British Empire in 1947
4. Decolonisation: colonies become independent post colonising of country)
5. Unification: two or more countries join together to become one
6. Accession: whereby a states accepts offer or opportunity to become a member of a treaty
Example = countries joining NATO, e.g. Finland in April, 2023
Challenges to sovereignty
1. Current political boundaries
Kashmir (India, Pakistan); South China Sea
2. Transnational corporations
Shell in Nigeria; Apple in China
3. Supranational institutions
UN (Libya); EU (Poland/Hungary); IMF (Ecuador)
4. Political dominance of ethnic groups
Catalonia, Spain; Somaliland, Somalia
Characteristics of a strong state:
- Strongs systems of governance at local, district & regional levels
- Have UN recognition as a state
- Hold regular elections, may be democracies
- Few refugees or IDPs
Characteristics of a weak state:
- Weak judiciary and lack of rule of law
- Lack UN recognition as a state
- Lack of democracy, rarely hold elections
- Little control over borders & movement of people, goods & drugs
- High number of fatalities due to war/conflict
“Failed state” = a political entity that has lost the basic characteristics & functions necessary for it to
be considered a sovereign state
Fragile State Index
DEF: assesses states’ vulnerability to conflict or collapse (must be a UN member with sufficient
data) by placing them into one of 4 categories: alert, warning, stable, sustainable
Strongest states (high-low): Switzerland (17.8), NZ, Finland, Iceland, Norway (14.5)
Weakest states (high-low): Somalia (111.9), Yemen, South Sudan, DRC, Syria (107.1)
China challenging sovereignty
‘One belt, One road’ plan
- under former president Xi govt in 2013
- trillion dollar economic plan to build infrastructure in countries that could not readily get
investment
- aim to increase global power & foster closer economic & diplomatic relationships
Example- What has China funded in Sri Lanka?
- port costing $1,3 billion
- airport MRIA opened in 2013 costing $200 million financed with high interest loans
- aim for airport to become a regional aviation base- e.g. former president Rajapaksa
ordering national airline to land flights at new airport
