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Regional Geography: Complexities Of Regions - Coggle Diagram
Regional Geography: Complexities Of Regions
Interaction of economic, political and cultural activities in regions
Case Study: The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
Very different approaches to politics and administration
Overlap in culture and sport
Divisions have decreased since the 1960s as the regions began to modernise
Economic interaction
1973 both joined the EEC, economic interdependence grew
1969 Troubles escalated, Northern Ireland poorest region of UK, outward migration, brain drain, violence
Republic introduced 12.5 per cent corporation tax, Northern Ireland 30 per cent
1998 Good Friday Agreement, economy of Northern Ireland improved but not to the Celtic Tiger levels of the Republic
Period of peace and stability and increased interactions, e.g. construction of Dublin-Belfast motorway
Political interaction
1998 established North-South Ministerial Council with co-operating bodies in health and safety, and transport
2007 Ireland North and South joined Interreg programme, part of EU cohesion policy, invested €13 million to build co-operation and expand level of trade and economic growth in the regions
Social and cultural interaction
All-Ireland based GAA, rugby, boxing
Separate in areas such as soccer and education as division of schooling along religious lines
Case Study: Interaction of different cultural groups and political regions
Basque region northern Spain and south-west France
2.5 million people, lived there for 10,000 years, affluent and industralised
Distinct ethnic group, own language and cultural identity, main city Bilbao
Basque people determined to preserve identity, want separation from Spain
Political separation banned under General Franco
1959 violent separatist group ETA formed, declared war on Spain and has carried out bombing campaigns, responsible for over 850 deaths
1979 formed autonomous region, elected own president and parliament, still ruled internationally by Spain
Power of national government reduced by this devolution of power
Political changes weakened ETA, 2006 ceasefire declared, but went on to bomb Madrid airport, permanent ceasefire declared in 2011
The development and expansion of the European Union
Developed by Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet based on economic, social and political development
Hoped by joining European countries together they could rival USA and USSR
Formation
1951: founded, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany; founding members called ECSC, countries became economically interdependent
1957: renamed EEC, created a common market, CAP and Euratom developed
1965: renamed EC, focused on social and political issues, established European Parliament, European Commission and the European Court of Justice, became a single market
1973: Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain joined
1981: Greece joined
1986: Portugal and Spain joined, signed Single European Act and Schengen Agreement
1992: renamed EU, Maastricht Treaty signed, began process for monetary union
1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden joined
1997: Amsterdam Treaty signed
2002: common currency the euro came into operation
2003: Nice Treaty signed, also developed EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
2004: increased from 15 member states to 25, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, largest single expansion of the EU
2007: Bulgaria and Romania joined
2009: signed the Lisbon Treaty
2011: Estonia joined the eurozone, now the largest most prosperous trading bloc in the world
2013: Croatia joined the EU, Dublin Regulation and EURODOC signed
There have been seven enlargements of the EU
Due to the euro crisis 2010–2012 further applications from countries to join has been halted
Future of Europe and the European Union
Political union
EU based on strong political union
CFSP developed to have common approach to environmental, defence and international affairs
Appointed foreign minister to represent EU views on world stage
Disagreement on greater unity in areas of:
Neutrality of countries, e.g. Ireland
Different member states have different political agendas, e.g. migrant crisis 2015
United in diversity, EU constitution differs from some countries’ constitutions
Economic union
Removal of barriers of trade, free movement of people and goods
Cohesion one of the biggest challenges, since 2004 cost €25 billion
Effects of enlargement
Increased prosperity, market and labour force expanded
More raw materials
Reduced the ‘greying’ of the EU
Modernisation of new member states
Greater harmony and peaceful co-operation between member states
Enlargement has increased outward migration from new member states
Impacted on receiver countries as immigrants willing to work for lower wage
Most of EU Structural Funds 2007–2013 allocated to newer member states
Sovereignty
Some new member states, former USSR states, finding it hard to adjust to the democratic processes of the EU
European Commission: proposes new laws for member states
European Parliament: democratic debate of all matters of legislation
The Council of the EU: main decision-making body of the EU
European Council: offers political guidance to the EU
The euro crisis, period of economic recession, the Troika (IMF, EU and European Commission) bailout package for Ireland, Greece and Portugal
These governments now answerable to the Troika in regards to spending funds to run their own countries
The EU a supranational union, its power on certain issues is above that of the country’s own government
Brexit
On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union
There was a 72 per cent turnout at polling stations and the vote was extremely close, with only a 52 percent majority
This decision has caused a lot of controversy and resulted in the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, resigning. He has been replaced by Theresa May, the leader of the Conservative party
The value of the pound dropped by 10 per cent the day after the vote; the lowest value since the 1980s
It is uncertain what the future will hold for the United Kingdom, especially as both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the European Union
Once the UK Government notifies the European Council of their intention to leave the EU under Article 50, a two-year exit process begins
Case Study: The impact of EU enlargement on one member state: Ireland
Free movement of labour
EU expansion provided a larger pool of labour during Celtic Tiger era 1997–2007
Ireland needed an extra 420,000 workers
By 2010 and after two years of economic recession, unemployment rate 13.7 per cent, return of large-scale emigration, by 2009 65,100 had left, economic migrants
Common currency
Introduced in 2002, allows ease of comparison
Multicultural society
Positive impact: contributed to taxes, provided skills needed, added to manual labour market, supported Irish economy, created new businesses
Negative impact: remittance money leaving economy, some exploited in workforce, racism and bullying experienced by some
2006: 10 per cent of Irish population made up of foreign nationals, Polish people the largest group
Lead to increased cultural mixing, multicultural families
Schools introduced policies to integrate students, e.g. extra English classes
2015: migrant crisis, Ireland agreed to take 1,800 migrants
Ireland’s response will determine if we have a melting pot or a salad bowl approach to migrants during times of economic stress
Changes in boundary and extent of language regions
Can change over time
Can be caused by rural-urban migration or strong external forces, e.g. English rule
Depopulation of Gaeltacht areas
Influx of migrants speaking different languages can erode already fragile language base
Case Study: Gaeltacht regions
Linked to Chapter 12
Region of decline
Firstly as English was the language of administration
Irish was viewed as the language of the poor
1922 Irish Government set about supporting the language: 1929 Gaeltacht Boundary Commission set up, official language of the state, requirement for work in the public sector, compulsory subject in schools, 1935 established Ráth Cairn
Most recent policies: 1956 Minister, development of Gaelscoileanna, 1972 established Raidió na Gaeltachta, 1996 TG4, 2009 Foinse, 1999 Foras na Gaeilge, increase to 40 per cent for oral section in the LC exam
Urban growth and expansion of city regions
80 per cent of people in Europe live in cities
Uncontrolled growth is called urban sprawl
Links to Chapter 14 ‘growth of Dublin’, Chapter 15 ‘growth of Paris’ or Chapter 17 ‘growth of Mumbai’
Changes in political boundaries and their impact on cultural groups
Case Study: Germany
After Second World War, Germany divided into East (GDR) and West (FRG) to weaken the country
Two regions had different political and economic systems
West: population 62 million, well developed, high standard of living, industrialised
East: population 17 million, poorer, limited freedom, police state, censorship
1961: Berlin Wall built to divide the city of Berlin
1990: two regions reunited after collapse of Iron Curtain and fall of Berlin Wall
Reunification of East and West Germany
Economic effects
Expensive rebuild of Eastern Germany, major infrastructure upgrades needed, paid for by West
Brought new job opportunities to the East, 2009 unemployment rate 12.3 per cent
Cost of living increased
East Germany declared Objective 1 Region by the EU
Social effects
Mass outward migration, 344,000 people left East Germany
Rapid ‘greying’ of Eastern Germany, feelings of isolation and loneliness
Cultural effects
East ‘Ossies’, West ‘Wessies’, racism widespread, people discriminated against
‘Ostalgie’ East Germans began to resent reunification, felt as second- class citizens
The future
Berlin is emerging as a great city
2015: once again considered a safe city as over 800,000 migrants took refugee there fleeing countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea