Political Geography Research

United States

Declared independence on July 4, 1776

From the 1500s through the 1700s, they were settled and colonized by the Spanish, British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and other European nations.  The original thirteen colonies were held by Great Britain until the Revolutionary War, after which they became the first thirteen states.  There are now 50 states in the United States.  The United States is considered the last true superpower, with the world's largest military and the world's largest economy.

Israel

Israel became an independent state on May 14, 1948

Following World War Two, the newly-formed United Nations drafted a treaty dividing up some of Palestine's land.  They established an independent Arab state and an independent Jewish state.  Many Jews emigrated to the new nation of Israel post WWII.  Creation of this new Jewish state was not universally accepted by Arabs, even though Israel was officially admitted to the UN on May 11, 1949.  There is still controversy surrounding Israel's very existence in the Middle East.

China

China's official date of independence is October 1, 1949.

China is one of the world's oldest civilizations.  As long ago as 221 BC, China was unified as a nation during the Qin dynasty.  They formed a republic on January 1, 1912.  The current Communist government, officially called the People's Republic of China, was formed in 1949.  

Brazil

Brazil officially gained independence in September 7, 1822.

Before Brazil become independent, they were under the Portuguese rule for over three centuries. The Portuguese claimed the land in April 1500 when Pedro Alvares Cabral and his fleet landed. The discovery of gold and other natural resources caused a lot of people to migrate to Brazil. Today, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world.

Venezuela

Declared independence on July 5, 1811.

Spain colonized Venezuela in 1522 even though they the natives did not want the Spanish there. Venezuela was the first Spanish-American colony to declare independence; however the independence was not official until Gran Colombia collapsed in 1821. Today, Venezuela has 23 states with a large population in the north and excels in the export of oil. 

India

India became independent in August 15, 1947.

India was once ruled by the United Kingdom power. They became independent because of a non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi. India has a lot of important historic trade routes. In current times, India has the second largest population and home of many religions, the mains being Hinduism, Buddhims, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Afghanistan

Gained independence on August 19, 1919.

Britain controlled Afghanistan. The Pashtun tribe founded Afghanistan in 1747. Afghanistan is land between the British and Roman Empires,serving as a buffer. Afghanistan was home to the silk road, an important trade route in history. The Taliban is located in Afghanistan. Currently there is a war in Afghanistan and it is not a very safe place to visit. 


Iran

Iran became independent on April 1, 1979.

Iran is known as the Islamic Republic of Iran as of 1935 when the ruling monarchy was overthrown (Iranian Revolution). Before 1935, Iran was known as Persia, meaning "land of the Aryans." The Iranian Revolution began in January 1978 when the first major demonstrations against the The Shah occurred. December 1979, the country approved a theocratic constitution. Today, Iran has a population of 75 million + and is a founding member of United Nations as well as several other groups. 


France

France does not have an official date of independence, according to CIA, but on October 4, 1958, the Fifth French Republic was established. 

Luckily for France, they were never the subjects of another country, so technically, they never "became" independent, they always were. France was a place that ruled a bunch of countries, the last one gaining independence being Vanuatu in 1980. The debate whether or not let Algeria become independent almost evolved  in a civil war. The Fifth Republic has a strengthened Presidency.  Now-a-days, France is a European leader when it comes to culture, economy, military, and politics. France also has a large supply of nuclear weapons. 

Mexico

Mexico achieved independence in the the early 19th century, to be exact it was September 16, 1810. 

The Aztecs were all living in Mexico before they were conquered by the Europeans. Hernán Cortés was the man who established Mexico and took over it.  It is located in North America and borders America and Guatemala. 


Germany
Was established on January 18 of 1871. 

Before Germany declared their independence the Holy Roman Empire ruled them.  There were many other countries under this rule, and all of them eventually established into a country rather than being under the Holy Roman Empire.  Germany is in Europe and borders Poland Beligium, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.




Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia was established on September 23, 1932, this is the modern Saudi state, bu the first colony was founded in the 18th century.

This country is also known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  This country was founded by Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, after Muhammad's death.  Saudit Arabia borders





United Kingdom

United Kingdom was officially independent on April 12, 1927. 

The country used to rule many other countries and covered a large amount of land (but not half).  They never actually had anyone rule them, it was just the reverse.  United Kingdom in located in Europe and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.