OS ELEMENTOS DO RELEVO COMO FRONTEIRAS NATURAIS NA DEFINIÇÃO DE LIMITES TERRITORIAIS

Abstract

Relief is an element of the landscape privileged in geography by geomorphological studies. Relating the elements of the landscape to the behavior of societies is a task that requires a lot of rigor, not to be based on the determinism of Traditional German Geography. However, it is noticeable that there are direct relations, not determinant, but complex, in the form of use and ecupation of the soil by different societies, generating different peoples and nations, demarcating territories and borders. Both in Europe and in the former colonies of America, Africa and Asia, territorial limits are based on elements of relief, whether in National States, provinces and municipalities. Such boundaries result from territorial expansions or retractions, sometimes facilitated by the way in which the elements of the relief were used. The present study seeks to reflect on the possible relations between relief, power and territories on national scales, bringing the political discussion.