2.) what characteristics do political geographers look for in order to determine if a territory is a state?

Political geographers look at factors like recognition from other states and legitimate authority.  

Explanation:

To determine if a territory can be classified as a state, political geographers consider the following conditions:

A state has borders or boundaries that are recognized by other states.A state has an administration that acts as an authority in the territory and has legitimate power.A state has sovereignty over its own decisions, (another state does not have legitimate sovereignty over it). The population can vary and there may be minority groups who contest the state power.

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