Salient (geography)

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Map of Namibia showing the Caprivi Strip in the country's northeast. Wa-map.gif
Map of Namibia showing the Caprivi Strip in the country's northeast.

A salient, panhandle, or bootheel is an elongated protrusion of a geopolitical entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state.

Contents

While similar to a peninsula in shape, a salient is most often not surrounded by water on three sides. Instead, it has a land border on at least two sides and extends from the larger geographical body of the administrative unit.

In American English, the term panhandle is often used to describe a relatively long and narrow salient, such as the westernmost extensions of Florida and Oklahoma, or the northernmost portion of Idaho. Another term is bootheel, used for the Missouri Bootheel and New Mexico Bootheel areas.

Origin

The term salient is derived from military salients. The term "panhandle" derives from the analogous part of a cooking pan, and its use is generally confined to North America.

The salient shape can be the result of arbitrarily drawn international or subnational boundaries, though the location of administrative borders can also take into account other considerations such as economic ties or topography.

Country-level salients

Africa

Far North Province within Cameroon Cameroon - Far North.svg
Far North Province within Cameroon
A map of the Congo Pedicle Congo Pedicle map showing neighbouring Zambia.png
A map of the Congo Pedicle

Americas

Misiones Province within Argentina Provincia de Misiones, Argentina.png
Misiones Province within Argentina

Asia

Chittagong Division, Bangladesh Chattogram in Bangladesh.svg
Chittagong Division, Bangladesh
Map of India showing the Seven Sister states in the northeast plus the smaller salient of Sikkim immediately to their west. India-locator-map-NE.svg
Map of India showing the Seven Sister states in the northeast plus the smaller salient of Sikkim immediately to their west.
The 14 provinces of Thailand forming the salient of Southern Thailand. Thailand South.png
The 14 provinces of Thailand forming the salient of Southern Thailand.

Europe

Dutch Limburg shown within the Netherlands Limburg in the Netherlands.svg
Dutch Limburg shown within the Netherlands

Subnational salients

The following locations are salients in First-level administrative subdivisions of nations.

Subnational salients in Africa

Location of Niari Department within the Republic of the Congo. The southeastern arm is the Kimongo District. Niari in Congo.svg
Location of Niari Department within the Republic of the Congo. The southeastern arm is the Kimongo District.
Location of the Fatick Region within Senegal. Gossas Department is the northeastern arm. Fatick in Senegal.svg
Location of the Fatick Region within Senegal. Gossas Department is the northeastern arm.

Subnational salients in the Americas

Guayas Province, Ecuador. Balzar and El Empalme Cantons form the northern arm of the province. Guayas in Ecuador (+Galapagos).svg
Guayas Province, Ecuador. Balzar and El Empalme Cantons form the northern arm of the province.
Venezuela's Barinas State. Andres Eloy Blanco is the small western extension of the state, Arismendi is the larger eastern extremity. Paez, in Apure, lies immediately to the south of western Barinas. Barinas in Venezuela.svg
Venezuela's Barinas State. Andrés Eloy Blanco is the small western extension of the state, Arismendi is the larger eastern extremity. Páez, in Apure, lies immediately to the south of western Barinas.

Panhandles in the United States

StateLargest cityPopulationArea (sq mi)Area (km2)Population density
(per sq mi)
Population density (/km2)
Alaska Juneau 71,61635,13891,01020.77
Connecticut Stamford 224,284962502,336902
Florida [lower-alpha 1] Tallahassee 1,407,92511,30429,28012548
Idaho Coeur d'Alene 317,75121,01354,420155.8
Maryland [lower-alpha 2] Frederick 492,9502,1945,68022587
Nebraska Scottsbluff 87,78914,25836,93062.3
Oklahoma Guymon 28,7515,68714,73051.9
Texas Amarillo 427,92725,88767,050176.6
Eastern West Virginia Martinsburg 261,0413,4999,0607529
Northern West Virginia Wheeling 132,2956011,56022085
Locations of panhandles within states of the USA PanhandleMap-USA-states.svg
Locations of panhandles within states of the USA

Subnational salients in Asia

Location of Nabatieh District within Nabatieh Governorate, Lebanon. Lebanon districts Nabatiye.png
Location of Nabatieh District within Nabatieh Governorate, Lebanon.
Map of Gorno-Badakhshan within Tajikistan, showing the panhandle of Darvoz District in the west. Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan.svg
Map of Gorno-Badakhshan within Tajikistan, showing the panhandle of Darvoz District in the west.
South Sulawesi in Indonesia, with a panhandle of East Luwu Regency in the east South Sulawesi in Indonesia.svg
South Sulawesi in Indonesia, with a panhandle of East Luwu Regency in the east

Subnational salients in Europe

Location of Viken, Norway. The municipalities of Jevnaker and Lunner connect the former counties of Akershus and Buskerud Viken in Norway 2020.svg
Location of Viken, Norway. The municipalities of Jevnaker and Lunner connect the former counties of Akershus and Buskerud
Location of Newmarket (shown as red dot) within Suffolk, England Newmarket, Suffolk location.png
Location of Newmarket (shown as red dot) within Suffolk, England
Location of Manche within Normandy, France Manche-Position.svg
Location of Manche within Normandy, France

Subnational salients in Oceania

Location of Anetan District within Nauru Anetan in Nauru.svg
Location of Anetan District within Nauru
Location of Timaru District within New Zealand's South Island. The Waitaki District is parallel with it, a little further south. Timaru DC.PNG
Location of Timaru District within New Zealand's South Island. The Waitaki District is parallel with it, a little further south.

See also

Notes

  1. This definition includes the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.
  2. This definition includes the following counties: Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington
  3. Not a geopolitical salient, but a normal geographical feature similar to that of a peninsula.

Related Research Articles

These are lists of incumbents, including heads of states or of subnational entities.

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References

  1. "San Isidro". Google Maps . Google LLC . Retrieved 14 January 2020.

Further reading