Question

Why might it be hard for a country to defend the extremities of its territory?

Answer 1

No weapons, inexperienced/no army, no supplies

Answer 2

Defending the extremities of its territory can be difficult for a country mainly due to the problem of distance. Most countries have a capital city which tends to be located in a place that is easily accessible for most of the country. This means that it tends to be located far from the extremities. This distance makes it more difficult for the central government to know what is going on in these areas, which means that they can be more easily attacked by foreign powers.