How Many States?

 

Using recognition by the United Nations as the benchmark, that organization of "states" has 192 members (UN 2009). The UN also recognizes The Holy See (Vatican City), but it has chosen not to be a member. But other places are not recognized in this way. Palestine is recognized as an independent state by nearly 100 members of the UN, but its borders are not yet established internationally. Another state-that-is-not-a-state, Taiwan, was a UN member until 1971, when it was replaced by the People's Republic of China, which considers Taiwan to be a province. Kosovo unilaterally declared itself an independent state in February 2008, but only about 60 UN members currently recognize it. So, a list of world states in the US, which recognizes Kosovo's independence, does not exactly match the UN list. Russia supports Serbia's claim that Kosovo is Serbian territory, and its influence blocks Kosovo's broader recognition.

Pause and Reflect: Refer to Figure 2 from the New York Times showing the status of several disputed states; discuss if and how these struggles for "state" status are represented in the media.

 

Figure 2. When is a Country not a Country? (from the New York Times)

 

The states that we see on the world map today, then, are not "natural" entities, but human creations. The modern state is a relatively recent historical formation, dating from the American and French revolutions at the end of the eighteenth century. It is only within the last half century, since decolonization in Africa and Asia, that it has become more or less universal.

DEPTH BOX: Development of the State System in Europe (Click here for more information)

 

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