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I would consider territories that are remote and different in culture as separate, but not as a separate country.
For instance, I wouldn't count Aruba as the Netherlands, but I don't think Aruba is a country either. Okay, I have to admit I don't even care about its political status. Visting Aruba is different from visiting the Netherlands, and I don't mind visiting a place that doesn't count as a country. The same goes for Tahiti, Gibraltar, Guam, and the Isle of Man.
I don't consider Hong Kong much different from China because it's extremely close to Guangdong province and they share the same culture/language.
The Ogasawara Islands are very remote and I'll consider a trip there very very special. But I consider the islands 100% Japan. Technically it belongs to Tokyo, but I don't feel visiting there is equivalent to visiting Tokyo.
At the end of the day, this is a very trivial question to me. I don't really care how many countries I've been to.
I think the most widely accepted rule is to superimpose your life itinerary on a current world map, and count every country the line passes through.
i count Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus because I've been in their territory, but the Soviet flag was flying at the time. But I lose East Germany. I was in Slovakia, but not Czech, though it was all Czechoslovakia at the time. I willl lose Hong Kong if and when it is fully incorporated into China with no special status from the rest of China. HK was never "part" of GB, it was a part of China where British interests leased certain rights for 99 years..
I use Travelers Century Club, which you can join if you've visited 100 countries on their list. I'm 68 years old and am at "only" 38 but I'm having a heck of a good time trying! God willing, if I get vaccinated in time to make my E. Europe trip in late June and two subsequent scheduled trips (October, 2021 and May, 2022) I'll be adding 8 more.
They're very liberal. Going through an airport for a connecting flight counts; so does passing through in a train even if you didn't get off. Areas far removed from the rest of the country count separately (Alaska and Hawaii, Spain an the Balearic Islands, Ecuador and the Galapagos). Colonies or territories that are quasi-independent also count separately (I've been to England, Scotland, Wales and Bermuda and all count separately even though they're part of the UK).
I was once explaining this to the one obnoxious guy in an otherwise great group of people on a tour of India and Nepal and he kept interrupting: "But Bermuda is part of the UK. But the Balearic Islands are part of Spain..."
I didn't make the rules, Dude, You got a problem, take it up with the Travelers Century Club.
They are free to make their own rules, but I don't know anyone who would consider Hawaii/Alaska separate from the U.S.
They are free to make their own rules, but I don't know anyone who would consider Hawaii/Alaska separate from the U.S.
They're insane. They list Prince Edward Island, Sicily, Three sets of Greek Islands. UAE as seven separate countries, Indonesia as four (Bali!), two Turkeys, three Russias, with Kaliningrad separate.
They include Srpska, which I can count, but I think it's kinda iffy.
They're insane. They list Prince Edward Island, Sicily, Three sets of Greek Islands. UAE as seven separate countries, Indonesia as four (Bali!), two Turkeys, three Russias, with Kaliningrad separate.
They include Srpska, which I can count, but I think it's kinda iffy.
Is the UAE a federation of different countries?
The only reason that I can think of to list Russia and Turkey having two of each of them is if they are separating the European and Asian parts.
Now what about the Sinai desert? I visited it when it was considered part of Israel but it is back under Egyptian control. It isn't considered a separate territory and it is physically next to these 2 countries.
Would you count Aruba and Netherlands as separate countries? How about China and Hong Kong? UK and Gibraltar? USA and Guam? Israel or Jordan and Palestine? Spain and Canary Islands?
What would make a territory a "country"?
Since this is the "Travel" forum and not the "International Law" forum, all of your examples are different countries.
They are all separate political entities. You wouldn't say "I've been to the Netherlands" if you've only been to Aruba any more than you'd say "I've been to Aruba" if you've only been to Amsterdam.
Would you count Aruba and Netherlands as separate countries? How about China and Hong Kong? UK and Gibraltar? USA and Guam? Israel or Jordan and Palestine? Spain and Canary Islands?
What would make a territory a "country"?
If I visited Aruba, and you asked if I'd been to the Netherlands, should I say Yes?
They're insane. They list Prince Edward Island, Sicily, Three sets of Greek Islands. UAE as seven separate countries, Indonesia as four (Bali!), two Turkeys, three Russias, with Kaliningrad separate.
They include Srpska, which I can count, but I think it's kinda iffy.
They're insane. They list Prince Edward Island, Sicily, Three sets of Greek Islands. UAE as seven separate countries, Indonesia as four (Bali!), two Turkeys, three Russias, with Kaliningrad separate.
They include Srpska, which I can count, but I think it's kinda iffy.
PEI??? I wonder if they confused it with St. Pierre and Miquelon, whose sovereign state is France. PEI is one of 10 Canadian Provinces.
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