Do you think there will be More or Less independent countries in the future?
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There are already 198 officially independent states-and scores of autonomous nearly independent territories- it's way too much,Humanity has never been as divided as today. I for one is in favour of big, strong Nations. Unfortunately this stupid 21st century is not headed in that direction...
I don't agree. The number of independent states doesn't show how united or cohesive the world is. Before the World War I, there were much less countries, with several multi-ethnic empires among them. Did it mean that the world was less divided back then? Or maybe it was more divided than it currently is, but the divisions lied inside the independent states. And what about the times before the emergence of the nation states? Humanity was even more divided, composed of thounsands of tribal entities...
Ok, the world is, was, and will be sh*t, but at the end of the day, we people from many different nationalities are here on an internet forum discussing rather peacefully all kind of topics.
Strictly on topic, there is absolutely no hints of a process conducting to a decrease in the number of independent countries within this century. NOTHING that shows something like this.
In the (near) future will probably be more countries, but not many more... and they are most likely to come from the third world rather than Europe, even though Catalonia or Flanders/Wallonia might achieve independence.
Strong candidates would be Kosovo (full recognition), Palestine (full recognition), Greenland, New Caledonia, Kurdistan/Iraqi Kurdistan/Syrian Kurdistan, further splits of Iraq (Shii vs Sunni), South Yemen, West Papua, Western Sahara, Somaliland, Puntland/other regions of Somalia, Darfur, Eastern Sudan, Biafra + some other volatile African regions...
Not all of these will become new countries, but some of the surely will. On the other side, integrations look much rarer... saying that Korea getting united is one of the more likely choices in the long term tells us a lot. I guess microstates like Monaco, Vatican and San Marino could be integrated to their bigger neighbour one day. Finally, some unions like Romania+Moldova or several Caribbean countries getting together might also occur, but this is as likely as territories like Alaska or Santa Cruz (Bolivia) becoming independent.
I didn't even dare talking about ex Soviet Union entities and relationships, as the possibility of Belarus becoming part of Russia or the fate of Chechnya, Abkhazia, the Ossetias, Nagorno Karabakh, Ingushetia, Dagestan, etc.
I never heard about movement who wish Monaco, Vatican or San Marino join their neigbhoor. They are old, succeesfull and stable states. France respect the independant of Monaco and will never invade them, i think it's the same in Italia for San Marino.
Except a third world war, i don't see any situation where those fusions should happen.
For Belarus, some times ago, they were talking about an integration in Russian federation but the procesus is totally stop. I don't beleive they will make it in a near futur.
I never heard about movement who wish Monaco, Vatican or San Marino join their neigbhoor.
There isn't.
It's just a possible long term scenario and a way to show how far-fetched the likelihood of having less independent countries in the future (let's say within this century) is.
There isn't.
It's just a possible long term scenario and a way to show how far-fetched the likelihood of having less independent countries in the future (let's say within this century) is.
Sorry, i missunderstood it.
In fact everybody think that the number of states will increase?
I voted for less because...I know I'm going to get slammed for this but I believe old glory could always use another star.
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