Country/Catalogs: Difference between revisions
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<td>[[Kosovo]] </td><td>[[Priština]]</td><td> | <td>[[Kosovo]] </td><td>[[Priština]]</td><td>No data available<br />Census in progress</td> | ||
<td><p> </p></td> | <td><p> </p></td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
<td>[[Northern Cyprus ]]</td><td>[[Nicosia]]</td><td>[[Turkish New Lira]]</td> | <td>[[Northern Cyprus]]</td><td>[[Nicosia]]</td><td>[[Turkish New Lira]]</td> | ||
<td><p> | <td><p>264,172 (2006)</p></td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
<td>[[Palestine]]</td><td>[[Jerusalem]] (claimed), [[Ramallah]] ''de facto''</td><td> </td> | <td>[[Palestine]]</td><td>[[Jerusalem]] (claimed), [[Ramallah]] ''de facto''</td><td> </td> | ||
<td ><p> | <td ><p>3,900,000<ref>This is an estimate by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The last census by the Bureau of Statistics reported a population of 2,890,630 in the year 1998. This included: West bank 1.65 million; Gaza Strip 1.02 million; East Jerusalem 210,000; Overseas 325,000. These numbers do no tally with Israeli census data. A new census is in progress and is expected to report in February 2008.</ref></p></td> | ||
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<td>[[Western Sahara ]]</td><td> | <td>[[Western Sahara ]]</td><td>[[Laâyoune]]</td><td>[[Moroccan dirham]]</td> | ||
<td><p> | <td><p>341,000<ref name="times" /></p></td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
Revision as of 22:14, 9 November 2007
The word country is not defined easily. In its simplest form, a country is just an area of land. However, it is also commonly used to refer to the State that controls the land or to refer to the nation that lives on the land. This is often additionally confused since the territory, state (government) and nation frequently share the same name. So we could consider a country to be the entity that is formed by all three parts, State (government), Nation (people) and territory (land).
However, complications can arise. For example the territory of the islands of Ireland are not coterminous with the territory controlled by a single Irish State. There are clear cultural affinities north and south of a border between two sovereign entities, but almost all the inhabitants of the Irish islands still consider themselves Irish and living in the country of Ireland. In other cases, such as the American aboriginals, the nation remains but has been stripped of its territory. Without territory, it cannot be considered a country.
This list tries to use an inclusive definition. For the most part, it contains internationally recognised countries with a fully autonomous and independent state with recognised territory that is home to the population of that State. However, at the bottom of the page we have also listed some states or territories that are disputed. We have also tried to explain in brief the reason for the dispute.
Some territories, commonly referred to as countries, make up part of a larger State through union. For example Scotland, England and Wales are all commonly known as countries. However, they are not independent of each other. While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a level of autonomy through recent devolution of powers, they remain a constituent part of the United Kingdom. Other territories display a high level of autonomy but are considered to belong to or be dependant upon a larger state. We have not listed such territories in column 1 of the table but rather listed them as a division of the parent state.
Widely Recognised Countries
Other less well recognised countries
Some territories effectively behave as independent countries but have, for one reason or another, not received wide recognition, or they are disputed or claimed by another country.
| Name | Capital | Currency | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| China, Republic of[10] | Taipei | Taiwan Dollar | 22,858,872[11] |
| Kosovo | Priština | No data available Census in progress |
|
| Northern Cyprus | Nicosia | Turkish New Lira | 264,172 (2006) |
| Palestine | Jerusalem (claimed), Ramallah de facto | 3,900,000[12] |
|
| Transnistria | Tiraspol | Transnistrian ruble | 555,347 |
| Western Sahara | Laâyoune | Moroccan dirham | 341,000[13] |
Notes and References
- List of recognised counties sourced from UN member states list
- Population data sourced from [# | Add address here]
- ↑ Statistics Canada, 2006
- ↑ The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which adminsters part of the island, is recognised only by Turkey.
- ↑ Excludes Northern Ireland, administered by the UK.
- ↑ Irish Census, 2006
- ↑ Most countries' embassies are in Tel Aviv because international law does not recognise Jerusalem as the capital. See CIA - The World Factbook - Israel.
- ↑ Many countries, but not the UN, do not recognise this name as it was the choice of the junta that took power in 1989. 'Burma' is widely used in the English-speaking world.
- ↑ Another city, The Hague, is actually the seat of government but not a capital.
- ↑ The UK is a country composed of four counties joined in union: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- ↑ The Vatican is a city state so forms its own capital.
- ↑ The Republic of China is commonly known as Taiwan after the island which comprises the bulk of its territory, to distinguish it from the People's Republic of China.
- ↑ The World Factbook, Taiwan. C.I.A..
- ↑ This is an estimate by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The last census by the Bureau of Statistics reported a population of 2,890,630 in the year 1998. This included: West bank 1.65 million; Gaza Strip 1.02 million; East Jerusalem 210,000; Overseas 325,000. These numbers do no tally with Israeli census data. A new census is in progress and is expected to report in February 2008.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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