What is a country?
There are several, often ambiguous definitions of what a "country" or a "state" is. However, the concept of a country is never the same as that of a sovereign state. Depending on the definition, a country may already be a federal state or another political administrative unit.The recognition of a territory as a sovereign state is done by the member countries of the United Nations. However, these do not jointly recognize or reject a state. Each member state has the right to decide this for itself.
Thus, if one speaks of countries, it must first be settled how to define these territories independently of political interests or interests under international law. To prevent subjective political decisions, a country is defined on WorldData.info as: Everything that has a country code according to ISO 3166-1 is also a "country" here.
Hong Kong and Macau
Strictly speaking, Hong Kong and Macau are two partially-administered territories of China with special status. But Hong Kong and Macau have their own legislation (admittedly influenced by China), their own tax system and when you travel in or out, you get a stamp of Hong Kong or Macau in your passport. If you travel from one of the two areas to the other or to China, you leave and return to China with another stamp.Both countries have their own currency independent of China. Both countries have their own telephone codes, license plates and internet domains. In Macau, Portuguese is even one of the official languages. And both areas have their own country codes according to ISO, STANAG, United Nations and Fips. Therefore, Hong Kong and Macau are treated as independent countries.
Kosovo
Kosovo is currently the youngest country, which previously included parts of Yugoslavia and Serbia. In 2008 independence was declared from Serbia. On Wikipedia one still speaks of a "stabilized de facto regime." However, there are currently no officially assigned ISO codes for Kosovo. The codes XK and XKX are widely used, but not official. On the other hand, more than half of the member states of the United Nations have already recognized the "Republic of Kosovo" as an independent state. In addition, it has its own country code, domain extension and license plate number.West Bank and Gaza Strip
Both areas are covered by the CIA with their own data, as if they were individual states, and Wikipedia names "Gaza City" as the capital of the Gaza Strip. However, the ISO code "PS" given there refers to Palestine. Both regions do not have their own legislation, currencies, telephone codes, license plates, country domains or codes according to ISO 3166-1. Both regions are also under the administration of the Palestinian Authority. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are therefore for the time being only autonomous areas of Palestine, but not separate countries.Germany and other EU countries
The fact that Germany appears in this list of questionable states may seem surprising at first glance. The influence of the European Union, however, severely limits independent legislation. The German government, as well as other governments within the European Union, cannot even decide on a car toll without taking infringement proceedings from the EU. As the discussion about the "Internet Cookie Directive" showed, even an EU directive can automatically become a law in every EU member state, as long as it is formulated clearly enough in Brussels.In theory, Germany's own legislation is still influenced by the former allies. The current Two-Plus-Four Treaty, for example, contains clauses that clearly limit military change. The constitution and parts of the Basic Law must not be changed either. Germany is de facto not an independent and autonomous state.
Nevertheless, Germany and other EU states meet all other requirements. There were or are own currencies, laws limited by national borders, own tax systems, financial budgets and the states are recognized as such by most UN countries.
Guam and other territories of the USA
The head of state of Guam is the president of the United States, the currency is the US dollar and even the highest judges are appointed by the White House in Washington D.C. The citizens are officially citizens of the United States of America. On the other hand, there is an "inner autonomy," there are national flags and formal peculiarities as well as their own internet domains and country codes according to ISO, STANAG, the United Nations and Fips. Even the CIA lists Guam as a "non-incorporated territory of the United States with political relations between Guam and the USA" — something that does not belong to the USA. Decisive for a classification as "country" for Worlddata.info was the assignment of the ISO code according to 3166-1.Antarctica
Antarctica is not an independent or even autonomous country. Roughly speaking, it consists of a bunch of research institutions from different countries. Officially there were two inhabitants until a few years ago, but nowhere was it possible to find out what an Antarctic passport looked like or who (apart from the two holders) could have carried out passport control. The Antarctic, however, is listed as a "country" by the German Weather Service in order to assign the measuring stations there. There is even a domain extension of its own (aq). Antarctica also has its own country codes according to ISO, STANAG, the United Nations and Fips, which ultimately led to the ice masses making it to a "country" on Worlddata.info. Please forgive it.Non-independent countries without political sovereignty
The following local authorities are treated as countries, but are dependent territories of other states:Territories of Australia | ISO | Status |
---|---|---|
Christmas Island | CX (CXR) | Non-self-governing territory of Australia |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands | CC (CCK) | Non-self-governing territory of Australia |
Heard Island and McDonald Islands | HM (HMD) | Australian overseas department |
Norfolk Island | NF (NFK) | Territory of Australia |
Territories of China | ISO | Status |
Hong Kong | HK (HKG) | Special administrative region of China |
Macao | MO (MAC) | Special administrative region of China |
Taiwan | TW (TWN) | Semi-presidential republic |
Territories of Denmark | ISO | Status |
Faroe Islands | FO (FRO) | Territory of the Kingdom of Denmark |
Greenland | GL (GRL) | Territory of the Kingdom of Denmark |
Territories of Finland | ISO | Status |
Åland Islands | AX (ALA) | Autonomous region of Finland |
Territories of France | ISO | Status |
French Guiana | GF (GUF) | French overseas territory |
French Polynesia | PF (PYF) | Territory of France |
French Southern and Antarctic Lands | TF (ATF) | French overseas territory |
Guadeloupe | GP (GLP) | French overseas territory |
Martinique | MQ (MTQ) | French overseas territory |
Mayotte | YT (MYT) | French overseas territory |
New Caledonia | NC (NCL) | Territory of France |
Reunion | RE (REU) | French overseas territory |
Saint Barthelemy | BL (BLM) | Corporation of France |
Saint Martin | MF (MAF) | French overseas territory |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | PM (SPM) | Territory of France |
Wallis and Futuna | WF (WLF) | Territory of France |
Territories of the United Kingdom | ISO | Status |
Anguilla | AI (AIA) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Bermuda | BM (BMU) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
British Indian Ocean Territory | IO (IOT) | British overseas territory |
British Virgin Islands | VG (VGB) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Cayman Islands | KY (CYM) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Falkland Islands | FK (FLK) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Gibraltar | GI (GIB) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Guernsey | GG (GGY) | Autonomous crown dependency of the British Crown |
Isle of Man | IM (IMN) | Autonomous crown dependency of the British Crown |
Jersey | JE (JEY) | Autonomous crown dependency of the British Crown |
Montserrat | MS (MSR) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Pitcairn Islands | PN (PCN) | British overseas territory |
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | SH (SHN) | Limited self-governing territory of the UK |
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | GS (SGS) | British overseas territory |
Turks and Caicos Islands | TC (TCA) | Self-governing territory of the UK |
Territories of the Netherlands | ISO | Status |
Aruba | AW (ABW) | Autonomous Territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Caribbean Netherlands | BQ (BES) | Special municipalities of the Netherlands |
Curacao | CW (CUW) | Autonomous Territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Sint Maarten | SX (SXM) | Autonomous Territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Territories of Norway | ISO | Status |
Bouvet Island | BV (BVT) | Territory of Norway |
Svalbard | SJ (SJM) | Territory of Norway |
Territories of New Zealand | ISO | Status |
Tokelau | TK (TKL) | Territory of New Zealand |
Territories of the United States | ISO | Status |
American Samoa | AS (ASM) | Self-governing territory of the US |
Guam | GU (GUM) | Self-governing unincorporated territory of the US |
Northern Mariana Islands | MP (MNP) | Unincorporated territory of the US |
Puerto Rico | PR (PRI) | Unincorporated territory of the US |
United States Minor Outlying Islands | UM (UMI) | un-incorporated territories of the USA |
Virgin Islands | VI (VIR) | Self-governing territory of the US |