Dwarf state

Dwarf states

As a mini-state or micro state in which it is Wirtschaftsgeographie a small state with a particularly low land area and a small population , respectively.

General

In the scientific literature, the term microstate is predominantly used, since the dwarf state and numerous synonyms (such as the smallest state , Lilliput state , pygmy state , miniature state , mini state or diminutive state ) are understood as rather derogatory. The Duodezstaat (derived from a historical book format ), a derogatory term from the 18th century for the then extremely small German principalities, is particularly disparaging .

Under international law, size does not matter. Occasionally, however, individual sovereignty attributes are missing in dwarf or micro-states. Some can be represented militarily , partly also in foreign policy, by a neighboring state. After initial concerns, which were discussed as the “microstate problem” especially in the 1970s, the United Nations accepted all dwarf or microstates worldwide that had submitted a corresponding application as members.

expression

The term “ dwarf state” is vague and has changed over time. It is therefore not possible to clearly determine the size of a small state as a dwarf or micro state.

For the sometimes very small principalities of German history, the terms small states and dwarf states are still used today as synonyms (see Kleinstaaterei ). From the 18th century they were ironically referred to as duodec states. Duodez was a small book format and figuratively meant something insignificant.

In addition to the concept of the micro-state, the so-called micronation occasionally appears . Micronations are not recognized by the United Nations and other international organizations. Micronation is not to be understood analogously to micro-state ; that doesn't mean a very small nation .

The geographer Erich fruit categorized 1972, not trans or subcontinental States Makrotop ( surface States with more than 800,000 square kilometers), Mesotop (States 40,000 to 800,000 square kilometers), MikroTOP (States from 1000 to 40,000 square kilometers), or Minitop (countries with less than 1000 km²).

The list below also uses the geographic size in square kilometers, not the number of inhabitants, as a criterion for the definition of the term miniature state . So appear z. B. Iceland and Luxembourg , which have a population similar to some of the countries mentioned in the list, but have a larger territory, are not in this context.

European and non-European dwarf states

European dwarf states (excluding Malta and Luxembourg)

Europe

→ Main article : European dwarf states

In Europe there are six countries, mostly referred to as miniature states: Andorra , Liechtenstein , Malta , Monaco , San Marino and the Vatican City . These are individual principalities or republics that have maintained their independence until today, or about the former Papal States reaching back papal entitled to under international law recognized sovereign enclave in the heart of Rome .

Outside of Europe

The dwarf states outside Europe are mainly island states in the Caribbean and the South Pacific .

List of very small states

Sovereign states with a fixed land mass of up to approx. 1000 square kilometers (excluding maritime territories).

Country / territory	location	Area (km²)	resident	was standing
Vatican city	Southern Europe	0000.44	0,000.618	3rd July 2018
Monaco	Southern Europe	0002.03	0.037,550	December 2016
Nauru	Oceania - Micronesia	0021	0.011,288	2015
Tuvalu	Oceania - Polynesia	0026th	0.011.206	Census 2012
San Marino	Southern Europe	0061	0.033,031	May 2016
Liechtenstein	Central Europe	0160	0.037,850	December 2016
Marshall Islands	Oceania - Micronesia	0181	0.053,158	2011
Cook Islands	Oceania	0236	0.011,700	September 2016
Niue	Oceania	0260	0.001,669	December 2019
St. Kitts and Nevis	Caribbean	0261	0.052,834	2019
Maldives	South Asia - Indian Ocean	0298	0.530,953	2019
Malta	Southern Europe - Mediterranean	0316	0.415.196	July 2016
Grenada	Caribbean	0344	0.090,739
St. Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean	0388	0.117,200
Barbados	Caribbean	0430	0.286.705
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean	0442	0.085,632
Seychelles	Africa - Indian Ocean	0455	0.087,500
Palau	Oceania - Micronesia	0459	0.017,661	Census 2015
Andorra	Southern Europe	0468	0.073.105	December 2016
St. Lucia	Caribbean	0616	0.173.907
Micronesia	Oceania - Micronesia	0702	0.116,431	2021
Singapore	South East Asia	0719	5,076,700
Tonga	Oceania - Polynesia	0747	0.100,651	November 30, 2016
Dominica	Caribbean	0751	0.072,514
Bahrain	Asia - Persian Gulf	0760	1,214,705
Kiribati	Oceania - Micronesia	0811	0.110.136	2015
Sao Tome and Principe	Central Africa	1,001	0.167,000

1. ↑ Member States of the United Nations , unless otherwise stated.
2. ↑ Is represented internationally by the Holy See , which is a permanent observer at the United Nations as an independent subject of international law.
3. ↑ Not a member state of the United Nations, but self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand , but is recognized as an independent state by more than 40 member states of the United Nations, including also from the Federal Republic of Germany (2001), Belgium (2005) and Switzerland (2005).
4. ↑ Not a member state of the United Nations, but rather self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand , but increasingly maintains independent diplomatic relations, among other things. on the People's Republic of China (2007), India (2012) and Turkey (2014).

See also

• List of states in the world

Web links

• States of the world by area cia.gov
• Collection of links to the European dwarf states

Individual evidence

1. ^ Theodor Schweisfurth: Völkerrecht. Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2006, ISBN 3-16-148992-6 , p. 17.
2. ↑ Brockhaus Encyclopedia , 21st edition. FA Brockhaus, Leipzig / Mannheim 2014.
3. ↑ Duodets. In Wissen.de , accessed on June 16, 2017
4. ↑ Erich Obst / Martin Schmithüsen (eds.), Allgemeine Staatsgeographie , 1972, p. 13
5. ↑ Vatican City website: Popolazione (population) vaticanstate.va , accessed January 19, 2021.
6. ^ The official population figures. From: monacostatistics.mc , accessed June 10, 2017
7. ↑ Nauru Stats At A Glance. Nauru Bureau of Statistics at: prism.spc.int , accessed June 10, 2017
8. ^ Tuvalu Statistics at a Glance. Tuvalu Central Statistics Division at: prism.spc.int , accessed June 10, 2017
9. ↑ Bilancio Demografico ( Memento of July 8, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 200 kB). From the website of the Ufficio Informatica, Tecnologia, Dati e Statistica of the Republic of San Marino, accessed on July 8, 2016
10. ↑ Population statistics on December 31, 2016. On the website of the Statistical Office, State Administration of the Principality of Liechtenstein, accessed on June 10, 2017
11. ^ Social Statistics. Economic Policy Planning and Statistics Office (EPPSO) at: prism.spc.int , accessed June 10, 2017
12. ↑ Vital Statistics and Population Estimates. Cook Islands - Ministry of Finance and Economic Management at prism.spc.int , accessed June 10, 2017
13. ↑ Niue Vital Statistics 2019 , accessed January 19, 2021
14. ↑ World Bank: Population, total - St. Kitts and Nevis
15. ↑ World Bank: Population, total - Maldives
16. ↑ Malta. In: CIA World Factbook , accessed June 10, 2017
17. ↑ Republic of Palau, Bureau of Budget and Planning Ministry of Finance, Statistical Yearbook 2019, Table 2.2 , accessed January 19, 2021
18. ↑ Últimes dades. ( Memento of December 10, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) On the statistics website of the Govern d'Andorra , accessed on June 10, 2017
19. ↑ Micronesia Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs). August 27, 2021, accessed August 29, 2021 . 
20. ^ Tonga Statistics Department , accessed January 19, 2021
21. ↑ Kiribati Stats at a Glance ( Memento from January 8, 2017 in the Internet Archive ). Kiribate National Statistics Office at: www.mfed.gov.ki , accessed June 10, 2017