International law defines sovereign states as having a permanent population, defined territory, a government not under another, and the capacity to interact with other states.[2]
It is commonly understood that a sovereign state is independent.[3] A sovereign state can exist without being recognized by other sovereign states such as Northern Cyprus.[4][5] Unrecognized states often have difficulty engaging in diplomatic relations with other sovereign states due to their lack of international recognition.[6][7] When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may also refer to a constituent country, or a dependent territory.[8][9][10]
Relationship between state and government[edit]
Although the terms "state" and "government" are often used interchangeably,[60] international law distinguishes between a non-physical state and its government; and in fact, the concept of "government-in-exile" is predicated upon that distinction.[61] States are non-physical juridical entities, not organisations of any kind.[62] However, ordinarily, only the government of a state can obligate or bind the state, for example by treaty.[61]
State extinction[edit]
Generally speaking, states are durable entities, though they can become extinguished, either through voluntary means or outside forces, such as military conquest. Violent state abolition has virtually ceased since the end of World War II.[63] Because states are non-physical juridical entities, it has been argued that their extinction cannot be due to physical force alone.[64] Instead, the physical actions of the military must be associated with the correct social or judiciary actions in order for a state to be abolished.
Trends in the number of states[edit]
Since the end of World War II, the number of sovereign states in the international system has surged.[71] Some research suggests that the existence of international and regional organisations, the greater availability of economic aid, and greater acceptance of the norm of self-determination have increased the desire of political units to secede and can be credited for the increase in the number of states in the international system.[72][73] Harvard economist Alberto Alesina and Tufts economist Enrico Spolaore argue in their book, Size of Nations, that the increase in the number of states can partly be credited to a more peaceful world, greater free trade and international economic integration, democratisation, and the presence of international organisations that co-ordinate economic and political policies.[74]