state
Let an agent handle states by recognition, territory, government, population and identifiers, and describe disputed statehood neutrally.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle states by recognition, territory, government, population and identifiers, and describe disputed statehood neutrally.
A political entity with a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states; sovereign states are subjects of international law.
What it is for: Organising political authority over territory and people.
It can be recognise it, as other states may; join international organisations; enter treaties; identify it, by country codes.
Distinguishing features
Population, territory, government, capacity for relations (Montevideo criteria)
Recognition by other states varies
Sovereign states differ from constituent states of federations
Historical states no longer exist but remain in records
What it looks like
Territory on maps, flags, government institutions and borders.
How it is recognised
Country codes and flags
Membership of the United Nations
Island countries, realms and historic principalities are forms of state
Related models
has - institutions
has - office
is a - status
is confused with - a homonym
In practice
Families and kinds
sovereign states
federated states
small island developing states
historical states and principalities
states with limited recognition
Identifiers
ISO 3166-1 code two or three letters country codes
UN M49 code three digits statistical codes
Standards and regulation
Montevideo Convention (1933)
UN Charter
ISO 3166
Failure modes and hazards
Taking sides on disputed recognition
Outdated names and borders
Confusing sovereign and federated states
Also called
+149
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.state-3
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Identity Which state.
Codes and names identify states.
Names and codes
Official names.
Identity
Names and codes.
- What are its official names and ISO codes? provenance
- Has its name changed? provenance
Type
Sovereign or federated.
Type
Kind of state.
- Is it sovereign, federated or historical? definition
- Of which federation, if federated? definition
Recognition International standing.
Recognition is contested for some states.
Status
UN membership and recognition.
Recognition
Recognition status.
- Is it a UN member, and which states recognise it? provenance
- Is its status disputed? boundary
Treaties
Obligations.
Treaties
Treaty membership.
- Which major treaties has it ratified? provenance
- Which organisations does it belong to? provenance
Territory and people Land and population.
Territory and population define the state.
Territory
Area and borders.
Territory
Territory and disputes.
- What territory does it control and claim? measurement
- Which borders are disputed? boundary
Population
Census data.
Population
Population data.
- What is its population, according to which source and year? measurement
- How is it changing? measurement
Governance Government and law.
Government structure shapes the state.
System
Form of government.
System
Constitutional system.
- What is its system of government? provenance
- Who is head of state and of government? provenance
Neutrality
Describing disputes.
Neutrality
Neutral handling.
- Is the description neutral on disputed issues? boundary
- Are alternative names noted? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should states be instances with ISO codes and recognition data?
- How should disputed territories be shown neutrally?
- How should historical states be linked to successors?