Micro-states

Micro-states

Embracing mainstream international law, this section on micro-states explores the context, history and effect of the area of the law covered here.

“Micro-States have never been authoritatively defined. A definition would be necessary, if micro-States, despite their name, were not in reality States under public international law, and lacked such attributes of statehood as the capacity to become a member of the United Nations or to become a party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, or to become a party to other international instruments and to participate in international conferences and congresses. Micro-States, in the sense of very small political entities, have played a role in the international community since the times of the League of Nations. They were given various names, such as city-States, diminutive States, lilliputian States, micro-States, mini-States, miniature States, pygmean States or very small States. The term micro-States is consistent with the terminology of the United Nations Secretary-General, who used it first during the 1960s with regard to the emerging problems of decolonization, when numerous newly-independent and very small entities, particularly islands, were claiming membership in the organization.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia of Disputes Installment, 1987

See Also

• Legal System
• Country
• Jurisdiction
• Immigration
• Consulate

Further Reading

• The entry “micro-states” in the Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (currently, the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 2009), Oxford University Press