User:Derlinus/Criteria

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[edit] Definitions

Work in progress!

[edit] Introduction

[edit] Purpose

To establish a consistent set of objective criteria of subdividing the world, resulting in a comprehensive list of Entities.

[edit] Criteria

For inclusion of an Entity on the List, certain criteria must be met. Listing is not contingent upon whether travel there is possible, but only upon the qualifications of the Entity. There are two types of criteria, as follows:

  1. Political Entities
  2. Geographical Entities

[edit] Levels

The List is divided into five levels:

  1. Sovereign countries / independent states.
  2. Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty; Areas internationally recognized as separately administered as a colony, protectorate, trusteeship territory, territory or mandate.
  3. Autonomus areas or areas significantly geographically separated from their "Parents."
  4. Country Subdivisions separately administered as part of a federation or geographically separated from its Parent.
  5. First level subdivisions of unitary states
Overview
Lvl Political/Administrative Geographic
L1 Soveregin Countries
L2 a) Countries lacking recognition
b) Dependencies/Colonies
L3 Autonomous areas a) Remote islands (2x200 nm)
b) Exclaves >100 km away
L4 States in federations a) Islands (200 nm)
b) Any exclave
L5 First-level country subdivisions Islands (12 nm)

[edit] List Amendments

Additions to the List are made from time to time as world conditions dictate. Entities may also be removed from the List as a result of political or geographic change. Entities removed from the List may be returned to the List in the future, should they re-qualify.

[edit] Political Entities

  • Political Entities are those areas which are separated by reason of government or political division. They generally contain an indigenous population which is not predominantly composed of military or scientific personnel.
  • Entities qualifying as L1 under this section will be referred to as the "Parent" Entity when considering qualifications for inclusion on lower levels.
  • The Entitiy is a de facto independent state and meets the first three provisions to be considered a sovereign state according to the Montevideo Convention.

[edit] Geographic Separation

  • A Geographic Separation Entity may result when a single Political Entity is physically separated into two or more parts. The part of such a Political Entity that contains the capital city is considered the Parent for tests under these criteria. One or more of the remaining parts resulting from the separation may then qualify for separate status as an Entity under any of the Geographic Separation Criteria.

[edit] Grandfather clause

  • Not employed.


[edit] Criteria

An Entity will be added to the List as an Entity at the corresponding level if it meets one or more of the following criteria.


Rule Class Type Group Criteria Lvl
P1-A Political: Area separated by reason of government or political division. Generally contain an indigenous population which is not predominantly composed of military or scientific personnel. Country: Independent state (both those that are internationally recognized and generally unrecognized), inhabited dependent territories, and areas of special sovereignty. Sovereign State: Both states widely recognized (de jure) to be sovereign and entities that claim sovereignty while exercising de facto control over (part of) their claimed territory. UN Member States. L1
P1-B Former UN members that retain soverignty over their territory, or UN Non-Member States that maintain a Permanent Observer Mission at UN Headquarters. L1
P1-C Sovereign states lacking general international recognition: The Entitiy can be considered a de facto sovereign state according to the Montevideo Convention. L2
P2-A Dependency: An inhabited territory distinguished from subnational entities in that it is not considered part of the Parent State proper. It enjoys a great degree of autonomy, but does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a state. Entities under this definition may include separately administered territories such as colonies, protectorates, mandates, trust territories, occupied or annexed states, dependent territories and other political entities subjected to another sovereign power, or in (de facto unequal) personal union. L2


P2-B International treaty Entity Special entitiy recognized by international treaty or agreement L2
P3-A Territory Uninhabited dependent territory Uninhabited dependent territory L3


P3-B Antarctica, as defined by the Antarctic Treaty System: all land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude parallel. Signatories does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial sovereignty claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force. L3


P3-C Disputed Areas L3
P4-A Subnational Entity Autonomous area: An area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the country or is populated by a national minority. Autonomous areas can be divided into territorial autonomies, personal autonomies (cultural autonomy) and local autonomies. L3


P4-B Condominium A condominium is a political territory over which two or more sovereign powers formally agree to share equally dominium (in the sense of sovereignty) and exercise their rights jointly, without dividing it up into 'national' zones. L4
P4-C Federation: A union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government. The component states, provinces or territories etc in confederations, federations or de facto federations shall be considered entities in their own right. L4
P4d Dependencies lacking significant autonomy L5
P4e First-level sub-divisions of a unitary state. L5
G1a Geographical: A Geographic Separation Entity may result when a single Political Entity is physically separated into two or more parts. [1] Separation by Land (Exclaves) 100 km separation A new Entity results when part of an Entity is separated from its Parent by 100 km or more of land of another Entity. Inland waters may be included in the measurement. The test for separation into two areas requires that a line drawn along a great circle in any direction from any part of the proposed Entity must not touch the Parent before crossing 100 km of the intervening Entity. L3
G1b Any discontinuity Any continental land areas having a common government or administration but which are geographically discontinuous either by reason of being separated by foreign land not under their control, by being located on separate continents, or by being separated by a natural body of water shall be considered as separate Entities. Multiple fragments separated by the same foreign Entity shall be considered one Entity. L4
G2a Island Areas (Separation by Water) Outside EEZ
2x200+ nm (740 km) separation		 An island or island group separated from its Parent (and any other islands attached to the Parent) by 400 nm or more (corresponding to a discontinuity in the Exclusive Economic Zone). L3
G2b Outside EEZ (excl. proposed Entity)
200+ nm (370 km) separation		 An island or island group separated from its Parent (and any other islands attached to the Parent) by 200 nm or more (corresponding to being outside the EEZ of the Parent if the candidate Entity is not included). Entitities created under this criteria must be separated by 200 nm or more from all other Entities attached to the same Parent. L4
G2c Outside "mainland" Territorial waters (12+ nm) Island Entities separated from the Parent by more than 12 nm. Entitities created under this criteria must be separated by 200 nm or more from all other Entities attached to the same Parent. L5
G3a The island is separated from its Parent by intervening land or islands that are part of another Entity, such that a line drawn along a great circle in any direction, from any part of the island, does not touch the Parent before touching the intervening Entity. There is no minimum separation distance for the first island Entity created under this rule. L4
G3b Additional island Entities may be created under this rule, provided that they are similarly separated from the Parent by a different Entity and separated from any other islands associated with the Parent by at least 200 nm. L4
I1 Ineligible Area Area having the following characteristics is not eligible for inclusion on the List, and are considered part of the Parent Entity. Any extraterritorial legal Entity of any nature including, but not limited to, embassies, consulates, monuments, offices of the United Nations agencies or related organizations, other inter-governmental organizations or diplomatic missions. -
I2 Any area with limited sovereignty or ceremonial status, such as monuments, indigenous areas, reservations, and homelands.
I3 Any area classified as a Demilitarized Zone, Neutral Zone or Buffer Zone.
I4 Any area which is unclaimed or not owned by any recognized government is not eligible for inclusion on the List.
I5 Self-proclaimed micronations that are not recognized internationally.


  1. ^ The part of such a Political Entity that contains the capital city is considered the Parent for tests under these criteria. One or more of the remaining parts resulting from the separation may then qualify for separate status as an Entity.


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