Island country

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Sovereign states and a de facto state (Taiwan) fully on islands: those with land borders shaded green, and those without shaded dark blue. Countries/territories not shown on the map: Antarctica (aq) (continental disputed territory), Australia (au) (continental country), the Cook Islands (ck) (free association with New Zealand), Greenland (gl) (constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark), Niue (nu) (free association with New Zealand), and Puerto Rico (pr) (unincorporated U.S. territory). Island nations.svg
Sovereign states and a de facto state (Taiwan) fully on islands: those with land borders shaded green, and those without shaded dark blue.

Countries/territories not shown on the map: Antarctica (aq) (continental disputed territory), Australia (au) (continental country), the Cook Islands (ck) (free association with New Zealand), Greenland (gl) (constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark), Niue (nu) (free association with New Zealand), and Puerto Rico (pr) (unincorporated U.S. territory).

An island country, island state, or island nation is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. Approximately 25% of all independent countries are island countries. [1] Island countries are historically more stable [1] than many continental states but are vulnerable to conquest by naval superpowers. Indonesia is the largest and most populated island country in the world. [2] [3]

Contents

There are great variations between island country economies: they may rely mainly on extractive industries, such as mining, fishing and agriculture, and/or on services such as transit hubs, tourism, and financial services. Many islands have low-lying geographies and their economies and population centers develop along coast plains and ports; such states may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change, especially sea level rise.

Remote or significant islands and archipelagos that are not themselves sovereign are often known as dependencies or overseas territories.

History

Politics

Historically, island countries have tended to be less prone to political instability than their continental counterparts. The percentage of island countries that are democratic is higher than that of continental countries. [1]

Island territories

While island countries by definition are sovereign states, there are also several islands and archipelagos around the world that operate semi-autonomously from their official sovereign states. These are often known as dependencies or overseas territories and can be similar in nature to proper island countries.

War

Island countries have often been the basis of maritime conquest and historical rivalry between other countries. [4] Island countries are more susceptible to attack by large, continental countries due to their size and dependence on sea and air lines of communication. [5] Many island countries are also vulnerable to predation by mercenaries and other foreign invaders, [6] although their isolation also makes them a difficult target.

Natural resources

Many developing small island countries rely heavily on fish for their main supply of food. [7] Some are turning to renewable energy —such as wind power, hydropower, geothermal power and biodiesel from copra oil —to defend against potential rises in oil prices. [8]

Geography

Some island countries are more affected than other countries by climate change, which produces problems such as reduced land use, water scarcity, and sometimes even resettlement issues. Some low-lying island countries are slowly being submerged by the rising water levels of the Pacific Ocean. [9] Climate change also impacts island countries by causing natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, hurricanes, flash floods and droughts. [10]

Climate change

This section is an excerpt from Effects of climate change on small island countries.[ edit ]
A sign on South Tarawa, Kiribati pointing out the threat of sea level rise to the island, with its highest point being only three metres above sea level. As an extremely low-lying country, surrounded by vast oceans, Kiribati is at risk from the negative effects of climate change, such as sea-level rise and storm surges, 2011. Photo- Erin Magee - DFAT (12426392094).jpg
A sign on South Tarawa, Kiribati pointing out the threat of sea level rise to the island, with its highest point being only three metres above sea level.
The effects of climate change on small island countries are affecting people in coastal areas through sea level rise, increasing heavy rain events, tropical cyclones and storm surges. [11] : 2045  These effects of climate change threaten the existence of many island countries, their peoples and cultures. They also alter ecosystems and natural environments in those countries. Small island developing states (SIDS) are a heterogenous group of countries but many of them are particularly at risk to climate change. [12] Those countries have been quite vocal in calling attention to the challenges they face from climate change. [12] For example, the Maldives and nations of the Caribbean and Pacific Islands are already experiencing considerable impacts of climate change. [13] It is critical for them to implement climate change adaptation measures fast. [13]

Some small and low population islands do not have the resources to protect their islands and natural resources. They experience climate hazards which impact on human health, livelihoods, and inhabitable space. This can lead to pressure to leave these islands but resources to do so are often lacking as well.

Efforts to combat these challenges are ongoing and multinational. Many of the small island developing countries have a high vulnerability to climate change, whilst having contributed very little to global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, some small island countries have made advocacy for global cooperation on climate change mitigation a key aspect of their foreign policy.

Economics

Japan is an archipelago in Asia that constitutes one of the richest and most populated nations on Earth. Colorful neon street signs in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo.jpg
Japan is an archipelago in Asia that constitutes one of the richest and most populated nations on Earth.
Singapore, an affluent and highly developed sovereign island country by which its territories consists of a main island and other smaller islands Singapore, Downtown Core (II).jpg
Singapore, an affluent and highly developed sovereign island country by which its territories consists of a main island and other smaller islands

Many island countries rely heavily on imports and are greatly affected by changes in the global economy. [14] Due to the nature of island countries their economies are often characterised by being smaller, relatively isolated from world trade and economy, more vulnerable to shipping costs, and more likely to suffer environmental damage to infrastructure; exceptions include Japan, Taiwan[ citation needed ] and the United Kingdom. [15] [16] [17] The dominant industry for many island countries is tourism. [18]

Composition

Island countries are typically small with low populations, although some, like Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines are notable exceptions. [19]

Some island countries are centred on one or two major islands, such as the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Cuba, Bahrain, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Malta, and Taiwan. Others are spread out over hundreds or thousands of smaller islands, such as Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, The Bahamas, Seychelles, and the Maldives. Some island countries share one or more of their islands with other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland; Haiti and the Dominican Republic; and Indonesia, which shares islands with Papua New Guinea, Brunei, East Timor, and Malaysia. Bahrain, Singapore, and the United Kingdom have fixed links such as bridges and tunnels to the continental landmass: Bahrain is linked to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway, Singapore to Malaysia by the Johor–Singapore Causeway and Second Link, and the United Kingdom has a railway connection to France through the Channel Tunnel.

Geographically, the country of Australia is considered a continental landmass rather than an island, covering the largest landmass of the Australian continent. In the past, however, it was considered an island country for tourism purposes [20] (among others) and is sometimes referred to as such. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asia</span> Continent

Asia is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilisations. Its 4.7 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country</span> Distinct territorial body or political entity

A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, states with limited recognition, constituent country, or a dependent territory. Most sovereign states, but not all countries, are members of the United Nations. There is no universal agreement on the number of "countries" in the world since several states have disputed sovereignty status, limited recognition and a number of non-sovereign entities are commonly considered countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiribati</span> Country in the central Pacific Ocean

Kiribati, officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. Its permanent population is over 119,000 as of the 2020 census, with more than half living on Tarawa atoll. The state comprises 32 atolls and one remote raised coral island, Banaba. Its total land area is 811 km2 (313 sq mi) dispersed over 3,441,810 km2 (1,328,890 sq mi) of ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceania</span> Geographical region in the Pacific Ocean

Oceania is a geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its continental landmass. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, at the centre of the water hemisphere, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of about 9,000,000 square kilometres (3,500,000 sq mi) and a population of around 44.4 million as of 2022. Oceania is the smallest continent in land area and the second-least populated after Antarctica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palau</span> Country in the Western Pacific

Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific. The republic consists of approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caroline Islands with parts of the Federated States of Micronesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Developing country</span> Nation with a lower living standard relative to more developed countries

A developing country is a sovereign state with a less developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreement on which countries fit this category. The terms low and middle-income country (LMIC) and newly emerging economy (NEE) are often used interchangeably but refers only to the economy of the countries. The World Bank classifies the world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita: high, upper-middle, lower-middle, and low income countries. Least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of North America</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern America</span> Northernmost subregion of North America

Northern America is the northernmost subregion of North America as well as the northernmost region in the Americas. The boundaries may be drawn significantly differently depending on the source of the definition. In one definition, it lies directly north of Middle America. Northern America's land frontier with the rest of North America then coincides with the Mexico–United States border. Geopolitically, according to the United Nations' scheme of geographical regions and subregions, Northern America consists of Bermuda, Canada, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliance of Small Island States</span> Intergovernmental organization

Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is an intergovernmental organization of low-lying coastal and small island countries. AOSIS was established in 1990, ahead of the Second World Climate Conference. The main purpose of the alliance is to consolidate the voices of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to address global warming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small Island Developing States</span> Developing countries that are small island countries

The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a grouping of developing countries which are small island countries and small states that tend to share similar sustainable development challenges. These include small but growing populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on international trade, and fragile environments. Their growth and development are also held back by high communication, energy and transportation costs, irregular international transport volumes, disproportionately expensive public administration and infrastructure due to their small size, and little to no opportunity to create economies of scale. They consist of some of the most vulnerable countries to anthropogenic climate change.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate Vulnerable Forum</span> Global partnership of countries

The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) is a global partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change. The forum addresses the negative effects of climate change as a result of heightened socioeconomic and environmental vulnerabilities. These countries actively seek a firm and urgent resolution to the current intensification of climate change, domestically and internationally. The CVF was formed to increase the accountability of industrialized nations for the consequences of global climate change. It also aims to exert additional pressure for action to tackle the challenge, which includes the local action by countries considered susceptible. Political leaders involved in this partnership are "using their status as those most vulnerable to climate change to punch far above their weight at the negotiating table". The governments which founded the CVF agree to national commitments to pursue low-carbon development and carbon neutrality.

The Tarawa Climate Change Conference (TCCC), was held in the Republic of Kiribati from 9 to 10 November 2010. The purpose of the conference was to support the initiative of the President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, to hold a consultative forum between vulnerable states and their partners with a view of creating an enabling environment for multi-party negotiations under the auspices of the UNFCCC. The conference was the successor event to the Climate Vulnerable Forum held in November 2009 in the Maldives, when eleven climate vulnerable countries signed the Bandos Island declaration pledging to show moral leadership and commence greening their economies by voluntarily committing to achieving carbon neutrality. Based on the lessons learned in the COP process, the TCCC proposed a more inclusive format of consultations, involving key partners among major developed and developing nations.

The Ambo Declaration was adopted at the Tarawa Climate Change Conference on 10 November 2010 by Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The declaration calls for more and immediate action to be undertaken to address the causes and adverse impacts of climate change. The Ambo Declaration, named after the village in Kiribati where parliament sits, was slated to be a non-legally-binding agreement between the nations to present at the larger international climate change summit, COP16 in Cancun, Mexico.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of climate change on small island countries</span>

The effects of climate change on small island countries are affecting people in coastal areas through sea level rise, increasing heavy rain events, tropical cyclones and storm surges. These effects of climate change threaten the existence of many island countries, their peoples and cultures. They also alter ecosystems and natural environments in those countries. Small island developing states (SIDS) are a heterogenous group of countries but many of them are particularly at risk to climate change. Those countries have been quite vocal in calling attention to the challenges they face from climate change. For example, the Maldives and nations of the Caribbean and Pacific Islands are already experiencing considerable impacts of climate change. It is critical for them to implement climate change adaptation measures fast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in the Marshall Islands</span>

Climate change in the Marshall Islands is a major issue for the country. As with many countries made up of low-lying islands, the Marshall Islands is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and other impacts of climate change. The atoll and capital city of Majuro are particularly vulnerable, and the issue poses significant implications for the country's population. These threats have prompted Marshallese political leaders to make climate change a key diplomatic issue, who have responded with initiatives such as the Majuro Declaration.

The Forum of Small States (FOSS) is a voluntary, informal and non-ideological grouping of countries at the United Nations, founded in 1992 by Singapore. Since then, Singapore has served as Chair of FOSS. The Forum of Small States is open to countries with a population of fewer than 10 million, although the population of some members has exceeded that level since they joined the group.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ott, Dan (1996). Small is Democratic. Routledge. p. 128. ISBN   0-8153-3910-0 . Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  2. ↑ Chepkemoi, Joyce (April 25, 2017). "Which Are The Island Countries Of The World?". WorldAtlas.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
  3. ↑ "Population, total 2015-2019". World Bank Open Data. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Chasle, Raymond (1 Oct 1986). "The quest for identity. (island countries)". UNESCO Courier. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  5. ↑ Perry, Walt L.; Robert W. Button; Jerome Bracken; Thomas Sullivan; Rand Corporation; United States Navy; Jonathan Mitchell (2002). Measures of Effectiveness for the Information-age Navy. Rand Corporation. p. 7. ISBN   0-8330-3139-2. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  6. ↑ WREN, CHRISTOPHER S. (December 9, 1989). "Mercenary Holding Island Nation Seeks Deal". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  7. ↑ "Many of the world's poorest people depend on fish". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2005-06-07. Archived from the original on 2019-08-26. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  8. ↑ Xingwei, Huang (2008-10-17). "Pacific Islands countries switch to renewable energy source due to increasing fuel prices". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  9. ↑ "Leader of disappearing island nation says climate change an issue of survival, not economics". June 5, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  10. ↑ "FAO: Climate change threatens food security of Pacific island countries". December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  11. ↑ Mycoo, M., M.Wairiu, D. Campbell, V. Duvat, Y. Golbuu, S. Maharaj, J. Nalau, P. Nunn, J. Pinnegar, and O.Warrick, 2022: "Chapter 15: Small Islands". In: "Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" [H.-O. Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E.S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke, V. Möller, A. Okem, B. Rama (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, pp. 2043–2121, doi:10.1017/9781009325844.017.
  12. 1 2 Thomas, Adelle; Baptiste, April; Martyr-Koller, Rosanne; Pringle, Patrick; Rhiney, Kevon (2020-10-17). "Climate Change and Small Island Developing States". Annual Review of Environment and Resources. 45 (1): 1–27. doi: 10.1146/annurev-environ-012320-083355 . ISSN   1543-5938. CC-BY icon.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
  13. 1 2 Betzold, Carola (2015-12-01). "Adapting to climate change in small island developing states". Climatic Change. 133 (3): 481–489. Bibcode:2015ClCh..133..481B. doi:10.1007/s10584-015-1408-0. ISSN   1573-1480. S2CID   153937782.
  14. ↑ "Hardship and Vulnerability in the Pacific Island Countries". The World Bank Group. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "WTO/FORSEC Trade Policy Course for Pacific island countries". 9 March 2001. Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  16. ↑ "NZ calls for global solutions to problems faced by small island nations". 2005-01-18. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  17. ↑ Garg, Sarika. "U.N. ambassador gives keynote". Archived from the original on 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  18. ↑ "China enlists Pacific island countries as tourist destinations, XINHUA". The America's Intelligence Wire. 10 August 2004. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  19. ↑ "Wen pledges new aid to Pacific countries". International Herald Tribune. April 5, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  20. ↑ "Australian Naval Defence". The Brisbane Courier. 24 July 1897. Archived from the original on 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  21. ↑ "China, Pacific island countries discuss cooperation at forum meeting". Archived from the original on 2012-10-13. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
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