Constituent country is a term sometimes used in contexts in which a country
makes up a part of a larger political entity, such as a sovereign state. The
term constituent country does not have any defined legal meaning, and is used
simply to refer to a country which is a constituent part of something else.
In unitary states = Denmark =
The Danish Realm consists of three constituent parts, each part often
referred to as a country: However, this terminology is not
consistent. The Faroes are also referred to as a "self-governing territory" or
similar by the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands and the Royal Danish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the Danish/Faroese act of 2005 Lov om de
færøske myndigheders overtagelse af sager og sagsområder) the Faroese
government is referred to as an equal partner to the Danish government.
= France = In 2004, the French overseas
collectivity of French Polynesia was legally designated as a pays d'outre-mer
au sein de la République, translated as an "overseas country inside the
Republic". The Constitutional Council of France ruled that this was merely a
change of appellation and did not represent a constitutional change in
legal status. = Netherlands =
Since 10 October 2010, the Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four
countries: Each is expressly designated as a land
in Dutch law by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unlike the
German Länder and the Austrian Bundesländer, landen is consistently
translated as "countries" by the Dutch government.
= New Zealand = The Realm of New Zealand consists of
three parts usually referred to as countries:
However, the Constitutions of the Cook Islands and of Niue do not describe
either as a country, nor do the New Zealand Acts which brought those
constitutions into force. = United Kingdom =
The United Kingdom is generally described as comprising four countries:
The United Kingdom itself is a unitary state and not four countries in personal
union but came about by the union of four countries. Wales was incorporated
into the kingdom of England in 1542, the kingdoms of England and Scotland united
in 1707, and the kingdom of Ireland united with them in 1801. Northern
Ireland was created when Ireland was partitioned in 1921. Northern Ireland
remained in the United Kingdom, whereas the rest left.
Although the term country is usually applied uncontroversially to England,
Scotland and Wales, Northern Ireland is often described using other terms, such
as "region" or "province". For example, ISO 3166-2:GB defines the UK as being
made up of three countries and one province.
Northern Ireland had a devolved parliament from 1921–72. Devolution was
restored to Northern Ireland in 1999 following the Good Friday Agreement and
referenda in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 1998. After
referenda in 1997, new devolved governments were created in Scotland and
Wales. England remains solely under the Parliament of the United Kingdom in
London. At sporting events such as rugby union,
an alternative title, Home Nations is used, which in these contexts sometimes
includes Ireland as a whole. = China =
China does not have any specified constituencies, but it contains the
Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, both of which have
separate governments from the national government.
In federal states = Soviet Union =
According to its constitution the Soviet Union was a union of freely associated
Soviet Socialist Republics; in reality, for most of its lifespan the USSR was a
strongly centralized state. = Yugoslavia =
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was divided into six
Constituent Socialist Republics, along with two self autonomous Provinces
within Serbia. = St Kitts and Nevis =
The island of Nevis has a constitutionally guaranteed right to
secede from the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and thereby become a
sovereign country. This is stipulated in section 113 of the Kittian/Nevisian
Constitution. An independence referendum was held in Nevis on 10 August 1998.
With 62% support amongst Nevisian voters, it fell slightly short of the
constitutionally required two-thirds majority support necessary. In view of
the constitutional position, both St. Kitts and Nevis could be regarded as
constituent countries of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
See also Associated state
Constituent state Electoral district or constituency
Federacy Political union
Regional state References