Constituent country
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A constituent country is a country that is part of a larger entity, such as a sovereign state or supranational body.
Contents |
[edit] Use by international bodies
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an example of a body that has used the phrase constituent countries, notably in reference to:
- the Socialist Republics of the former Yugoslavia;[1] and
- the Soviet Republics of the former Soviet Union.
European institutions such as the Council of Europe sometimes use the expression in reference to the sovereign member states of the European Union.[2]
[edit] Denmark
As of June 2009, the Kingdom of Denmark will consist of three countries:[3]
[edit] The Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands currently consists of three countries:[4]
- Aruba
- The Netherlands
- The Netherlands Antilles
[edit] United Kingdom
The constituent countries of the United Kingdom are:[5]
As there is no term in UK law for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as a group of individual parts, terminology varies with context. The word "country" when used in this context simply denotes an area of land irrespective of administrative boundaries.
The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom and are not represented in the United Kingdom Parliament as they are direct dependencies of the British Crown.
[edit] Background
The word country does not necessarily connote political independence, so it may, according to context, be used to refer both to the United Kingdom and to England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Thus, for example, the British Prime Minister's website refers to "countries within a country", stating "The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."[6] This article discusses the use of the phrase 'constituent countries' within that context, but it should be remembered that the phrase necessarily takes its meaning from its surrounding context which may be different.[7]
Although the term 'constituent countries' is sometimes used by official government bodies in the UK, they are also simply referred to as countries; thus the 2001 British Census asked residents of the UK their "country of birth" with tick box options of: Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland; England; Republic of Ireland and Elsewhere;[8] and the Office for National Statistics states in its glossary that "In the context of the UK, each of the four main subdivisions (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is referred to as a country".[9]
The British Embassy in the United States uses the word 'countries' on its website, rather than constituent countries[10]
Historically, Ireland (between 1801 and 1921) and subsequently for a brief period, Southern Ireland (between 1921 and 1922) were what could be regarded today as constituent countries. However, use of the phrase constituent country is a relatively recent evolution and was not applied to those territories. Use of the term constituent country is sometimes regarded as inappropriate when applied to Northern Ireland because some do not regard it as a country. Instead, some regard it as a province of the UK while others regard it as part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland.
[edit] Alternative terms
The phrase 'component countries' was used by an MP in a written question, but the answer given referred to 'countries' rather than 'component countries'.[11] The overlapping, but not identical, term Home Nations is also occasionally used by government bodies, but is almost exclusively used in sporting contexts, particularly rugby union; this term more frequently means England, Scotland, Ireland (as a whole), and Wales.
Sometimes the four countries are described as 'constituent parts'.[12][13]
[edit] References
- ^ Definition
- ^ example
- ^ "The United Kingdom of Denmark" (HTML). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. http://www.um.dk/en/menu/ForeignPolicy/GreenlandAndTheFaroeIslands/. Retrieved on 2008-11-28.
- ^ "Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles: Political relations within the Kingdom of the Netherlands". Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties. http://www.minbzk.nl/bzk2006uk/subjects/aruba-and-the. Retrieved on 2007-10-13.
- ^ countries within a country[1].
- ^ Number 10
- ^ Term used by British and Irish Governments and British media.
- ^ 2001 British Census.
- ^ Office for National Statistics.
- ^ British Embassy in the United States of America.
- ^ House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Feb 2000 (pt 35)
- ^ "Constituent parts" used by US government.
- ^ "Constituent parts" used by British government.
[edit] See also
For the United Kingdom's constituent countries:
- Countries of the United Kingdom
- Subdivisions of the United Kingdom
- Home Nations
- British nationality law
- British subject
- Northern Ireland Assembly
- Scottish Parliament
- National Assembly for Wales
- Devolved English Parliament
- Crown dependency
- British Isles (terminology)
