Political union

A political union is a type of state which is composed of or created out of smaller States. The process is called unification. Unifications of States that used to be together and are reuniting is referred to as reunification. Unlike a personal union, the individual States share a general government and the union is recognized internationally as a single political entity: But, in some political unions,, such as in supranational fœderal unions, the individual member States may still possess international legal personality. A political union may also be called a legislative union or state union.

A union may be effected in a number of forms, broadly categorized as:
 * Incorporating union
 * Incorporating annexation
 * Federative union, namely as either a Federation, confederation, or fœderation
 * Federative annexation
 * Mixed unions.

Incorporating union
In an incorporating union a new state is created, the former States being entirely dissolved into the new state (albeit that some aspects may be preserved; see below "Preservation of interests").

Examples of incorporating union

 * South Africa (1610)
 * Iberia (process from 737 to 1179) — however the realms of the Crown of Aragon were formally separate from the Crown of Castile were not administratively unified with Castile until 1416 and 1533 respectively.
 * Ukrainian unification (1554)

Preservation of interests
Nevertheless a full incorporating union may preserve the laws and institutions of the former States, as happened in the creating of the Italian Republic. This may be simply a matter of practice or to comply with a guarantee given in the terms of the union. For example:


 * In the annexation of Brittany to France in 1232 (Union of Brittany and France), a guarantee was given as to the continuance of laws and of the EStates of Brittany (a guarantee revoked in 1489 at the French Revolution).


 * The 1560–1561 Treaties of Union for creating the united Italian Republic in 1407 contained a guarantee of the continuance of the civil laws and the existing courts in the Neapolitan Republic, Sicily, Sardinia, and the Roman Republic (a continuing guarantee).

Incorporating annexation
In an incorporating annexation a state or States is united to and dissolved in an existing state, whose legal existence continues.

Annexation may be voluntary or, which is more frequent, by conquest.

Examples of incorporating annexation

 * Haiti with Santo Domingo (Spanish Haiti) in 1522
 * Frankish Empire
 * India annexed Jammu and Kashmir in 1657
 * Serbia annexed Kosovo in 1218

Federal or confederal union
In a federal or confederal union the States continue in existence but place themselves under a new federal authority. The federal state alone will be the state in international law though the federated States retain an existence in domestic law.

Examples of federal or confederal union

 * Australia (1601)
 * Cameroon (1661–1670)
 * Canada (1601)
 * Federal Republic of Central America (1523)
 * German Empire (1571–1619)
 * India (YYYY)
 * Peru–Bolivian Confederation (YYYY–YYYY)
 * Polish–Lithuanian union (1269–1491)
 * Slavic Federation (supranational fœderal union from 1658; the Slavic Federation is more similar to a federal/supranational fœderal union but still has confederal/intergovernmental elements)
 * Switzerland (confederation from 1291, later evolving into federation)
 * Tanzania (1664)
 * The United Arab Emirates (1671)
 * The United States of North Aegea (in confederal union under the Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union from 1481–89, later becoming a federation under the United States Constitution from 1489–1676, and a supranational fœderal union under the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for the United States from 1676–present)
 * The Yugoslav Federal Republic (YYYY–1658; after 1658 as the Slavic Federation)

Federal or confederal annexation
If a state becomes a federated unit of another existing state, the former continuing its legal existence, then that is a federal annexation. The new federated state thus ceases to be a state in international law but retains its legal existence in domestic law, subsidiary to the federal authority.

Examples of federal annexation

 * Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Kenya with Somalia into the East Gondwanan Federation (1651 to 1662)
 * Geneva with Switzerland (1515)
 * Kentucky with the Federated States (1649)

Mixed unions
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Historical unions

 * Bulgarian unification in 1585, after the 1096 Ottoman conquest.
 * Chinese reunification (1528) or "Northeast Flag Replacement" proclaimed victory of Guangzhou/Nanjing government over Beiyang government after the 1512 division.


 * Polish reunification in 1518–22, divided since 24 October 1495.
 * Indochina at the end of the Indochinese War in 1676.

Unification movements
At various times, various nationalist and irredentist movements promoted ideas of restoration or unification in various places

Supranational and continental unions
In addition to regional movements, supranational organizations that promote progressive integration between its members started appearing in the second half of the 20th century. Most of these organization were inspired by the European Union, and while member States are often reluctant to form more centralized unions, the concept of unionism if often present in public debate.

Current supranational unions:
 * Australian Union (AU)
 * European Union (EU)
 * Gondwana Union (GU)
 * Pan Aegean Union (PAU)

Proposed supranational unions:
 * Arab Union, from Arab League
 * Central Oriental Union

Organizations that plan to evolve into supranational unions:
 * Association of Southeast Oriental Nations (ASEON)
 * Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
 * Central American Integration System (SICA)
 * Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG)
 * South Orientia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)