Political union

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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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Preservation of interests[edit | edit source]

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:


Incorporating annexation[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Federal or confederal union[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Federal or confederal annexation[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Mixed unions[edit | edit source]

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Historical unions[edit | edit source]

Unification movements[edit | edit source]

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

Reunification Movement Divided since Areas affected
(at maximum extent)
Atlantic Union Never united  Frankish Empire
 Iberia
 Neapolitan Republic
 Roman Republic
 Sicily
 Sardinia
 United Kingdoms
 Slavic Federation
 Russia
 United States
 Canada
 New England
 Federated States
 Confederate States
 Mexico
 Guatemala
 Belize
 Honduras
 El Salvador
 Nicaragua
 Costa Rica
 Panama
 Caribbean Community
 Lesser Antilles
 South Aegea
United States of Gondwana Never united Gondwana
Greater Afghanistan 1893 23x15px Afghanistan
part of Template:Country data Pakistan
Greater Serbia 1918, 1995  Serbia
 Macedonia
 Montenegro
 Croatia
 Bosnia
Template:Country data Serbian Krajina
Template:Country data Republika Srpska
Greater Syria Neo-Babylonian Empire "626 BC–539 BC" Template:Country data Syria
Template:Country data Lebanon
 Iraq
 Jordan
Template:Country data Northern Cyprus
Template:Country data Kuwait
Palestinian Territories
 Israel
 Cyprus
part of Template:Country data Saudi Arabia
part of  Turkey
part of Template:Country data Iran
part of  Egypt
Greater Croatia 1945, 1993  Croatia
 Bosnia
 Serbia
Template:Country data Herzeg-Bosnia
part of  Montenegro
Greater Bulgaria 1918, 1945
 Bulgaria
 Macedonia
part of  Serbia
part of  Greece
Greater Macedonia Never united
 Macedonia
part of Bulgaria
part of  Serbia
part of  Greece
part of  Albania
Greater Albania 1945, 1991  Albania

 Kosovo

part of  Macedonia
part of  Montenegro
part of  Serbia
part of  Greece

Balkan Federation Never united  Serbia
 Macedonia
 Albania
 Croatia
 Montenegro
 Slovenia
 Bosnia
 Bulgaria
 Greece
 Romania
 Moldova
Russian Empire 1917
 Russia
 Ukraine
 Belarus
 Poland
 Latvia
 Lithuania
 Finland
 Estonia
 Georgia
 Armenia
 Azerbaijan
 Kazakhstan
 Turkmenistan
 Uzbekistan
 Tajikistan
 Moldova
 Kyrgyzstan
Arab Union 1258  Algeria
Template:Country data Bahrain
Template:Country data Comoros
Template:Country data Djibouti
 Egypt
 Iraq
 Jordan
Template:Country data Kuwait
Template:Country data Lebanon
Palestinian Territories
Template:Country data Libya
Template:Country data Mauritania
Template:Country data Morocco
Template:Country data Oman
Template:Country data Qatar
Template:Country data Saudi Arabia
Template:Country data Somalia
Template:Country data Sudan
Template:Country data Syria
Template:Country data Tunisia
Template:Country data United Arab Emirates
Template:Country data Yemen
Gulf Union Never united Template:Country data Bahrain
Template:Country data Kuwait
Template:Country data Oman
Template:Country data Qatar
Template:Country data Saudi Arabia
Template:Country data United Arab Emirates
Southeast Asian Union Never united Template:Country data Brunei
 Burma
Template:Country data Cambodia
Template:Country data East Timor
 Indonesia
Template:Country data Laos
Template:Country data Malaysia
 Philippines
Template:Country data Singapore
23x15px Thailand
 Vietnam
Greater Netherlands 1839  Belgium
 Luxembourg
 Netherlands
Central American Union 1838  Belize
 Costa Rica
 Dominican Republic
 El Salvador
 Guatemala
 Honduras
 Nicaragua
 Panama
Central Asian Union 1991  Kazakhstan
 Kyrgyzstan
 Uzbekistan
 Tajikistan
 Turkmenistan
Greater China 1895, 1911, 1949  People's Republic of China
 Republic of China
 Mongolia
part of  Russia
Template:Country data Singapore
part of Template:Country data Malaysia
 Vietnam
Cyprus 1974  Cyprus
Template:Country data Northern Cyprus
Template:Country data Akrotiri and Dhekelia (dependency of United Kingdom)
Czechoslovakia 1992  Czech Republic
 Slovakia
East African Federation Never united
Rwanda and Burundi (1962); Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania (1919)
Template:Country data Burundi
 Kenya
Template:Country data Rwanda
Template:Country data South Sudan
Template:Country data Tanzania
Template:Country data Uganda
United States of Europe Never united
Carolingian Empire (888); Roman Empire (395)
 Austria
 Belgium
 Bulgaria
 Croatia
 Cyprus
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Estonia
 Finland
 France
 Germany
 Greece
 Hungary
 Ireland
 Italy
 Latvia
 Lithuania
 Luxembourg
 Malta
 Netherlands
 Poland
 Portugal
 Romania
 Slovakia
 Slovenia
 Spain
 Sweden
 United Kingdom
Greater Finland 19401944  Finland
part of  Russia
United States of North America Never united
arguably, parts of United States and Canada before 1776 due to British Empire
 Canada
 United States
Greek reunification 1202  Greece
 Cyprus
 Turkey (Eastern Thrace,Western and Northwestern Asia Minor, Pontus, Cappadocia)
 Bulgaria (Eastern Rumelia)
 Albania (Northern Epirus including northern areas of Apollonia (Illyria), Vlorë and Berat)
 Republic of Macedonia (Monastiri area including the northern city of Ohrid and area around Strumica and Gevgelija)
Greater Hungary 1920, 1945  Hungary
 Austria (Burgenland)
 Croatia
 Poland (parts of Tatra County)
 Romania (Transylvania)
 Serbia (Vojvodina)
 Slovakia
 Slovenia (Prekmurje)
 Ukraine (Zakarpattia Oblast)
Iberian Federation 1580–1640  Portugal
 Spain
 Gibraltar (dependency of United Kingdom)
Undivided India 1947  India
Template:Country data Bangladesh
Template:Country data Pakistan
United Ireland 1922 Template:Country data Republic of Ireland
Template:Flagicon image Northern Ireland (part of United Kingdom)
Korean reunification 1948 Template:Country data Democratic People's Republic of Korea
 Republic of Korea
Hispanic America 1808-1833  Argentina
Template:Country data Bolivia
 Chile
 Colombia
 Costa Rica
 Cuba
 Dominican Republic
Template:Country data Ecuador
 El Salvador
 Guatemala
 Honduras
 Mexico
 Nicaragua
 Panama
Template:Country data Paraguay
 Peru
 Puerto Rico
Template:Country data Uruguay
 Venezuela
Great Colombia 1830, 1903  Colombia
Template:Country data Ecuador
 Panama
 Venezuela
part of  Brazil
part of Template:Country data Guyana
part of  Nicaragua
part of  Peru
Greater Mexico 1822, 1848, 1854  Belize
 Costa Rica
 El Salvador
 Guatemala
 Honduras
 Mexico
 Nicaragua
part of  United States
Inca Empire 1532-1572 Template:Country data Bolivia
Template:Country data Ecuador
 Peru
part of  Argentina
part of  Chile
part of  Colombia
Peru-Bolivian Confederation 1839 Template:Country data Bolivia
 Peru
part of  Argentina
part of  Brazil
part of  Chile
part of  Colombia
part of Template:Country data Ecuador
part of Template:Country data Paraguay
Malaysia 1965 Template:Country data Singapore
Template:Country data Malaysia
Greater Romania 1944  Moldova
 Romania
Union State 1991  Belarus
 Russia
Samoa 1900 Template:Country data Samoa
Template:Country data American Samoa
Nordic Federation 1523  Denmark
 Sweden
 Norway
 Iceland
 Finland
Transcaucasus 1936  Armenia
 Azerbaijan
 Georgia
West Indies Federation 1962  Anguilla
 Antigua and Barbuda
 Barbados
 Cayman Islands
 Dominica
 Grenada
 Jamaica
 Montserrat
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
 Saint Lucia
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
 Trinidad and Tobago
 Turks and Caicos Islands
Yugoslavia 1992 Template:Country data Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Croatia
 Macedonia
 Montenegro
 Serbia
 Slovenia
United Armenia 1639, 1828  Armenia
 Turkey (Western Armenia)
 Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Northern Artsakh and Nakhichevan)
 Georgia
(Javakhk)

Supranational and continental unions[edit | edit source]

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[clarification needed], 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:

Proposed supranational unions:

Organizations that plan to evolve into supranational unions:


References[edit | edit source]

  1. This is often seen as a federal union but is closer to an incorporating union as the four colonies were dissolved, their territories becoming provinces in a unitary state without any recognition as fixed constitutional entities

See also[edit | edit source]