Defining an independent nation

How many countries are there?

•N. Korea has an abundance of natural resources & S. Korea has industry. What if they reunited?

•Taiwan is the most populous state not in the UN

Nation-States in Europe

• Nation-State: state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity– Desire for self rule (self-determination)– Nation States began emerging throughout the 1800s

(Germany & Italy unification are good examples)– After WWI many E. European countries pushed for

self-determination, which was supported by President Wilson of the U.S. & many boundaries lines were changed (many boundaries were set based on lang.)

Europe before & after WWI

Imperialism in 1914

Ch.8 Key Process 3Why are Nation-States difficult to create?

• Multi-ethnic state: state that contains more than one ethnicity

• Multi-national state: country that contains more than one ethnicity w/ traditions of self-determination– Ex. Soviet Union before breakup in 1990s– Russia is the largest multi-national state

Nation-States in Europe• Denmark:

– 90% of the pop. are ethnic Danes– Most speak Danish, nearly all Danish speakers live in Denmark– 10% of pop. w/ the 2 largest minorities being Turkish & people from

former Yugoslavia– Control 2 territories where few Danish people live

• Faeroe Islands and Greenland (control most of their own domestic affairs)

• Slovenia– Was a former republic of Yugoslavia, but became independent in 1991– 83% are Slovenes– Boundaries coincide w/ Slovene ethnic group helping with overall

stability & peace– Borders Italy and w/ changing boundary lines after WWII 1/5 of

Slovenes live there

E. Europe under Communism• Many E. European ethnic groups desired self-determination but

the Communist leaders imposed centripetal forces to discourage differences until the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s– Ex. organized religion minimized, use Russian language,

socialist realism (emphasized Communist economic & social values)

• Soviet Union consisted of 15 republics now independent states: – 3 Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania– 3 European States: Belarus, Moldova, & Ukraine– 5 Central Asian states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,

Turkmenistan, & Uzbekistan– 3 Caucasus states: Azerbaijan, Armenia, & Georgia– Russia

Baltic States• Lithuania: 85% are ethnic Lithuanians,

Roman Catholic, & speak a lang. of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European lang.

• Estonia: 69% ethnic Estonians, most Estonians are Protestant (Lutheran), & speak Uralic related to Finnish

• Latvia: 59% are ethnic Latvians, Latvians are predominately Lutheran w/ lg. Roman Catholic minority, speak a lang. of the Balto-Slavic brnach

European States• Belarusians, Ukrainians, & Russians speak similar Slavic languages

& predominately Orthodox Christians

• Belarus & Ukraine: distinct due to physical isolation from Russians– Russians conquered region in 1700s– Distinct cultural differences btw. these groups

• Moldova: ethnically indistinguishable from Romanians b/c it was part of Romania until Soviet Union took it over– Began independent in 1992 & many want to reunite w/

Romania– Problem w/ reunification is Russia increased Moldova’s size &

many people on this land are Ukrainians or Russians who don’t want to unite

European States

Central Asian States• Turkmenistan: 85% Turkmen, Muslim, speak Altaic lang.

– Conquered by Russia in 1800s & Turkmens are divided btw. the two countries

• Uzbekistan: 80% Uzbek, Muslim speak Altaic lang.– Conquered by Russia in 1800s & divided among Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, &

Uzbekistan

• Kyrgyzstan: 69% Kyrgyz, 15% Uzbek, 9% Russian– Kyrgyz are Muslim who speak Altaic lang.– Resent Russians for taking best farmland

• Kazakhstan: very large in comparison to other Central Asian states– Ethnic tension btw/ Kazakhs (67%) & Russians (18%) but b/c of relative stable

economy it has been peacful– Differences include religion & lang.

• Tajikistan: civil war btw/ Tajik people

Central Asian States

Caucasus Region• Conflict in this region w/ many ethnicities & boundaries of states not matching

the territories occupied by these ethnicities

• Azerbaijan: became independent in 1991 from former Soviet Union– Fragmented state w/ discontinuous pieces of territory– Russia & Iran claimed part of it in the 1800s– 91% are Azeris– 24% of Iran include Azeris (participate in gov’t but Iran restricts teaching of

Azeri lang.)

• Armenia: became independent in 1991 from former Soviet Union– Mostly Christians, 91% are Armenian– Long history of conquest & genocide (ex. Ottoman Empire)– Conflict btw. Armenia & Azerbaijan over land – 1994 cease-fire left area of Nagorno-Karabakh technically part of Azerbaijan

but acts like an independent republic called Artsakh

• Georgia: unrest due to cultural diversity especially btw. Ossetians & Abkhazians– Abkhazians fought for NW portion of Georgia in 1990s & declared Abkhazia

to be independent– Ossetians fought w/ Georgians resulting in the Ossetians declaring South

Ossetia portion of Georgia to be independent– Russia has recognized Abkhazia & South Ossetia as independent countries &

has sent troops there

• Russia– Largest country in world– Recognize 39 ethnic groups as nationalities, many eager for independence– 20% of country are non-Russian– Independence movements are flourishing b/c Russia is less willing to

suppress these movements– Chechens (Sunni Muslims) are biggest concern for Russia

• Chechnya declared its independence after breakup of USSR & refused to join Russia

• Russia fought back b/c didn’t want other ethnicities to rebel & Chechnya also has petroleum deposits