----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> A patron at the reference desk needs to know:
> [1] how many sovereign countries were on the globe in 1992
> [2] how many sovereign countries were on the globe in 1993
> [3] if any have split up / been absorbed since Jan.1, 1994
>
> Thanks in advance.  Our statistical sources' figures are too old.
>
>               _________ _____________________________ _________
>              (         )   /^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^\   (         )
>              (_(~~~~~)_) /       Antje Mays        \ (_(~~~~~)_)
>               |       | (                           ) |       |
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>               |       |        Daniel Library         |       |
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>
We have been struggling over this one too.
 
Some background firts.  The National Atlas in 1993 republished its 1972 world
map with all the requisite changes, including new country names nad the UNESCO
policy approved local city names for the world.
 
We have now arranged through the local Ottawa Citizen newspaper (Southam chain)
to publish in a series of continent by continent country outline maps with
text and commentaries provided by us describing the various changes in detail
since 1972 and in outline since 1945.
 
It was quite a project and given that we had to try to accurately represent
official Canadian govt. policy in areas where there may not have been any
(or it was obcsure to say the least) we had to consider this list with care.
Suffice to say that we ended up with a list of 'non-countries'- places that
while having some degrees of internal or historical self governance or indepe-
ndence do not meet all the accepted criteria as 'independent'
as well as independent.  However as anyone who has tried this knows there is
no one criteria that can be simply applied as ultimately it depends on a country
by country approval.
 
Tell The Citadel the following re. countries:
 
It is difficult to assess the status of several countries (e.g. we normally do
not consider Taiwan a country, but tell that to the locals !), and the date some
such as Bosnia became independent is a judgement call.  However,  a reasonably
reliable guess based on the files compiled for the National Atlas World Map of
1993 is as follows:
 
Sovereign countries at Jan. 1,1992:   187
Changes in 1992:  Bosnia, and "Macedonia" both became generally recognized as
independent.
 
Sovereign countries at Jan. 1,1993:    189
Changes in 1993:  Czechoslovakia broke up to form the Czech Republic and the
Slovak Republic;  Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia.  This is a net gain
of 2 countries.
 
Sovereign countries at Jan. 1,1994:   191
No new sovereign countries since then, and no losses, either.
 
The above was provided by Paul Harker our resarch geographer most closely
involved in this project.
 
Incidentally anyone wishing copies of these maps can abtain copies on request
available for distribution id about a m,onth.  They will be free but Canadian
requesters are asked to copy their request to the local Editor of their Southam
chain newspaper (of which there are 17 in Canada) asking to have the series
picked up locally.  American requesters might consider asking their local
newspaper
to carry it also by arrangement with Southam Ottawa, (Mike Gillespie, Ottawa
Citizen, 613-596-3702)
egards
iain taylor
chief geographer
National Atlas of Canada Information Service
(613-992-4028)