II.   Sovereign

A Country is a 15th Century term meaning a place having a unique geographic and topographical position in which three (3) or more permanent settlements unite to form a distinct body politic and demography that then possesses formal political recognition from one (1) or more Countries.

The word “Country” is derived from the combination of two (2) Latin words Conti meaning “poles (posts)” and Tres meaning “three”. Hence the literal meaning of Country is “three posts or poles on conquered / claimed land”.

The key elements by original definition of what constitutes a Country are Geography, Topography, Settlements, Body Politic, Demography and Political Recognition:

(i) Geography of a Country is the survey and measurement of the physical characteristics of a particular place including its boundaries that it may be described uniquely; and

(ii) Topography of a Country is the application of certain names and language of cultural meaning to landmarks, maps, charts and surveys of the Geography including the physical evidence of these points of topography including but not limited to posts, monuments and markers; and

(iii) Settlements within a Country is the existence of a minimum of three (3) permanent settlements upon declared and claimed sovereign soil, also representing topographical posts, distinct and separate from one another; and

(iv) A Body Politic of a Country is the existence of a form of government and sovereignty by which the permanent settlements agree to be governed; and

(v) The Demography of a Country is the unique survey and characteristics of the people, the political and administrative divisions of the place according to the Topography of the Country; and

(vi) Political Recognition of a Country is any formal act by the government or legislature of another Country whereby the existence and status of the Country is publicly acknowledge by decree, deed, statute, gazette, treaty or some means.

The different types of Countries may be defined by any of the variations in the key elements of what constitutes a Country, especially by type of Body Politic or by Independent Sovereign Jurisdiction of its boundaries:

(i) A Country may be capable of exercising exclusive and full independent Sovereign Jurisdiction within its boundaries; or

(ii) A Country may be partially annexed whereby some of its claimed territory is occupied by forces of a different Country; or

(iii) A Country may be fully occupied by forces of a different Country.

A Country may itself also represent a Territory of another “higher” Country. Alternatively, a Country may possess one (1) or more Territories itself, that may also qualify as being defined as a Country.

The recognition of a Country by an external body or other Countries does not diminish or abrogate the validity of a Country that is capable of demonstrating the key elements of what constitutes a Country.