Microstates in the African Continent: A Vision in Political Geography

Abstract

This study will address the issue of small states that have gained significant international importance, especially in the latter half of the past century and up to the present time. This importance is due to various political events that have had repercussions on the division of states, leading to the emergence of small states, known as "Microstates," under the guardianship of international law and organizations, primarily the United Nations. Microstates in the African continent can be classified based on their geographical location as landlocked, coastal, or island nations. This unique geographical diversity gives these small states distinct characteristics in terms of their size and resources. Small states in the world vary in terms of size and territory, and many geographers have studied the geographic aspects of small states, categorizing them into several classifications. One such classification, introduced by the researcher "Paunds," divides small states into three categories: small, very small, and microstates/dwarf states.