Question

The principal actors in international relations continue to be states. What are the four requirements for recognition as a state, and why is each of these requirements important

Answer 1

International relations can be defined as linked to a series of actions that promote interactions between states. Actors are entities that participate in or promote international relations.

Four requirements for recognition as a state:

1). Population - there must be some people to establish the existence of a state but there is not a specification of a minimum number of people and again there is not a requirement that all of the people be national of the state.

2). Defined territory - there is not a necessity of having well established boundaries as the international Court of justice said in the north sea continental shelf cases there is no rule that the land frontier of a state must be fully delimited and defined.

3). Government - a state requires a government that functions as a political body within the laws of the land. But it is not a condition precedent for recognition as an independent state.

4). Capacity to entire in to relationship with other state - the last requirement is about independency in other words independence is indicated by the criterion of capacity to enter in to relations with other states.

Importance of these requirements

1. That the community ( of new state ) must be politically organized,
2. That it should have control over a definite territory,
3. That the control should tend towards permanency,
4. That such community must be independent. In other words, the attributes of statehood are people, territory, Government, and sovereignty.