European Style Micro-states Outside of Europe

[AfriqueStyle]

What are some possibilities for European-style micro-states to exist outside of Europe? By that, I mean a country with a population of less than 100,000, and a land border with another country (Malta doesn't count).
Most of the European micro-states are centuries old, or formed out of negotiations with centuries old monarchies. But most of the non-European world is going have it's geopolitical slate erased by European colonization, and it would be very difficult for a micro-state to survive this. But there are some countries which have persisted despite European vassalization, such as Lesotho and Brunei, although those countries are much bigger than any European micro-state.

 

[Nephi]

How about this

Narváez and the San Juan Islands


Narváez came about when part of Vancouver Island sat below the 49th parallel, claimed by both countries, disputed by both countries, eventually the two agreed that neither of them would annex it.

Narváez gets it's name from the first European to explore it, it's the largest settlement with a population of about 32,000, otl's Victoria.

 

[Arkenfolm]

If city-states count, then Halifax. Basically the Patriots in the American Revolution are more successful at inspiring a local uprising in Nova Scotia which leads to the conquest of the province, but the city of Halifax with its British garrison and constant Royal Navy reinforcement holds out. Fighting in Nova Scotia (which at the time included New Brunswick) continues until the end of the war, at which the colony is ceded to the United States but Halifax remains a British possession. As local government spreads throughout the British Empire, Halifax becomes self-governing and thereafter acts as an independent nation.

Independent New Orleans is a popular option for a city-state but the POD seems pretty hard to arrange. Of course, if you had a border between Louisiana and the US (or British North America) set at the Mississippi you could have some interesting possibilities like West Florida or perhaps an exclave formed by the shifting of the river.

I think a surviving Inca or Aztec Empire could easily have a city-state or two. Normally city-states stick with their original empire, but it's not hard to see Spain crumble like OTL and their city-state of Callao seeking independence since it would give them better options in terms of trade and defense.

The Maya state of Chan Santa Cruz could survive with British protection and never join Belize. Similarly, a surviving Miskito Kingdom might count as well for a micro-nation.

 

[Nephi]

Another one an independent Northwest Angle.

Ojibwe came about from a survey error in which neither side could agree, eventually it was agreed upon that neither country would annex this land. The native Ojibwe people have the ONLY truly independent native remnant nation on the continent. Same timeline as Narváez, that's two in North America along the US Canada border. I imagine they'd be smugglers dens too, especially Narváez.

 

[Falecius]

If the United Arab Emirates do not, well, unite, a couple of the resulting polities might well fit the bill. Though that, in itself, is not very easy.

 

[Prince of Permsia]

How about surviving Indian Princely states?

 

[Nivek]

Cartagena Colombia could be one, they being a trade port republic till Barranquilla make it decline

 

[Lascupa0788]

There were a surprisingly large number of very tiny states in places like India, Arabia, China, and Indonesia, many of which were actually fully independent in the 20th century for brief moments due to one circumstance or another. In the right circumstances, keeping that going may have been possible.

Another source of tiny areas with unexpected rulers was of course European colonies and concessions throughout Asia. It may be possible to construct a scenario where one or several of those is able to transition to independence rather than being directly subsumed into the surrounding major state- perhaps an Indian government which is somehow still firmly in Britain's pocket wouldn't be willing to enter into a lapsing French or Portuguese territory, say, or maybe a weak Chinese government might allow some small concessions to transition to an internally run international settlements rather than direct control by either them or a European power.

Small conflicts of interest at borders in line with that that created Andorra or Couto Mixto could of course occur in Asia as well. A prime candidate seems to me to be some of the Bhutanese and Ladakhi enclaves in Tibet; perhaps local rule by their respective monastic communities combined with partnerships to the Chinese or Tibetan government and that of whatever exists in India could have developed, without reality's turn of events. I suppose its also possible to imagine oddities created by people ending up on the wrong side of new border delineations, too; perhaps a China that strictly adheres to the McMahon line alongside an authority in India unwilling to exert full control in formerly Tibetan areas could allow Tawang to establish itself as a weird remnant state, say.

Dynastic remnants like Liechtenstein are of course a possibility too. Some such as Bahrain and Brunei arguably already fit the bill, and I don't see why you couldn't contrive a similar but even smaller one.

I guess with the right government in Arabia, you could totally see a Sharifate of Mecca and/or Medina with only those cities or even just parts of them under its administration, in line with the Vatican in a way. The same kind of thing could've probably happened in Jerusalem as well if the right people got their ways.

 

[Kevin C. Smith]

It might be possible to create/keep many of those in the Western Hemisphere. A few scenarios that spring to mind:
-A colonial settlement that does not thrive but does not die out. The surrounding area gets claimed by another power but the settlement isn't worth fighting over.
-A place that is sufficiently important to fight over but logistically difficult/expensive to garrison or hold on to. The warring parties may be able to compromise at leaving it an independent country, too small to cause trouble for either/anyone else.
-A small colony that is settled by a minor power that never has ability to expand it. Anytime a fight between larger powers breaks out, neither on wants to add the small country to the opponent's alliance so everyone leaves it alone.
-A small colony in a place to handle a lot of trade...and no one wants to kill the goose that lays the hinterland's golden eggs (New Orleans or New Amsterdam spring to mind, here).
-Smaller colonies given/started by titled nobles, who end up keeping them when the home country suffers some sort of revolution.

 

[Sceonn]

The geopolitical situation that tolerates their existence is rather unique. I think a decolonization process of Africa might be able to forge a few.

 

[Byzantion]

What are some possibilities for European-style micro-states to exist outside of Europe? By that, I mean a country with a population of less than 100,000, and a land border with another country (Malta doesn't count).
Most of the European micro-states are centuries old, or formed out of negotiations with centuries old monarchies. But most of the non-European world is going have it's geopolitical slate erased by European colonization, and it would be very difficult for a micro-state to survive this. But there are some countries which have persisted despite European vassalization, such as Lesotho and Brunei, although those countries are much bigger than any European micro-state.

Maybe an Asiatic Greek entity in the Near East or Anatolia ?

 

[Slime_blob]

No colonization

 

[DG Valdron]

Singapore?

 

[Aghasverov]

If the United Arab Emirates do not, well, unite, a couple of the resulting polities might well fit the bill. Though that, in itself, is not very easy.

Figure out a way to avert the unification of South Yemen during the independence process, and there's a couple dozen more Arabian microstates

 

[Polish Eagle]

I want to suggest an independent NYC as the Free City of Tri-Insula (as Mayor Wood wanted), but the population is outside the OP's parameters.

Otherwise, Indian princely states are probably the easiest, as someone else suggested. Or maybe one of the very tiny European colonies on the African coast turning into its own independent state--if the Danish Gold Coast is not sold to Britain, and instead the plantation schemes of OTL succeed, you might get a very tiny microstate on the African coast.

 

[durante]

How about this

Narváez and the San Juan Islands


Narváez came about when part of Vancouver Island sat below the 49th parallel, claimed by both countries, disputed by both countries, eventually the two agreed that neither of them would annex it.

Narváez gets it's name from the first European to explore it, it's the largest settlement with a population of about 32,000, otl's Victoria.

VI below the 49th is about 6000 sq km, larger than Prince Edward Island and OTL population of about 500,000.

 

[Codae]

Greenland becomes independent and ratifies a Canadian border agreement through Hans Island instead of on either side of it.

Or, possibly more plausibly (but requiring an earlier POD): some substantial part of the Canadian Arctic gets claimed by Denmark, including some but not all of some island.

Sint Maarten counts IOTL, if you use a generous definition of "country".