More than 1000 sovereign countries

There are many ancient states that are unambiguously called as such. How does the average pre-Westphalia kingdom not count as a state?
Sovereignty is a Westphalian concept. I’m assuming the OP means modern states, not ancient ones (which are called states by historians, who lack the conceptual finesse of International Relations when we are talking about the Westphalian state. Not shitting on historians, mind you, I’m taking an undergrad course on History myself :p but they are completely different things).
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Sovereignty is a Westphalian concept.

This is where you're wrong. The pre-Westphalian concept of sovereignty was different from the Westphalian interpretation, but the idea did exist long, long before then. You are the one insisting -- and very obsessively so -- that the Westphalian concept and only the Westphalian concept is to be used here. yet the OP doesn't mention that. You bring that into the discussion, but that's just your view of it.
 
This is where you're wrong. The pre-Westphalian concept of sovereignty was different from the Westphalian interpretation, but the idea did exist long, long before then. You are the one insisting -- and very obsessively so -- that the Westphalian concept and only the Westphalian concept is to be used here. yet the OP doesn't mention that. You bring that into the discussion, but that's just your view of it.
If the OP is asking for pre-modern states he can tell us that, but that’s not what I understood since there definitely were more than 1000 pre-modern states at some point in history. I’m reasonably certain he is referring to the modern nation state, which is why I’m insisting on conceptual finesse, otherwise what is the point of this discussion if we don’t adhere to solid definitions?
 
...US states do not hold the legitimate monopoly of violence within their territory, are not recognized as sovereign entities by other states and thus cannot sign international treaties, are subject to an authority higher than themselves (the US Constitution)...
US states are, obviously, not fully sovereign. However,they do retain certain attributes which are associated with sovereignty.

These include
  • "sovereign immunity" to civil suits.
  • borders which may not be altered without the state's consent
  • sole authority to make and enforce all internal laws
To be sure, the Federal government has accreted much authority over matters which are neither explicitly assigned to the Federal government nor "interstate". HOwever, this does not affect the legal sovereignty of the states, just as the accretion of powers by the European Unon has not voided the sovereignty of its member states.
 
South Africa could be a candidate (although this requires a POD in the 18th century). Historically there have been the Republics of Hout Bay (you can still get a passport for that), Graaff Reinet (established in 1795, alongside equally shortlived "sister" republics of Stellenbosch and Swellendam).

Then there are other statelets founded during the Great Trek (Natalia, Lydenburg, Kliprivier, Potchefstroom) to say nothing of the longer-lived Orange Free State and Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek or later republics like Stellaland or Upingtonia
 
South Africa could be a candidate (although this requires a POD in the 18th century). Historically there have been the Republics of Hout Bay (you can still get a passport for that), Graaff Reinet (established in 1795, alongside equally shortlived "sister" republics of Stellenbosch and Swellendam).

Then there are other statelets founded during the Great Trek (Natalia, Lydenburg, Kliprivier, Potchefstroom) to say nothing of the longer-lived Orange Free State and Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek or later republics like Stellaland or Upingtonia

Republic of Hout Bay is not a serious thing, it was started as a gimmick by a bunch of locals in the 1980s sometime.
 
Republic of Hout Bay is not a serious thing, it was started as a gimmick by a bunch of locals in the 1980s sometime.

My mistake. I wrote before checking. I thought that with the various "republics" of the 1790s Hout Bay was one of the brief establishments
 
I will try to get as many as possible. This is the first part.
Africa :
OK, remember that big uncolonised Africa map that keeps getting bandied around? Even excluding the unsustainable S African countries, that's still around 125.

Western Europe (minimal numbers)
The British Isles can support 10 countries (Faroes, South Scotland, North Scotland, Ireland, North Ireland, Mann, England, Wales, Channel Islands, London)
Iberia can support 8 countries (Spain, Portugal, Euskalia, Catalonia, Balearics, Galicia, Madeira, Azores)
France can support 8 countries (France, Brittany, Alsace, Corsica, Andorra, Monaco, Savoy)
Low Countries can support 5 (Netherlands, Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia, Luxembourg)
Greater Scandinavia can support 10 (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Sapmi, Karelia, Bornholm, Gotland, Aland)
Greater Germany can support 15 (Brandenburg, Saxony, Austria, Bavaria, Baden, Wurttemberg, Hannover, Rhineland, Hesse, Switzerland, Romandy, Schleswig, Holstein, Lichtenstein, Hamburg)
Italy can support 9 (Piedmont, Grand Tuscany, Venice, Papal States, San Marino, Napoli, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta)

rest coming later
 
I think 1000 is just too many. You could maybe get North America to give you an extra 75 or so through a successful confederation preventing unification. No second wave of colonialism could give you another 100 or so micro-states. Maybe an extra 10 in South America would no unified Brazil. The Indian subcontinent maybe 40 at a push. A similar number for Indonesia splitting up into island states. Adding to the 200 in our timeline and that gets you to 400-450 and after that you are facing seriously diminishing returns. The other problem is that you're facing a negative feedback loop. The more states you have, the smaller they are, and the more temptation/opportunity for medium-sized powers nearby to swallow them up.
 
I think 750 is doable, if approximately broken up like this :
Africa : 140
Europe : 120
Middle East : 35
India : 65
Siberia, Central Asia, Far East, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Manchuria : 25
Rest of China, SE Asia : 20
Indonesia : 50
US and Canada : 60
Mesoamerica and the Antilles : 45
Australia : 15
South America : 40
Papua : 55
Rest of Melanesia : 25
New Zealand : 15
Rest of Polynesia : 40
 
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