# How do you become a country? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182 "2002-04-23T18:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roces22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e480ec/32.png) [@roces22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roces22)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/1 "2002-04-23T18:25:32Z")
My friends and I were wondering what the requirements to become a country are. Is there a certian amount of land mass u need? and also who do you tell that you are a countery? is it the U.N.? ---
**Author:** ![meta-x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@meta-x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meta-x)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/2 "2002-04-23T18:34:25Z")
First, you need land, size is not much of importance as long as you can have enough people on it to form a government. When you have those two thing, you can claim the land as a country and try to get recognition from the U.N. It will be much more easier with a democratic government since if the government claim independance and that has been vote democratically the U.N. won’t have much choice but to accept you as a state. I guess getting the land would be the harder part 🙂 But, down the line, a territory become a country if that’s what the people living there wants. Of course, if someone else think you are part of his country then it may get a little harder! ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/3 "2002-04-23T18:50:40Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope, **roces22** and **meta-x**. This is a fairly common question to come up here, but I won’t try to find and link you to those threads. Why not? Because I can link you to the ultimate authority: A Straight Dope column. It’s always a good idea to check the archives whenever you find yourself in need of information, because Cecil has probably covered it. [How do I go about starting my own country?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_300.html) ---
**Author:** ![bhb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bhb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bhb)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/4 "2002-04-23T18:57:45Z")
most of these plots aren’t country size but they could be a start for your empire as it grows and slowly takes over the world. I think all of these islands belong to a country, but that just means your empire will be able to show its raw strength early on fighting countries for your independance. [http://www.privateislandsonline.com/](http://www.privateislandsonline.com/) Now, it is essential they you can protect so that you can claim it as your own. You’ll need some firearms for your troops which can be found here. [http://www.bushmaster.com/request.asp](http://www.bushmaster.com/request.asp) Now, you’ll need several hundred copies of these books for you soldiers. It will explain some good guerilla warfare techniques for the use on your tree-dense island. [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0252068920/ref=pd\_sim\_books/002-3026435-9689609](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0252068920/ref=pd_sim_books/002-3026435-9689609) Good luck! Fight wisely and die with honor! ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/5 "2002-04-24T02:03:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by meta-x \* > \*\*But, down the line, a territory become a country if that’s what the people living there wants. Of course, if someone else think you are part of his country then it may get a little harder! \*\* The prime example being Taiwan - a country with a democratically elected government, its own armed forces, a highly successful economy, a strong currency, better human rights and legal processes than the majority of countries in this world - but no diplomatic recognition from other countries (with some minor exceptions), and a communist neighbor that threatens to invade if it doesn’t “reunite with the motherland”. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-country/105182/6 "2002-04-24T04:17:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by roces22 \* > \*\*My friends and I were wondering what the requirements to become a country are. Is there a certian amount of land mass u need? and also who do you tell that you are a countery? is it the U.N.? \*\* Since the world is pretty well carved up into existing countries you can usually only form a country by breaking away from an existing one. The United States was formed by declaring itself independent, fighting a war and finally getting organized into a well functioning government. Panama became a country by finding a sponsor, the United States, who was willing to agitate the Panamanians into revolting against Colombia and becoming independent. That way the US could then bully them into allowing us a strip of extra-territorial land through the new country in which to build a canal. Neat, what?