Island country

An island country (also island nation{{cite book | last = Lie | first = John | title = Multiethnic Japan | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=3aGeH0keCGUC&pg=PA130&dq=%22island+nation%22&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES#PPA130,M1 | accessdate = 2009-04-23 | year = 2004 | publisher = Harvard University Press | isbn = 0674013581 | page = 130 | quote = Japan is an island nation, or shimaguni}}{{cite book | last = Trauth | first = Eileen Moore | title = The culture of an information economy | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=F2xV-kZLKTQC&pg=PA229&dq=%22island+nation%22&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES | accessdate = 2009-04-23 | edition = Illustrated | year = 200 | publisher = Springer | isbn = 0792365550 | page = 229 | quote = ... being an island nation made Ireland remote in a physical sense.}}) is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. As of 2008, forty-seven (appoximately 25%{{cite book | last = Ott | first = Dana | title = Small is Democratic | publisher = Routledge | date = 2000 | pages = 128 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=JOqZ9eOeRXoC&pg=PA128&dq=%22island+country%22&lr=#PPA128,M1 | isbn = 0815339100}}) of the world's countries are island countries.

Politics

The percentage of island countries that are democratic is higher than that of countries, although historically they have been more prone to political instability.{{cite book | last = Ott | first = Dana | title = Small is Democratical and is very alien like | publisher = Routledge | date = 2000 | pages = 128 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=JOqZ9eOeRXoC&pg=PA128&dq=%22island+country%22&lr=#PPA128,M1 | isbn = 0815339100}}

War

Island countries have often been the basis of maritime conquest and historical rivalry between other countries.{{cite web | last = Chasle | first = Raymond | title = The quest for identity. (island countries) | publisher = UNESCO Courier | date = 01-OCT-1986 | url = http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9197350_ITM | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} Island countries are more susceptible to attack by large, continental countries due to their size and dependence on sea lines of communication and air lines of communication.{{cite book | last = Perry | first = Walt L. | coauthors = Robert W. Button, Jerome Bracken, Thomas Sullivan, Rand Corporation, United States Navy, Jonathan Mitchell | title = Measures of Effectiveness for the Information-age Navy | publisher = Rand Corporation | date = 2002 | pages = 7 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=VwI0WLby3WoC&pg=PA7&dq=%22island+country%22&lr=#PPA7,M1 | isbn = 0833031392}} Many island countries are also vulnerable to predation by mercenaries and other foreign invaders.{{cite web | last = WREN | first = CHRISTOPHER S. | title = Mercenary Holding Island Nation Seeks Deal | publisher = New York Times | date = December 9, 1989 | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3DB173CF93AA35751C1A96F948260 | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} However, their isolation also makes them a difficult target.

Natural resources

Many island countries rely heavily on fish for their main supply of food.{{cite web | title = OTTAWA: REPORT ISSUES WARNING ABOUT FUTURE OF CORAL FISHERIES | publisher = Radio Canada International | date = 2007-04-21 | url = http://www.rcinet.ca/rci/en/news/2007/04/20070421.shtml | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} Some are turning to renewable energy—such as wind power, hydropower, geothermal power and biodiesel from copra oil—to combat the rise in oil prices.{{cite web | last = Xingwei | first = Huang | title = Pacific Islands countries switch to renewable energy source due to increasing fuel prices | publisher = | date = 2008-10-17 | url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/17/content_10210370.htm | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}

Geography

Some island countries are more affected by climate change than other countries. Some low-lying island countries are slowly being submerged by the rising water levels of the Pacific Ocean.{{cite web | title = Leader of disappearing island nation says climate change an issue of survival, not economics | date = June 5, 2008 | url = http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/05/asia/AS-GEN-New-Zealand-World-Environment-Day.php | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} Climate change also impacts island countries by causing natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, hurricanes, flash floods and drought.{{cite web | title = FAO: Climate change threatens food security of Pacific island countries | date = December 02, 2008 | url = http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90856/6544815.html | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}

Economics

Many island countries rely heavily on imports and are greatly affected by changes in the global economy.{{cite web | title = Global economic crisis a concern for Pacific island countries | date = 2008-10-28 | url = http://www.cctv.com/program/bizchina/20081028/106856.shtml | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} The economies of island countries are usually smaller and more vulnerable to shipping costs, environmental damage to infrastructure, and isolation from other economies than those of larger, continental countries (excluding Japan, Australia and the U.K.) {{cite web | title = WTO/FORSEC Trade Policy Course for Pacific island countries | date = 9 March 2001 | url = http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news01_e/fiji_e.htm | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}{{cite web | title = NZ calls for global solutions to problems faced by small island nations | date = 2005-01-18 | url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/18/content_2475179.htm | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}{{cite web | last = Garg | first = Sarika | title = U.N. ambassador gives keynote | url = http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=ce109893-987e-42f8-816f-019cbd58eefa | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} The dominant industry for many island countries is tourism.{{cite web | title = China enlists Pacific island countries as tourist destinations, XINHUA. | date = 10-AUG-04 | url = http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-12915601_ITM | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}

Composition

Island countries are typically small with relatively low populations.{{cite web | title = Wen pledges new aid to Pacific countries | publisher = International Herald Tribute | date = April 5, 2006 | url = http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/05/news/pacific.php | accessdate = 2009-02-01}} Some island countries are centred on one or two major islands, such as the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand and Singapore. Others are spread out over hundreds or thousands of smaller islands, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Maldives. Some island countries share their islands with other countries; these include the United Kingdom and Ireland, Haiti and Dominican Republic, and Indonesia, which shares islands with Papua New Guinea, Brunei, East Timor and Malaysia. Australia is geographically considered a continent, not an island, although in the past it was considered an island country for tourism purposes.{{cite web | title = Australian Naval Defence | publisher = The Brisbane Courier | date = 24 July 1897 | url = http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3655029 | accessdate = 2009-01-31}} It is sometimes still considered an island country.{{cite web | title = China, Pacific island countries discuss cooperation at forum meeting | url = http://english.people.com.cn/200604/05/eng20060405_256086.html | accessdate = 2009-02-01}}

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