# Which cities or countries are regarded as city-states?



## Arvo (Jul 9, 2005)

I'm wondering what are the places in the contemporary world are regarded as city-states? Must it be a fully independent country? How about its size? Share your thought.

Do you regard the following cities/countries as city-states?

*Americas*
Barbados
Bermuda

*Africa*
Mauritius

*Asia*
Bahrain
Hong Kong 
Kuwait
Macau
Qatar
Singapore

*Europe*
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Good question. I would not consider Luxembourg or Malta a city state. They are not made up by one single big city but more fragmented with a dominating capital town but several other municipalities on their own. Of course its a matter of definition.

Monaco on the side clearly is a city state.


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## Galro (Aug 9, 2010)

The Vatican?


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## Chrissib (Feb 9, 2008)

Out of these you gave I only consider Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and Monaco city states. The other countries are very small and doninated by one city, but they are too loosely populated and there are other cities on their territory.


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## Arvo (Jul 9, 2005)

I think the Vatican is really too small to be considered as a city-state. But here come the question: how large/small the city/country should be before it can be considered a city-state? Singapore and Bahrain are of similar size, but I seldom hear people saying Bahrain is a city-state. So the second question, how dominant the main city in the country is so that it can be considered as a city-state?

I'm interested in how city-state evolves and how it tackles the shortcomings and seizes opportunities that other countries do not have. For example, look at the water management in Singapore, a city of over 5 million that strives to become self-sufficient in water usage. Look at Hong Kong, a part of China per se but recently the citizens there reacted strongly to the implementation of national education advocated by the Chinese government. 

On the other hand, both cities are competitive, highly successful in the world business stage and have a per capita GDP surpassing many of the developed countries. So definitely there are unique opportunities a city-state has that compensate to its shortcomings.


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## NorthWesternGuy (Aug 25, 2005)

France and the UK :troll:


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Hong Kong is not a completely a city-state. Though it has it's own currency and economic system, it is still a region of China, a special one.

Same with Macao.


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## Mr_Dru (Dec 15, 2008)

For me Hongkong and Singapore.


And...Brussels. A Frencophone city situated in the Flemish region.


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## shree711 (Dec 12, 2011)

There are ONLY 3 city states really.

They are:

Singapore, Monaco and the Vatican City.

Hong Kong, though considered to be a city-state is not a country in the true sense. Therefore, neither is Macao.


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## shree711 (Dec 12, 2011)

Manila-X said:


> Hong Kong is not a completely a city-state. Though it has it's own currency and economic system, it is still a region of China, a special one.
> 
> Same with Macao.


Precisely. In the true sense, there really are only 3 city states. Even wikipedia will tell you that.


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## shree711 (Dec 12, 2011)

Should the question for this thread be:

Which cities or countries are regarded as city-states?

or

Which cities or countries do *YOU* regard as city-states?

If the question is as it is on the thread, I have stated my answer.

Otherwise, I will say:

Hong Kong
Singapore
Macao
Monaco
Gibraltar
Vatican City (though insignificant)

Malta is considered by some to be a city state. But it does have farms and villages. It also has separate islands with no road connectivity. (Hong Kong's major islands do have road connectivity)


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

shree711 said:


> Should the question for this thread be:
> 
> Which cities or countries are regarded as city-states?
> 
> ...


HK also has it's rural areas as well but only a small percentage of the territory. Most of them are in The New Territories or The Outlying Islands.

On the other hand, Lantau Island's connectivity only happened during the construction of Chek Lap Kok until it's completion. But before that, the only way of accessing the island to HK's mainland is through ferries.


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## shree711 (Dec 12, 2011)

Manila-X said:


> HK also has it's rural areas as well but only a small percentage of the territory. Most of them are in The New Territories or The Outlying Islands.
> 
> On the other hand, Lantau Island's connectivity only happened during the construction of Chek Lap Kok until it's completion. But before that, the only way of accessing the island to HK's mainland is through ferries.


Wherever there is significant stuff, there is connectivity. Yes, Hong Kong does have an insane number of villages. However, they are not exactly rural; i am not sure how to describe them.


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

What about city-states within countries? If HongKong and Macau are mentioned here, then also the following cities should be considered city-states:

- Hamburg, Berlin and Bremen (three of the 16 states which form the Federal Republic of Germany)
- Vienna (one of the 9 states which form Austria)
- Brussels (the Brussels Capital Region is fully urbanised and is one of the three regions forming Belgium)
- Washington D.C. (doesn't belong to any of the US states, but is directly administered by the US congress)
- Moscow and St.Petersburg (they are independent federal subjects within Russia)
- Mexico-City (doesn't belong to any of the mexican federal states)
- many of the swiss cantons
....


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## shree711 (Dec 12, 2011)

Do those cities you mentioned have their own constitutions? Do they have their own immigration, own government, own police? Own legislature?


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## Isek (Feb 13, 2005)

^^ Regarding the German city states -yes. Own police, education system, parliament, ministers. But the have no own constitution neither an own army or foreign policy.


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## BringMe (May 7, 2011)

+ Buenos Aires 
Bogota D.C


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## Rascar (Mar 13, 2012)

To my mind I think maybe Singapore is the only truly independent city state. France oversees the foreign policy of Monaco after all.

It is curious there are not more of them, given that city states are fairly common throughout many stages of history, and at some times, (Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy) were the most advanced societies of all. One would have thought in an era of global trade and self determination there would be viable city states.


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## tk780 (Jun 21, 2007)

Isek said:


> ^^ Regarding the German city states -yes. Own police, education system, parliament, ministers. But the have no own constitution neither an own army or foreign policy.


They do have their own constitutions, actually.


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## Isek (Feb 13, 2005)

tk780 said:


> They do have their own constitutions, actually.


I thought that only Bavaria and Saxonia have their own constitution. "Freistaat"


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