In September, Scots will vote whether or not to separate the United Kingdom.  Currently, the full name of the largest sovereign state in Queen Elizabeth’s Commonwealth realm of 16 countries is: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Come October, it could be something like ‘The United Kingdom of England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not that place to the North’ with the secession of the nation of Scotland.  A sovereign state is, in the condensed version, a geographic location under the authority of a centralized government recognized by international law and treaties.   The UN recognizes 195 independent sovereign states. Continue reading “Primus inter pares” →