What makes countries count?

Article Abstract:

There is no universally accepted definition for nationhood, which causes some problems when trying to count how many countries there are. The upheaval in Central and Eastern Europe has caused the creation of several new states that have been recognized by the UN and others. However, the UN has yet to recognize Taiwan and over 20 Arab states do not recognize Israel. A rough approximation of actual sovereign states is somewhere between 180 and 190 depending on who is asked, but organizations such as Travellers Century Club recognize over 300 and the Guinness Book of Records lists 249 including sovereign and non-sovereign states.

Standards, International aspects, Cover Story, Political aspects, Sovereignty, State (Political science), Boundaries, Boundaries (Geography)

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A horny problem: in order to protect endangered large mammals we have to count them first

Article Abstract:

The Sumatran Rhinoceros population is extremely small and the rhino's future appears bleak. The loss of rhino population is largely due to poaching for Chinese medicines. As breeding efforts and other attempts to increase the population have failed, researchers were pleasantly surprised to discover a tiny rhino population on a recent expedition to Way Kambas park in Sumatra. In addition to the rhinos, the Asian elephants' future is also threatened. Habitat destruction is the primary danger for the elephants, as up to 85% of the Sumatran rainforest has been destroyed.

Natural history, Protection and preservation, Elephants, Sumatra, Rhinoceros, Rhinoceroses

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A new world order

Article Abstract:

Gazeteers could be made more understandable by ordering countries in ways other than alphabetical. When countries are placed next to each other in alphabetical order, the reader may be given a false sense of equivalent size and power of countries. Instead, countries might be ordered by population size or in terms of wealth.

Geography, Authorship, Encyclopedias and dictionaries, Gazetteers

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