41 Micro Countries

"The United Nations recognizes the 41 independent countries with less than one million inhabitants (40 were admitted as members; diplomatic missions were accepted with the Vatican). Many scholars and statesmen were initially skeptical of the survival of the small countries established outside mainland Europe in the wave of colonization following World War II. Nevertheless, they have survived the initial decades. But will these countries survive the economic, environmental, and ethnic challenges that will confront them in the next few decades?"--