Regional Power

In international relations, regional power, since the late 20thcentury, has been used for a sovereign state that exercises significant power within its geographical region.Joachim Betz, Ian Taylor
"The Rise of (New) Regional Powers in Asia, Africa, Latin America..."
German Overseas Institute & University of St. Andrews, May 2007Martin Beck
''The Concept of Regional Power: The Middle East as a Deviant Case?''
German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, 11–12 December 2006. States that wield unrivaled power and influence within a region of the world possess regional hegemony.

Characteristics

Regional powers shape the polarity of a regional area. Typically, regional powers have capabilities which are important in the region, but do not have capabilities at a global scale. Slightly contrasting definitions differ as to what makes a regional power. The European Consortium for Political Research defines a regional power as 'a state belonging to a geographically defined region, dominating this region in economic and military terms, able to exercise hegemonic influence in the region and considerable influence on the world scale, willing to make use of power resources and recognized or even accepted as the regional leader by its neighbors.'

The German Institute of Global and Area Studies states that a regional power must:

* Form part of a definable region with its own identity
* Claim to be a regional power (self-image as a regional power)
* Exert decisive influence on the geographic extension of the region as well as on its ideological construction
* Dispose over comparatively high military, economic, demographic, political, and ideological capabilities
* Be well integrated into the region
* Define the regional security agenda to a high degree
* Be appreciated as a regional power by other powers in the region and beyond, especially by other regional powers
* Be well connected with regional and global forums

Regional powers

In this list are states that have been described as regional powers by international relations and political science academics, analysts, or other experts. These states, to some extent, meet the criteria for regional power status, as described above. Different experts have differing views on exactly which states are regional powers. States are arranged by their region, and in alphabetical order.

Africa

Even though the economic weight of Africa is relatively low compared to other continents, and more than two-thirds of African countries are among the least developed states in the world, Africa's rich natural resources and diverse cultures could carry the potential to enable future development.

Although South Africa was diplomatically isolated during the latter years of the apartheid era, it is considered to have successfully reintegrated into international affairs over the last 20 years. It is recognized as the only newly industrialized country in Africa and takes a crucial role in BRICS and G20.

Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of Africa" due to both its population and economy being the largest in Africa and the cultural influence that it holds over other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa through its movie industry and mass media. Nigeria is also the largest oil producer in Africa.

Nigeria and South Africa are among the largest African economies; both have GDPs over $250 billion (nominal) and $700 billion (PPP) as of 2020.

Sub-Saharan Africa

* – a member of the G-15, OPEC, and D-8
* – a member of the G20, BRICS, and CIVETS

Asia

Historically, Imperial China was the dominant power in East Asia. From the late 19th century, the Empire of Japan initiated far-reaching Westernizing reforms, and rapidly industrialized, to become a major power in Asia by the time of World War I, as one of the Allied powers. With economic turmoil, Japan's expulsion from the League of Nations, and its interest in expansion on the mainland, Japan became one of the three main Axis powers in World War II.

Since the late 20th century, regional alliances, economic progress, and contrasting military power changed the strategic and regional power balance in Asia. In recent years, a re-balancing of military and economic power among emerging powers, such as China and India, has resulted in significant changes in the geopolitics of Asia. China and Japan have also gained greater influence over regions beyond Asia. In recent decades, South Korea has emerged as a significant economic and cultural power in East Asia. Japan and South Korea are important allies for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.

East Asia

* – a permanent member of the UN Security Council (P5); a member of the G20, BRICS, and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO); and considered a great power
* – a member of the G7, G20, OECD, and QUAD; one of the G4 nations; and considered a great power
* – a member of the G20, MIKTA, and OECD

Southeast Asia

* – a member of the G20, BRICS, MIKTA, CIVETS, D-8, and G-15Emmers, Ralf
"Regional hegemonies and the exercise of power in Southeast Asia: A study of Indonesia and Vietnam"
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association, Le Centre Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 17 March 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2017.

South Asia

* – a member of the G20, BRICS, SCO, and QUAD; one of the G4 nations; and considered a great power

West Asia/Middle East

* – a member of the SCO, BRICS, G-15, and OPEC"Iran is a strong regional power, in a far better shape than Pakistan because of its economic capabilities, rich mineral and energy resources, and internal stability, added to its far greater geostrategic importance." In Hooman Peimani, ''Nuclear Proliferation in the Indian Subcontinent'' (Westport: Praeger Publishers, 2000), p. 30.
* – a member of the OECD
* – a member of the G20 and OPEC
* – a member of the G20, OECD, MIKTA, CIVETS, and D-8

Europe

Russia – the dominant part of a former superpower, the Soviet Union, is now considered a potential superpower, and has historically been the primary geopolitical force in Eastern Europe. France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, collectively known as Big Four in Western Europe, as they play pivotal roles as part of the NATO Quint in the security of the Western Bloc. Most of the continent is now integrated as a consequence of the enlargement of the European Union, which is sometimes considered a great power as a whole, despite it not being a sovereign state. Historically, dominant powers in Europe created colonial empires (such as the Belgian, British, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish Empires).

Eastern Europe

* – a permanent member of the UN Security Council (P5); a member of the G20, BRICS, and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO); and considered a great power

Central Europe

* – a member of the G7, G20, and OECD; one of the G4 nations; and considered a great power

Western Europe

* – a permanent member of the UN Security Council (P5); a member of the G7, G20, and OECD; and considered a great power
* – a permanent member of the UN Security Council (P5); a member of the G7, G20, OECD, and AUKUS; and considered a great power"Secondary regional powers in Huntington's view include Great Britain, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Argentina." See Tom Nierop, "The Clash of Civilisations," in ''The Territorial Factor'', edited by Gertjan Dijkink and Hans Knippenberg (Amsterdam: Vossiuspers UvA, 2001), p. 61.Samuel P. Huntington, "Culture, Power, and Democracy," in ''Globalization, Power, and Democracy'', edited by Marc Plattner and Aleksander Smolar (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000), p. 6.

Southern Europe

* – a member of the G7, G20, and OECD; and considered a great power
* – a member of the G20, OEI, and OECD

North America

The United States is the primary geopolitical force in North America, and is widely considered as the sole contemporary superpower globally. It dominates the region so heavily that its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, both middle powers in the region, are generally not considered regional powers. Despite having a large enough economy to be a member of the G7, Canada is not a regional power for two reasons. It is militarily secure as a result of U.S. hegemony, and has become financially comfortable by its dependence on, and deep integration with, a robust U.S. economy. Mexico is an emerging power which could probably be viewed as a regional power if grouped with Latin America, or a definite regional power if considered in either Middle America or in Hispanic America due to its economic size and diverse cultural heritages. However, similar to Canada, Mexican economy is highly reliant on the U.S. with about 80% of its exports shipping to the U.S. alone.

* – a permanent member of the UN Security Council (P5); a member of the G7, G20, OECD, QUAD, and AUKUS; and considered a great power

Oceania

Australia is considered to be a regional power due to its significant commercial and diplomatic relations in Asia–Pacific region since the late 1990s.

* – a member of the G20, OECD, MIKTA, QUAD, and AUKUS

South America

Since the Age of Discovery, Portugal and Spain mostly divided South America to be the foremost colonial powers in the continent, but following decolonization in the first half of the 19th century, the European powers withdrew and new nations were established, although their cultural influence and languages still remain predominant in Latin America.

Brazil is considered one of the most compelling geopolitical power in South America, as the country has the highest population and landmass in the continent, and its economic size, which possesses large stockpiles of natural resources, including valuable minerals, a tenth of the world's fresh water and it's also one of the countries that contain the Earth's largest remaining rainforest. Brazil has an important role in international relations, especially in economic and global environmental issues.

* – a member of the G20 and OEI
* – a member of the G20, BRICS, and OEI; and one of the G4 nations

See also

* List of historical great powers
* List of modern great powers

Notes

References

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Regional Power
Types of countries

20th-century neologisms
Hegemony
Political science terminology
Political terminology
International relations theory