Globalization seems to be making nation-states increasingly irrelevant, yet their number has continued to grow. New nation-states emerged out of the ruins of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia; more still may come as Palestinians, Kurds, Chechens, and other peoples struggle tenaciously to establish their own. Through careful analysis White examines the origins, evolutions, and relationships of the world's nation-states to provide a better understanding of their interactions and conflicts.