Continental union

A map of the currently existing supranational continental unions.

A continental union, often abbreviated to CU, is an inter-governmental or supra-national political union of nations located in the same continent, or close to it. These nations are known as member states.

Existing Continental Unions

• Commonwealth of Australia, the world's only existing continental union.
• African Union (AU), includes all African countries except Morocco, which withdrew after the AU recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
• European Union (EU), includes 27 European countries and their dependent territories.
• Union of South American Nations (UNASUR or UNASUL), includes all of continental South America except French Guiana (which is an overseas department of France and therefore part of the EU).

Proposed Continental Unions

• Asia Cooperation Dialogue
• Central American Integration System
• Central Asian Union
• Mediterranean Union
• North American Union
• International World Union
• Pacific Union
• Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
• Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Jordan
• Commonwealth Union

Certain regional international organisations have vocation, or are able to become continental unions, such as CARICOM in the Caribbean and ASEAN in Southeast Asia.

Reference

• Ankerl, Guy. Global communication without universal civilization. INU societal research. Vol. Vol.1: Coexisting contemporary civilizations : Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. Geneva: INU Press. ISBN 2-88155-004-5. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |origdate= (help)

See also

• Continentalism
• International organisation