It's 2080. The U.S. has 150 states. From which countries?

Blue3
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	It's 2080. The U.S. has 150 states. From which countries? « on: July 10, 2018, 01:54:36 PM »
	« edited: July 10, 2018, 02:02:28 PM by Blue3 »

It's been a while since the U.S. has expanded. But that doesn't mean it will never expand again.

The only expansion debate right now is if Puerto Rico will become the 51st state, and the status of the District of Columbia. Maybe the other territories like Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, and Norther Mariana Islands.

The United States also has these 3 "associated states" (technically independent countries, but also function as territories in some ways): Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau.

Let's say the United States has 150 states in the year 2080... and no new states are from dividing existing states, and no new states are from conquests/occupations. These 100 New States are former independent countries, or used to be parts of independent countries, and all decided to join peacefully.

My guess would be:

* the current territories and associated states

* Pacific Ocean island nations, seeking guaranteed protection from China:
East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Nauru (many of which are English-speaking, and all low-population)

* Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea island nations:
the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia are all English-speaking independent countries in the Carribean... also there's Cape Verde near Africa/Portugal and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean which have close ties to the US already (Azores Islands have close ties to the US too, but they're currently part of Portugal)... perhaps Greenland could switch from Denmark to the US too

* other majority-English-speaking countries:
the UK being admitted as the State of England, the State of Scotland, the State of Wales, the State of Northern Ireland (and the Crown Dependencies included within those states). The Republic of Ireland becoming the State of Southern Ireland. The provinces and territories of Canada, Australia (including Norfolk/Christman/Cocos Island), and New Zealand (including Cook Islands and Niue), each becoming its own state. As well as most of the UK Overseas Territories, like Bermuda and the Falkland Islands and Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands (with smaller ones absorbed into bigger states), becoming US states.

* mainland "Latin" America:
both Belize and Guyana are English-speaking independent countries with very small populations (700,000 people in Guyana and 300,000 people in Belize)

* Indian Ocean islands:
Singapore is native English-speaking and highly-developed, and might want protection from China too... same with Brunei being English-speaking and highly-developed and perhaps wanting protection from China... Seychelles is a small island country, and the population knows English... Mauritius does know some English too as a second language and one of the official languages

* Mediterranean Islands:
Cyrpus is only 1 million, and over 80% speak English as a second language. Malta is a half-million, and English-speaking.

* Persian Gulf:
Bahrain in the Persian Gulf is English-speaking, highly-developed economy with tourism, has a small population of 1 million, friendly to the US, and in a very strategic area for US interests... Qatar is similar, also English-speaking as a second language, 2 million population, developed, and in the Persian Gulf.
(The UAE is also English-spreaking, but a higher population, and more territory, and more part of the Arab mainland, so it has that against it.)

* Mainland Africa:
perhaps Liberia, since it was settled by freed American-Africans, and is English-speaking. Sierra Leone in mainland Africa is also English-speaking, low population, and very tolerant and liberal. Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana are low-developed, but only 2 million each and English-speaking, and all close to each other.

* Mainland Europe:
perhaps the Nordic countries... low population, many know English as a second language, highly developed, strong cultural ties with English-speaking countries. Other European possibilities are the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemborg, and the Baltics

* there's also other independent countries where the supermajority of the population would like to become a US state, like Haiti

Why not the Mexican states or the Philippines or South Africa or India/Sri Lanka or South Sudan/Zambia/Zimbabwe/Ghana/Rwanda or Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda?
-As for Mexico... Canada is about 1/10 our population and Australia 1/15 (California has more than both), and already more culturally similar, especially since most speak English... while Mexico has about 1/3 our population as 125 Million, and English isn't widespread. Perhaps farther out, like in the year 2200, but not as soon as 2080.
-Same with the Philippines... very high population of 100 Million and not many English-speakers despite being an American colony for half a century.
-South Africa has 50 million people, and only 5 million speak English.
-While Sri Lanka and India learn English as a second-language, they have very high populations. Perhaps Sri Lanka one day, since its population isn't nearly as high as India.
-South Sudan/Zambia/Zimbabwe/Ghana/Rwanda are also English-speaking, but a little too large, over 10 million.
-Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda are English-speaking but very large with over 40 million.

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