A buffer state is a country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers, which by its sheer existence is thought to prevent conflict between them. Buffer states when authentically independent typically pursue a neutralist foreign policy, which distinguishes them from satellite states. The conception of buffer states is part of the theory of balance of power that entered European strategic and diplomatic thinking in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the manipulation of buffer states like Afghanistan and the Central Asian emirates was an element in the diplomatic "Great Game" played out between Britain and Tsarist Russia for control of the approaches to strategic mountain passes that led to British India. Look up country in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In the context of international relations and diplomacy, power (sometimes clarified as international power, national power, or state power) is the ability of one state to influence or control other states. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... Satellite state is a political term that refers to a country which is formally independent but which is primarily subject to the domination of another, larger power. ... Balance of power is a central concept of realist theories of international relations. ... The United Nations, with its headquarters in New York City, is the largest international diplomatic organization. ... The Great Game is a term, usually attributed to Arthur Connolly, used to describe the rivalry and strategic conflict between the British Empire and the Tsarist Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. ...

Other examples of buffer states include:

• Qasim Khanate, between Muscovy and Kazan Khanate
• Mongolia, between the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, now Russia
• Poland following World War I, located between Germany and the Soviet Union
• North Korea during and after the Cold War, whom some analysts see as a buffer state between the military forces of the People's Republic of China and American forces in South Korea
• Belgium before World War I, serving as a buffer between the United Kingdom, France, and Germany
• Thailand during colonial times, served as a buffer between British India (later Burma) and French Indochina
• Ethiopia served as an independent buffer in East Africa during the colonial era
• Rhineland served as a demilitarised buffer-zone between France and Germany during the inter-war years, there were early French attempts at creating a Rhineland republic

The invasion of a buffer state by one of the powers surrounding it will often result in war between the powers. Qasim Khanate was a Tatar territorial formation, vassal of Muscovy, which exsited from 1452 till 1681 on the territory of modern Ryazan Oblast in Russia with capital Kasimov. ... Muscovy (Moscow principality (княжество Московское) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое Княжество Московское) to Russian Tsardom (Царство Русское) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Former countries | Tatars | Tatarstan history | History of Mongolia ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 5 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) 3 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) {{{notes}}} World War I... Combatants {{{combatant1}}} {{{combatant2}}} Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties {{{casualties1}}} {{{casualties2}}} {{{notes}}} The Cold War was the protracted geostrategic, economic and ideological struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their respective and emerging alliance partners. ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 5 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) 3 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) {{{notes}}} World War I... British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ... French Indochina was a federation of protectorates in Southeast Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ...

The earlier forms of highly defended border regions, where defensive castles stood at a distance of a day's march are discussed at Marches. Some political remains of borderland marches established under the Carolingian and Ottonian Empires can be seen on the European map today: Belgium, Luxembourg, Lorraine. Mark or march (or various plural forms of these words) are derived from the Frankish word marka (boundary) and refer to an area along a border, e. ... The Carolingians (also known as the Carlovingians) were a dynasty of rulers that eventually controlled the Frankish realm and its successors from the 8th to the 10th century, officially taking over the kingdoms from the Merovingian dynasty in 751. ... Ottonian dynasty is a name sometimes given to a ruling dynasty of German kings, sometimes regarded as the first dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire, (though Charlemagne is commonly viewed as the original founder. ... Lorraine coat of arms Lorraine (French: Lorraine; German: Lothringen) is a historical area in present-day northeast France. ...

Even earlier, compare the highly-defended Roman Empire's limes with its "client kingdoms" like Palmyra, Judaea, Numidia or Mauretania. And compare the Persian Empire's system of satrapies. A limes is a Roman wall marking the boundaries of the Roman Empire. ... Client state refers to the notion of one state being subservient to another. ... Palmyra was the name of an ancient city in Syria, now called Tadmor. ... Desert hills in southern Judea, looking east from the town of Arad Judea or Judaea (יהודה Praise, Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəhûḏāh) is a term used for the mountainous southern part of historic Palestine, an area now divided between Israel, Jordan and the West Bank. ... Numidia was an ancient African Berber kingdom and later a Roman province on the northern coast of Africa between the province of Africa (where Tunisia is now) and the province of Mauretania (which is now the western part of Algerias coastal area). ... Mauretania was a Berber kingdom on the Mediterranean coast of north Africa (named after the Mauri tribe, after whom the Moors were named), corresponding to western Algeria and northern Morocco. ... The term Persian Empire refers to a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

See also

• satellite state
• puppet state
• buffer zone
• marches