Key nation

A key nation is a term used by the Union of Nation States for the most prominent countries within the Union. A key nation is a state with a dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests.

"Key nation" is an official term, reserved for countries that are independently represented in the International Assembly, instead of being part of a Regional Federation. The [nternational Assembly consists of all key nations plus representatives of blocks of countries called Regional Federations. The distinction between key nations and federative nations is important in Union legislation. Key nations have the same power and privileges as Regional Federations: they can start a Colonial Territory, can vote in the International Assembly, have the power decide whether to sign a treaty and they can locally amend Union legislation much easier.

Due to key nations being on par with Regional Federations, they have essentially more power than countries that are not a key nation. The Union also distinguishes between two types of key nations: great and middle powers. Great powers can single-handedly claim complete colonial planets when they allocate a certain amount of effort towards the planetary development of that planet. Great powers are also responsible for initiating first contact, can by-pass the International Assembly and propose treaties without triplet backing, and can ignore certain restrictions on national integrity (e.g. emergency troop movements through of federative countries). They can veto certain Union decisions. They can also declare a state of emergency. This requires all or all but one of the great powers to agree.

Great powers
The Union distinguishes between great powers and middle powers. Great powers play a prominent role in determining the general direction of Union policies, the exploration of space, the early stages of colonial settlement and top-level diplomatic decisions. They act as guide nations for all other nations of the Union. Their economies are considered vital. They all have huge populations, usually exceeding hundreds of millions of citizens.

Many responsibilities are associated with great power status, such as the assistance in planetary development, partaking in the EDFN Program, allocating lots of funds and personnel to the Union Armed Forces, and allowing the Union to establish core administrative zones within their own territories.

The great powers are: The only home planet without a great power is Sgesensia. The state of Launnachte was included because it is the largest nation on Liosannia-Mienupia (which boasts more than a billion inhabitants), to avoid under-representation of that planet in the highest level of executive power of the Union. The Terran countries of Russia, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Germany and France are all former greater powers that were demoted to middle powers by the Third Disjit Treaty. The Harvian nations of Feidhir and Opole were demoted to middle power status by their own request, because they couldn't fulfill the responsibilities associated with great power status. Sornomali was reluctantly removed from the list after the Bragnaceka Treaty.
 * China
 * Cochuka
 * Hhuôdhridsó
 * India
 * Kadaitska
 * Launnachte
 * Ubisa
 * United States
 * Usada

Middle powers
The middle powers are all independent members of the International Assembly. They share some of the responsibilities and privileges of the great powers. Middle powers are states that are not superpowers or great powers, but still have large or moderate influence and international recognition. They are almost exclusively regional powers, a state that has power within a certain geographic region of a planet. Countries in bold are middle powers with significant global power.
 * Altameria
 * Argentine
 * Bangladesh
 * Burma
 * Brazil
 * Cadaro
 * Cassai
 * Colombia
 * Cil
 * Corint
 * Dhonesia
 * Egypt
 * Erevista
 * Envina
 * Ethiopia
 * Feidhir
 * France
 * Germany
 * Igtyia
 * Indonesia
 * Iran
 * Israel
 * Italy
 * Japan
 * Kenya
 * Korea
 * Mexico
 * Mhas
 * Na Tein
 * Nigeria
 * Ondiann
 * Opole
 * Pakistan
 * Philippines
 * Russia
 * Saudi Arabia
 * Shyrjah
 * South Africa
 * Spain
 * Taiwan
 * Tgopoli Has-hudu
 * Turkey
 * Thailand
 * Thusisa
 * Ukraine
 * United Kingdom
 * Varana
 * Venezuela
 * Vietnam