statehood

Self-determination denotes the legal right of people to decide their own destiny in the international order.  Self-determination is a core principle of international law, arising from customary international law, but also recognized as a general principle of law, and enshrined in a number of international treaties.  For instance, self-determination is protected in the United Nations Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as a right of “all peoples.” 

uti possidetis juris (UPJ) is a principle of customary international law that serves to preserve the boundaries of colonies emerging as States.  Originally applied to establish the boundaries of decolonized territories in Latin America, UPJ has become a rule of wider application, notably in Africa.  The policy behind the principle has been explained by the International Court of Justice in the Frontier Dispute (Burkina Faso/Mali) Case: 

The attributes of statehood under international law have traditionally been considered the following:  territory; population; recognition by other states.  See Ian Brownlie, Principles of Public International Law 83-85 (5th ed., Oxford, 1998); Hans Kelsen, Principles of International Law 206-207 (1952).  Previously the 'elements' of statehood required: (1) territory; (2) population; (3) government.  Georg Jellinek, General Theor