As history has shown, remote islands or small states can be flashpoints for international crises. This collection of commissioned essays examines African countries that, because of their seeming insignificance, have been passed over in recent scholarship. The essays focus on current political and economic issues. Why do such states find it difficult to sustain stable economic and political orders? The role of such countries in international trade; the effects of their small size, remoteness, or paucity of resources; and their use as military bases for other powers are among the subjects discussed.--Publisher description.