World of Micro-States

A Microstate is a small nation, much like those on the Balkan Peninsula in OTL. In this timeline, the POD is shortly after the fall of the British Empire. Nations such as Canada and Australia remain puppet states of the British Empire up until 1942, when they gain independence, under the condition that they would remain allied with Britain. After the Nazis are defeated in WWII, the nations of India, Rhodesia, South Africa, and Kenya gain independence under similar conditions as those of Canada and Australia. Shortly thereafter, in 1951, Kazakhstan declares independence from the Soviet Union, severely limiting its power. Just like in OTL, Kazakhstan is of extreme importance, since it is the heart of the USSR's space and nuclear weapons programs. Kazakhstan outlaws communism, and takes all of the rockets and missiles for themselves, and begin a process on nuclear disarmament. By 1960, the Soviet Union has almost completely lost its superpower status, mostly due to a lack of nuclear weapons. The United States also disarmed a large amount of their nuclear missiles ;an agreement was signed between the US and Kazakhstan, establishing an alliance between the two nations and moving toward almost complete nuclear disarmament for them both. The United States remains a superpower. The Soviet Union, weakened by the loss of Kazakhstan, as well as rebellion in the west and south, dissolves. A League of Nations of sorts is formed between the former Soviet republics, called the League of Free Former Soviet Republics (LFFSR). Communism dies out almost entirely, except for in Siberia and China (western Russia becomes a parliamentary democracy, much like present-day Russia in OTL). In other countries around the world, similar events happen. The scene is pretty much the same everywhere: Certain regions of countries gain independence, but an alliance is kept with the former parent nation and like states. The largest countries to escape this are the United States, Kazakhstan (whose name was later changed to Kazakh Eli), Argentina, Mexico, Chile, India, Japan, and Austria. These eight nations become the most powerful ones in the world, and come to be known as "moderators", overseeing the activities of the Microstates and their alliances. The world is in relative peace, with the almost complete absence of civil wars, and conflicts usually remain small and generally localized, except for terrorists. The War on Terror (like in OTL), is dealt with collaboratively.

Governance of Republics ("Moderator" Nations)
The Governance of Republics is composed of eight nations, who generally have greater military, economic, and political influence than other (generally smaller, but not always) nations. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The Governance holds a yearly summit in various locations throughout the eight republics.

 List of Nations By Area 

The United States of America

Republic of India

The Federal Republic of Argentina

Unitary Republic of Kazakh Eli

United Mexican States

Chilean Republic

Japan

Austria