Who are the members of the Federation?

[Neutral Zone]

We know that the Federation of Planets has many member planets, hence the name. But do we know who these members are?

Humans from Earth
Kilngons
Cardassians
Bajorans
Ferengi
Romulans
Andorians
Xindi
and so on

Not all are members but do we ahve any ideas to who are the members?

 

[Finn]

We know that the Federation of Planets has many member planets, hence the name. But do we know who these members are?

Humans from Earth
Kilngons
Cardassians
Bajorans
Ferengi
Romulans
Andorians
Xindi
and so on

Not all are members but do we ahve any ideas to who are the members?

Are you serious? All that shit we have been watching and these races are members of the Federation?

Here's my list

Earth
Vulcan
Andoria
Cordian
Tellar
Denobula (non-canon, but they were closely aligned with the Vulcans so it is likey)
Betazed

There's more...

The long list here

 

[T'Girl]

Cordian

Subsequent to the episode Journey to Babel, was there any mention of Cordian actual joining the Federation?

Because I can't remember it ever being mention again.

And in one novel/story I read, the planet Cait (Lt. Mress world) occasionally entered and left the Federation to indicate it's displease with certain Federation council positions.

.

 

[Finn]

Cordian

Subsequent to the episode Journey to Babel, was there any mention of Cordian actual joining the Federation?

Because I can't remember it ever being mention again.

Riker said so in TNG's Sarek

 

[T'Girl]

Riker said so in TNG's Sarek

Yeah, right at the beginning of the episode too.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Memory Alpha has a list, though the books have added Bajor at the very least.

 

[T'Girl]

though the books have

Well, if you want to go by the books, one of the old tech manuals - source books from the eighties put the total number of Federation members at one thousand five hundred. Not just planets mind you, but members.

 

[Smellincoffee]

though the books have

Well, if you want to go by the books, one of the old tech manuals - source books from the eighties put the total number of Federation members at one thousand five hundred. Not just planets mind you, but members.

Wow.

And to think they parred that down 90% by First Contact.

 

[T'Girl]

Maybe most of them left for some reason.

 

[Eckauskas]

Y'know something that always bothered me?

The fact that the Federation had so many member planets, yet Starfleet was always human dominated. You'd think they'd make more of an attempt to bring other races into the series as serving crew members.

 

[Finn]

^not all would be interested. The mole people wouldn't.

 

[Satyrquaze]

Y'know something that always bothered me?

The fact that the Federation had so many member planets, yet Starfleet was always human dominated. You'd think they'd make more of an attempt to bring other races into the series as serving crew members.

It should be noted that however Starfleet is just one aspect of the Federation.

 

[neozeks]

Y'know something that always bothered me?

The fact that the Federation had so many member planets, yet Starfleet was always human dominated. You'd think they'd make more of an attempt to bring other races into the series as serving crew members.

Of course, the real world reasons are budgetary...
But in universe, it might be a combination of:
- humans being the most numerous species in the Federation
- humans being the most interested to serve in Starfleet
- there are plenty of aliens that look just like humans
- we've only seen a very small part of Starfleet
- it's posible Starfleet practices some measure of species separation, for practical reasons

 

[T'Girl]

Picard: "... the Enterprise crew currently includes representatives from thirteen planets."

A crew of over a thousand aboard the Federation flagship, and there are people from just thirteen planets? Not even thirteen Fed members or thirteen races, but just thirteen planets? Let's see, Earth (several), Betazed (Troi), Luna (Crusher, not really a planet), Qo'noS (Worf), Omicron Theta (Data) and the Bolian hairdresser make for six, so there just seven more. I don't believe Ensign Ro was aboard yet when Picard made his statement to Worf.

But in universe, it might be a combination of:

- humans being the most numerous species in the Federation
Okay, but a majority?

- humans being the most interested to serve in Starfleet
T'Pol claimed during Enterprise that most Vulcans aren't really all that interested in exploration for it's own sake. Other Federation races might be old home bodies. Others still might have trouble with Starfleet (supposed) military aspects.

- there are plenty of aliens that look just like humans
Kind of goes against Picard statement, even with the similarity in appearances, just 13 planets.

- we've only seen a very small part of Starfleet
In addition to our hero ships, we've seen a fair number. Still there has been a belief for decades among fans that Starfleet operates Starships with non-class M environments, water, ammonia, fluoride and others.

- it's possible Starfleet practices some measure of species separation, for practical reasons
Would seem to be outside of the Federation's diversity thing, although the above might apply.

 

[PsychoPere]

Picard: "... the Enterprise crew currently includes representatives from thirteen planets."
A crew of over a thousand aboard the Federation flagship, and there are people from just thirteen planets?

On the other hand, Picard could easily have been using imprecise terminology, using "planets" to be understood as "homeworlds."

 

[neozeks]

A crew of over a thousand aboard the Federation flagship, and there are people from just thirteen planets? Not even thirteen Fed members or thirteen races, but just thirteen planets?

Well, given that he was talking in context of different cultures, I doubt that he was talking about Luna or that he considered Data as a representative of Omicron Theta culture.

But I doubt an American warship has crewman from all the fifty US states IRL either.

- humans being the most numerous species in the Federation
Okay, but a majority?

Well, it's not impossible, though I agree it's not very likely. That's why this explanation is not enough on it's own. (But it's posible some of the other most numerous species are precisely the ones not interested in serving, so we get a skewed perspective).

- we've only seen a very small part of Starfleet
In addition to our hero ships, we've seen a fair number.

Ships, yeah, but crews?

- it's possible Starfleet practices some measure of species separation, for practical reasons
Would seem to be outside of the Federation's diversity thing, although the above might apply.

Yeah, the enviromental aspect is what I was talking about. Though it doesn't have to be just non-class-M. There might be ships with Vulcan or Andorian or some other enviromental conditions instead of Earthican ones.

In the end, it's a suspension of disbelief and accepting writer's intent thing anyway. It's like TOS FX - I'm sure they would have done them better had they had the ability, so in my mind I imagine them to look differently. Same with more aliens on ships.

 

[indolover]

IMO, the members as seen are:

- Earth
- Vulcan
- Tellar
- Andor
- Denobula (not a founding member, but most likely joined later down the line since it must be a local planet)
- Coridan
- Betazed
- Trill
- Jaresh Inyo's people
- Ardana
- Zakdorn
- Benzites

 

[captcalhoun]

In A Mirror Darkly strongly implies that Denobula is a member by the time of the third season of TOS, when the Defiant crossed into the Mirror Universe as MU-T'pol and MU-Phlox discuss the Federation and something to the effect of "Humans, Vulcans and Denobulans all work together equally" is said.

 

[USS Excelsior]

And Caterians however you spell that, Naomi Wildman's father.

 

[T'Girl]

Angel One, I believe, was a member.