Why the propensity for dependence in small islands?  This study argues in favor of the dependents’ superior levels of performance achieved under affiliation.  To demonstrate the evidence, the socio-economic and demographic profiles are developed of 25 non-sovereign and 30 sovereign small (less than one million population) islands using 25 variables and a two-sample means test.  Results demonstrate the dependents consistently out-perform their sovereign neighbors.  The former are economically more affluent with more dynamic economies diversified towards internationa