Fundamental determinants are those which are of utmost importance to the society. They effect almost everything the society does, directly or indirectly. When these have been determined, one already has some good solid facts to determine decisions on. These are of course something that should be considered first.
Name gives the society an identity.
Of course for some societies the location is less relevant than for others. Organizations often operate in a wide area, or even are constantly on the move. Languages give a fair indication of the cultural and social ties of the society to its neighbors. Below are some scopes and associated population figures. The idea behind this is that the larger the society, the lower percentage of its nominal members are actually active members of the society.