The world is full of border conflicts. There are a ton of regions and self named countries fighting for international recognition.
Mainly because it’s really hard. I’ve previously written how hard it is to become a recognised sovereign nation. International diplomacy doesn’t like change as it’s risky. But, under the right conditions new sovereign nations can be formed.
Below are the newest (or youngest) ‘almost’ universally recognised countries in the world, as noted by the Washington Post:
- South Sudan (2011)
- Kosovo (2008)
- Montenegro and Serbia (2006)
- Timor Leste (East Timor) (2002)
- Palau (1994)
- Eritrea (1993)
- The Czech Republic (or is it Czechia now?) and Slovakia (1993)
And remember not to get the definition of countries, nations and states mixed up. The above countries are also (sovereign) States.
What will be next new country?
In short, we don’t know. But The World Atlas and Mental Floss have speculated on the following potential new countries:
- Somaliland: The northern disputed region of Somalia
- Western Sahara: The disputed southern section of Morocco
- Northern Cyprus: The disputed northern half of Cyprus
- Catalonia: a breakaway region of Spain, near France
- Flemish Republic: a northern Belgium breakaway state
- Veneto: a northern section of Italy
- Scotland: Voted no in 2014, but could still become independent in the future
- Abkhazia: The western tip of Georgia
- South Ossetia: A central region within Georgia
- Transnistria: A narrow section of land in Moldova, opposite Ukraine
- New Russia: A collection of regions within Ukraine that are adjacent to Russia – most notably including Crimea
- West Papua: As the name suggests – the western tip of Papua New Guinea
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