Newest Country – 2024
The term “newest countries” means nations that have just become independent or have been officially recognized as their own countries. These countries have set up their own governments and defined their borders. They are acknowledged around the world as separate nations. Usually, becoming a new country involves discussions, conflicts, or voting to become independent.
Newest Countries in the World
Below listed are the top five newest countries in the world:
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South Sudan
South Sudan became the newest country in the world when it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. This happened after a peace agreement ended the longest civil war in Africa. Most people in South Sudan voted for independence in a special vote called a referendum. This vote led to South Sudan being recognized as its own country and it soon joined the United Nations as a member. It got its independence on July 9, 2011 and has been admitted to the United Nations since July 14, 2011.
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Kosovo
Kosovo declared itself independent from Serbia after many years of conflict and a time when the United Nations managed the area. More than 100 countries recognize Kosovo as its own independent country.
It got its independence on February 17, 2008. However, Kosovo has not been able to join the United Nations because some countries, including Serbia and its friends, do not agree with its independence.
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Montenegro
Montenegro became its own country after a vote decided it should be independent from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. This vote was part of a slow break-up of the former Yugoslavia. Montenegro joined the United Nations in the same month it declared its independence.
It got its independence on June 3, 2006 and has been admitted to the United Nations since June 28, 2006.
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Serbia
Serbia became its own country after the union it had with Montenegro ended. Although Serbia was seen as the continuing nation and kept its place in international groups, it confirmed its status as an independent country after Montenegro became independent.
It got its independence on June 5, 2006 and has been admitted to the United Nations since June 1, 2006.
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Timor-Leste (East Timor)
East Timor became independent from Indonesia after a tough fight and a period managed by the United Nations. It was the first new country of the 21st century and joined the United Nations later that same year.
It got its independence on May 20, 2002 and has been admitted to the United Nations since September 27, 2002.
Other Potential New Countries
There are many places around the world where groups of people are working toward becoming independent or gaining more control over their own affairs. These efforts suggest that these areas might become new countries someday. A few of them are mentioned below:
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Catalonia (Spain)
Catalonia has a strong sense of its own identity and many people there want it to be independent from Spain. In 2017, the Catalan government tried to hold a vote on whether to become independent. This attempt caused a big political problem and led to legal issues with the Spanish government.
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Kurdistan (Iraq/Syria/Turkey/Iran)
The Kurds are one of the biggest ethnic groups in the world that don’t have a country of their own. In Iraq, the Kurdish region has a lot of self-control and even held a vote in 2017 to see if people wanted independence, although the vote wasn’t officially binding. Kurds living in Syria, Turkey, and Iran also feel strongly about their national identity to different extents.
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Scotland (United Kingdom)
In 2014, Scotland had a vote to decide if it should become independent from the UK, and the majority chose to stay. However, the Scottish National Party (SNP) still wants another vote on independence, especially after the UK decided to leave the European Union, a move that most people in Scotland did not support.
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Bougainville (Papua New Guinea)
In 2019, the people of Bougainville strongly voted for independence in a referendum. Right now, the islands are working out the details with the government of Papua New Guinea to become their own country.
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New Caledonia (France)
New Caledonia has had a few votes on whether to become independent from France. The latest votes in 2018 and 2020 showed that just a few more people preferred to stay as part of France. However, many people there still strongly support becoming independent.
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Somaliland (Somalia)
Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 and set up its own government and democratic system. It is generally more stable than the rest of Somalia. However, it hasn’t received official recognition as a country from the international community.
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