Atlas Altered

Though the EU and US as well as some Muslim states such as Afghanistan...

Though the EU and US as well as some Muslim states such as Afghanistan have recognised the independence of Kosovo, countries like Russia, Serbia and China continue to oppose the declaration of independence. Spain, facing its own separatist struggles, has said it will not recognise the new country. Still, Kosovo is expected to get more support as the big powers rally behind it. Though there is no set procedure for a country to get recognition, others back it more or less depending on their political compulsions. Here8217;s a look at how the world map has undergone a sea change in the past decade -and -a -half:

8226; How many countries are there exactly in the world?

Although it appears to be a simple matter to determine how many countries there are in the world, it is quite complex. And this is not only due to the ever-shifting political landscape, but also because the term 8220;countries8221; is open to interpretation. There are around 195 countries, but various sources come up with various answers. However, it is widely recognised that there are 195 countries in the world.

8226; How many countries are member of the UN?

There are 192 members of the United Nations. Although this number represents almost all of the countries in the world, there are still two globally recognised independent countries 8212; the Vatican City and Kosovo 8212; that are independent and are not members of the UN. The United States8217; State Department recognises 194 independent countries around the world.

8226; The one outsider

Taiwan meets the requirements of independent country. However, due to political reasons, it fails to be recognised by the international community as independent. Taiwan was a member of the United Nations and even the Security Council till 1971, when mainland China replaced Taiwan in the organisation. It continues to press for full recognition by other countries, but China claims that Taiwan is simply a province of China. Places commonly confused as being countries include Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Palestine, Western Sahara, and even the components of the United Kingdom such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England they8217;re not fully independent countries, states, or nation-states.

8226; How many new countries have been created since 1990?

33 new countries have been created since 1990. The dissolution of the USSR and Yugoslavia in the early 1990s caused the creation of most of the newly independent states. Around 15 new countries became independent with the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Most of these countries declared independence a few months preceding the fall of the Soviet Union in late 1991. In early 1990s, Yugoslavia dissolved into five independent countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992, Croatia 1991, Macedonia officially the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia declared independence on September 8, 1991, but weren8217;t recognised by the UN until 1993 and the US and Russia in February of 1994, Serbia and Montenegro also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, Slovenia in 1991.

8226; Other new countries

Nine other countries became independent for various causes: Namibia 1990, North and South Yemen merged to form a unified Yemen 1990, East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany 1990, The Marshall Islands was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands administered by the US and gained independence as a former colony 1991, Micronesia, previously known as the Caroline Islands, became independent from the US 1991, the Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved 1993, Eritrea 1993, Palau 1994, East Timor declared independence in 1975, but did not became independent from Indonesia until 2002, Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro, but gained independence after a referendum in 2006. Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split June 5, 2006. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

8226; What it takes to be recognised as a new state?

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Three types of recognition exist: Recognition of independence occurs when a new state is created, usually by a successful rebellion, and is accepted by members of the international community, either by a formal statement or by entering into diplomatic relations with the new state. Recognition of independence generally takes place after the new nation has demonstrated its ability to maintain itself; if a power recognises an insurrectionary colony or dependency while the mother country is attempting to crush the rebellion, it is considered an offence to the dominant country that is being ousted. A second type of recognition may occur when a new form of government follows the establishment of a new political force in a country. Recognition of belligerency, the third kind, was introduced into international law when that form of acknowledgment was given in 1861 to the Confederate States of America by Great Britain. Such recognition grants the belligerents the rights and duties of a state as they concern war and commerce, but it does not grant the right to enter into official diplomatic relations with neutral nations.