While there are now 193 member states and 2 observer states in the United Nations, 211 member states are recognised by FIFA. New nations often emerge as the result of the dissolution or division of an existing nation.
Sometimes, though, new countries are just formerly colonised regions that have attained political independence and become fully functioning states.
The United Nations has recognised 34 new nations in the previous 40 years, marking what is generally considered the ultimate step toward becoming a fully-fledged country.
Since its independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has been the world’s newest country as of early 2022. But it is not certain how long it can keep the crown.
In 2021, the people of the Pacific island of Bougainville decided to declare independence from Papua New Guinea by 2027. Since then, numerous other territories and unrecognised nations have also taken steps toward independence.

The World’s 5 Most Recent Countries (and the One Waiting in the Wings):
- South Sudan — split from Sudan in 2011
- Kosovo (partially recognized) — seceded from Serbia in 2008, not yet fully recognized by United Nations
- Montenegro — separated from Serbia in 2006
- East Timor — gained independence from Indonesia in 1975
- Serbia — separated from Montenegro in 2000
- Palau — graduated from the U.N. Trust program in 1994
Table of Contents
The new country boom of 1991–1993, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
About two dozen new countries emerged on the world stage between 1991 and 1993, and it was all due to the collapse of the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.).
The fall of the communist superpower began in 1988 and ended in 1991, leaving behind 15 independent nations that all joined the United Nations by 1993.
It was not only the Soviet Union that was affected by the domino effect of the Soviet Union’s fall; adjacent communist nations did as well.
Yugoslavia broke up into five smaller nations, one of which (the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, afterwards renamed to Serbia and Montenegro) split again in the early 2000s, joining the ranks of countries that no longer exist alongside Czechoslovakia, which divided into Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Kosovo, a sovereign entity, announced its independence from Serbia in 2008 but has not yet received recognition from a majority of UN members; this prospective separation is now blocked.
New Countries Born from the Dissolution of the U.S.S.R.:
Armenia | Azerbaijan | Belarus |
Estonia | Georgia | Kazakhstan |
Kyrgyzstan | Latvia | Lithuania |
Moldova | Russia | Tajikistan |
Turkmenistan | Ukraine | Uzbekistan |
New Countries Born from the Dissolution of Yugoslavia:
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Croatia |
Macedonia | Montenegro |
Serbia | Slovenia |

Additional countries formed in the early 1990s
The bulk of the countries that were created between 1991 and 1993 was once part of the communist bloc, but some other countries were born during this period that had their unique histories.
For instance, in 1990, after a protracted struggle, the African nation of Namibia gained independence from South Africa and subsequently joined the United Nations.
Also, after 30 years of fighting for independence from Ethiopia, the country of Eritrea was finally accepted by the United Nations in 1993.
The Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, two other Pacific island nations, had a more tranquil experience, becoming fully independent in 1991 after being supported by the United States and the United Nations, like Palau.
Also See: Most Urbanized Countries 2022
Germany, one of the countries founded during this time, is perhaps the most well-known and well-known today.
Modern Germany was founded in 1871 (not exactly one of the world’s oldest nations, but a mature age anyway), and during World War II the country was divided in two, with communist East Germany and democratic West Germany.
However, in 1989 the infamous Berlin Wall came tumbling down, and by 1990 Germany had been legally reunified. German reunification has been seen by many academics as more of a return to tradition than the birth of a whole new nation.
Nonetheless, few would dispute that Yemen is a very young Middle Eastern nation, having been created in 1990 from the union of South Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic.
Country | Admitted to UN | Formation |
---|---|---|
South Sudan | 2011 | split from Sudan |
Montenegro | 2006 | seceded from Yugoslavia, later split from Serbia and Montenegro |
Serbia | 2000 | seceded from Yugoslavia, later split from Serbia and Montenegro |
Palau | 1994 | graduated from U.N. trust |
Czech Republic | 1993 | split from Czechoslovakia |
Slovakia | 1993 | split from Czechoslovakia |
Eritrea | 1993 | split from Ethiopia |
North Macedonia | 1993 | seceded from Yugoslavia |
Uzbekistan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Kazakhstan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Azerbaijan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Tajikistan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Kyrgyzstan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Turkmenistan | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Croatia | 1992 | seceded from Yugoslavia |
Georgia | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Moldova | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1992 | seceded from Yugoslavia |
Armenia | 1992 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Slovenia | 1992 | seceded from Yugoslavia |
Russia | 1991 | remainder of U.S.S.R. |
Belarus | 1991 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Lithuania | 1991 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Latvia | 1991 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Estonia | 1991 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |
Micronesia | 1991 | graduated from U.N. trust |
Marshall Islands | 1991 | fostered by United States |
Germany | 1990 | merged East & West Germany |
Yemen | 1990 | merged Yemen Arab Republic & South Yemen |
Namibia | 1990 | rebelled against South Africa |
Ukraine | 1945 | seceded from U.S.S.R. |