Welcome to part 2 of my 2-part blog presenting countries
that no longer exist. Some of them were around for a very long time while
others existed less than a year.
11. Newfoundland
Well known as part of the Canadian province Newfoundland and
Labrador, Newfoundland was likely visited by Leif Eriksson in the 11th century
(hundreds of years before Columbus 'discovered' America). The island is rich in
history, having long been settled by the Dorset, a Paleo-Eskimo culture. Over
the centuries, various cultures visited the island, which is located off the
east coast of the North American mainland. These cultures included the Basque,
Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed
Newfoundland as England's first New World colony under Royal Charter for Queen
Elizabeth I, making it England's oldest colony. In 1713, under the treaty of
Utrecht, the French gave up control of the north and south shores of the island
to the British. As time progressed, immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland
and France created a fish-exporting society. Newfoundland was organized as a
colony in 1825, became self-governing, and held dominion status from 1907-1949,
which included Labrador becoming part of the dominion in 1927. Labrador voted in
1949 to join the Canadian Confederation as the 10th province.
12. Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire lasted from 1299 through the early part
of the 20th century, and was one of history's longest lasting empires. It was
also one of the largest empires in world history, at its peak controlling parts
of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa. For centuries, the empire
easily expanded until its peak in the 16th century during the reign of Suleiman
the Magnificent. At the time, the empire provided regional stability and was
the source of important achievements in the arts, science, medicine, and
architecture. However, with time the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution
strengthened Europe leaving the empire weakened economically and militarily.
Through revolts and wars, the empire lost territories and influence. After
World War I, the Ottoman Empire came to an end with the Treaty of Sevres.
13. Prussia
Prussia was a state on the southeastern coast of the Baltic
Sea, created in 1525. Prussia expanded its size and sovereignty with military
might to control many surrounding regions and considerable influence across
Europe and especially over Germany. With Berlin its capital since 1701, Germany
was unified in the 19th century with Prussia at its core. Following World War
II, the Allies chose to eradicate militarism and moved to abolish it Prussia.
Present-day Poland occupies most of what was Prussia.
14. Rhodesia
Located in South Central Africa, Rhodesia is now divided
into Zimbabwe and Zambia. Named after British colonial administrator Cecil
Rhodes (of Rhodes Scholarship fame), Rhodesia was administered by the British
South Africa Company which sought to mine its deposits of gold, copper, and
coal in the 19th century. From 1965 to 1979, Rhodesia was a self-declared,
independent nation but an unrecognized state. Following a brutal civil war, the
world recognized Rhodesia's independence in 1980. The country changed its name
to Zimbabwe.
15. Roman Empire
Few empires have influenced the world more than the Roman
Empire, which dominated most of Europe, northern Africa and the western part of
Asia for about 500 years. The empire emerged from the Roman Republic beginning
in 27 B.C. after Octavian defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Octavian took the
title of Augustus. The western portion of the empire lasted until it was
invaded by Germanic tribes in 476. The eastern part of the empire, called the
Byzantine Empire, lasted until 1453, when the Ottoman Turks conquered
Constantinople. The causes of the decline of the Roman Empire have been the
subject of historical debate for hundreds of years. The empire proved to be too
vast to govern, and over time, its rulers became corrupt.
16. Kingdom of Sikkim
Long before it was an Indian state, the Kingdom of Sikkim
was a sovereign nation. Founded in 1642 in what is today's northeast India, the
kingdom was ruled by the Chogyals of the Namgyal dynasty. The Chogyal were
Buddhist priest-kings. In 1890 it became a British protectorate and later an
Indian protectorate. Sikkim was able to preserve its autonomy until 1975. That
year, India's military deposed the country's monarchy. Soon after, voters
essentially supported becoming India's 22nd state. Sikkim is India's second
smallest and least populous state. It is home to Kanchenjunga, the highest peak
in India and the third highest peak on Earth.
17. South Vietnam
During World War II, Vietnam was a French colony occupied by
the Japanese Empire. After the Japanese lost the war, the Vietnamese, led by Ho
Chi Minh, were successful in forcing out the French, but they weren't
successful in keeping their country whole. South Vietnam was created in 1954 at
the Geneva Conference, which temporarily separated the country into north and
south regions—communist and non-communist. Almost from the beginning of its
existence, South Vietnam proved to be problematic for its allies. The South
Vietnamese government was corrupt, and the military was led by incompetent
commanders. After the United States pulled out its last troops in 1973, the
North Vietnamese routed the South Vietnamese resistance and seized Saigon in
1975. Vietnam was reunified under a communist government.
18. Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics lasted from 1917 to
1991. By landmass, it was the largest country ever and covered one-sixth of the
Earth's land surface. It was also home to 100 nationalities. The Soviet Union
was part of the Allied forces in World War II. After the war, the Eastern Bloc
controlled by the Soviets and the Western allies led by the United States engaged
in a Cold War as both powers raced to build nuclear arsenals and reach space.
Stresses began to build in the Soviet system by the late 1980s, both within and
without as the communist world began collapsing. Leader Mikhail Gorbachev
introduced the policies of perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness),
but those reforms proved too difficult to implement. Rising nationalism among
union members was also causing tension. By December 1991, the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics faded into history as the original countries emerged to
reclaim their individuality.
19. Texas
Six flags have flown over Texas in its history, but only one
has fluttered over an independent republic. In the 19th century, Texas declared
its independence from Mexico. The Republic of Texas was officially recognized
by the United States in 1836 and later by European nations. Texas wanted to
join the United States, but because it permitted slavery within its borders
some congressmen from northern states objected. In 1845, Texas became the 28th
state to join the United States. However, 16 years later the state seceded from
the Union to join the short-lived Confederacy. Texas rejoined the United States
after the Civil War ended in 1865.
20. Tibet
Tibet is one of the more well-recognized regions that are no
longer sovereign states. Home to the Tibetan people, the region borders China
in the north and comprises the Tibetan Plateau north of the Himalaya.
Throughout history, Tibet's fate was connected with China. Tibet was
independent from the 14th to the 18th century and ruled by a Dalai Lama. After
being again under Chinese rule, the 13th Dalai Lama declared Tibet an
independent country in 1913, but this didn't last. Beginning in 1949, the
People's Republic of China worked to incorporate Tibet into the communist
nation and invaded the region in 1950. In 1951, the Tibetans and Chinese
government signed the Seventeen Point Agreement which formalized China's
sovereignty over Tibet. Tibet has been part of China since that time as an
autonomous region. Though it didn't endure as a sovereign nation, Tibet has a
long archeological, military, and religious history that endures today.
21. Vermont
Declaring independence from the British Empire wasn't enough
for Vermont; it also declared independence from the colony of New York, which
had claimed Vermont in 1777. Vermont drew up a constitution, the first written
one in North America, that was radical for its time. It prohibited slavery and
gave the right to vote to all adult males, whether they owned property or not.
The United States would not admit Vermont into the Union until the dispute with
New York was resolved. That piqued Vermonters, who asked the British if the
republic could be readmitted into the empire as part of Canada. Vermont
remained an independent republic until successful negotiations with New York
concluded in 1790. A year later, it was admitted as the 14th state because of
the needs of the United States to balance free and slave states. Vermont joined
the U.S. to offset the admission of slave state Kentucky in 1792.
22. West Florida
Just like Texas was once its own republic, so was an area
that today is part of Louisiana, albeit very briefly. West Florida, which
included a region of what is now eastern Louisiana, became a republic in 1810.
The area had been under control of Spain, which gained the territory from Great
Britain following the American Revolution because Spain was an ally of the
fledgling United States. Americans settling in the region did not want to live
under Spanish rule and revolted. In September 1810, Americans captured a
Spanish fort in Baton Rouge and created the Republic of West Florida. Leaders
of the republic made overtures to the U.S. to take possession of the territory.
The U.S. was reluctant to absorb the new territory until West Florida decided
to establish a permanent government. At that point, President James Madison
issued a proclamation in October 1810, declaring West Florida part of the
United States. West Florida was an independent state for less than a month.
23. Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia, like Czechoslovakia, was once part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. And like Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia also was created
in 1918, but under the name of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The
country was originally named after the South Slavic peoples and became their
first union following centuries of being part of either the Ottoman or
Austro-Hungarian empires. It became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
Yugoslavia was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1941, but fierce resistance by
partisans was a big problem for the German army for the rest of World War II.
After the war, the monarchy was dissolved and replaced by a communist regime
led by Josip Tito, who ruled the nation until his death in 1980. After Tito's
death, ethnic tensions pulled the country apart, leading to the worst armed
conflict in Europe since World War II. Yugoslavia dissolved and was divided
into seven separate—Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo,
Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
