What is the newest country in the world?

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011 and became the 193rd member of the United Nations. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but is not universally recognised and is not a UN member.

What was the last country to separate peacefully from another?

Montenegro, which separated from its union with Serbia in 2006 following a referendum. The classic example of a clean, negotiated split is Czechoslovakia's 1993 division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

How many countries were created by the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Fifteen: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

It depends on who you ask. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and is recognised by about 100 UN member states, but not by Serbia, Russia or China, so it cannot join the UN. It functions as an independent state with its own government and currency.

Which country might become independent next?

Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea, voted 98% for independence in a 2019 referendum, with a transition being negotiated. Somaliland has also run a stable de facto state since 1991 without formal recognition.

The Newest Countries in the World

New countries appear through a few mechanisms: an independence referendum, the break-up of a federation, a negotiated separation, or the collapse of an empire. Here are the most recent, and the wave of the 1990s that produced more new states than any period since decolonisation.

South Sudan (2011) — the newest UN member

South Sudan split from Sudan after a January 2011 referendum in which almost 99% of voters chose independence, ending Africa's longest-running civil war. It declared independence on 9 July 2011 and joined the United Nations five days later as the 193rd member. Its capital is Juba. The country has since struggled with internal conflict and remains one of the world's poorest, but its statehood is not disputed.

Kosovo (2008) — independent, not universally recognised

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, following the 1998–99 war and nearly a decade of UN administration. It is recognised by roughly 100 UN member states, including the United States and most of the EU, but not by Serbia, Russia or China, which means it cannot join the UN. Its capital is Pristina. Kosovo has its own currency (the euro, unilaterally), flag and government.

Montenegro and Serbia (2006)

The loose state union of Serbia and Montenegro — the last remnant of Yugoslavia — dissolved after Montenegro's May 2006 independence referendum passed by a narrow margin (just over the required 55%). Serbia became the legal successor state; Montenegro became a separate country, capital Podgorica, and joined NATO in 2017.

Timor-Leste (2002)

Also called East Timor. A former Portuguese colony, it was invaded and annexed by Indonesia in 1975. After a UN-supervised referendum in 1999, in which nearly 79% voted to reject autonomy within Indonesia and effectively for independence, and a violent Indonesian withdrawal, the territory was administered by the UN until full independence on 20 May 2002. Its capital is Dili.

The 1990s wave

The dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991) created 15 independent states: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the three South Caucasus states (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), and the five Central Asian republics (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan).
The break-up of Yugoslavia produced Slovenia and Croatia (1991), North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992), then later Montenegro (2006) and Kosovo (2008).
Czechoslovakia split peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993 — the "Velvet Divorce".
Eritrea separated from Ethiopia in 1993 after a referendum, following a 30-year war of independence.
Namibia gained independence from South African administration in 1990.
Germany reunified in 1990 — the reverse process, two states becoming one.
Yemen also unified in 1990 (North and South Yemen).

See South Sudan's capital, population, area, official languages and neighbouring countries.

Fact page: South Sudan →

What might come next

Several places could plausibly become new countries: Somaliland has run a de facto state for over 30 years; Bougainville voted almost unanimously for independence from Papua New Guinea in a 2019 referendum, with negotiations ongoing; and independence movements exist in New Caledonia, Scotland, Catalonia and elsewhere. The number 195 is a snapshot, not a permanent figure.