The changing world- the creation of new countries
Mike Hedges MS
New countries created post 1990 include those created by the break-up of the Soviet Union, those created by the breakup of Yugoslavia and pacific islands breaking from the USA. Apart from these break ups five countries have been created from the splitting of a country.
Countries splitting from larger countries is not unusual, neither is countries joining together.
The splitting and joining of countries has occurred throughout history. These can be split into four categories colonial independence movement, the splitting up of countries into several constituent parts, disputed border areas moving from one country to another, and the splitting of countries into two with one effectively breaking away from its larger neighbour.
If you look at maps of the World from 1800, 1922 and today you will see countries forming by merger and splitting. Post First world war the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires in Central Europe were dismantled. The Treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and of Trianon put an end to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, many regions were lost and Austria and Hungary, their territory substantially reduced, became two separate nations. The Ottoman Empire was stripped of much of its territory.
In northern Europe Finland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were created. Poland, which had disappeared at the end of the 18th century, was reconstituted. Then two new multi-national states were created: Czechoslovakia for the Czechs and Slovaks; and Yugoslavia for the Southern Slavs.
Many of the first world war victors increased their territory: France regained Alsace and Lorraine. Italy acquired Trentino and Trieste, Romania acquired Bess Arabia and Transylvania. Denmark obtained the northern part of Schleswig, while Greece extended its frontiers.
Whilst we have had the break up of both the Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia. in recent times we have seen five countries lose part of their land mass to countries newly created.
The collapse of the Soviet Union started in the late 1980s and was complete when the country broke up into fifteen independent states in 1991.
Seven countries made up the former Yugoslavian republics, including Bosnia and Herzegovnia, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Kosovo. Most of these republics became independent nations after ethnic cleansing and civil war swept through the former Yugoslavia during the early 1990s. The Dayton Accords in 1995 settled the conflict, and six independent countries emerged. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008.
Island countries splitting away from the USA include the Marshall Islands which was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony. Micronesia, previously known as the Caroline Islands, also became independent from the United States. Later in the 1990s Palau which was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) gained independence.
Countries have also merged including the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (also known as South Yemen) uniting with the Yemen Arab Republic (also known as North Yemen), forming the Republic of Yemen (known as Yemen). German reunification occurred in 1990 when the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was dissolved and its territory became part of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG); making the present-day Germany. Around the world there are proposals for mergers including the unification of Ireland, the reunification of Cyprus and the reunification of Korea.
Within Europe in recent years, we have seen separatist or home rule movements in Scotland, Catalonia, Wales, Flanders, the Dutch region of Belgium, Corsica, and parts of Italy.
In recent times we have seen five countries lose part of their land mass to countries newly created, three are in Africa, one Europe and one in Asia.
Below is a list of countries that have broken away and their relative economic position compared to the continuing country.
What has happened to the economy of the breakaway countries:
Namibia is 119th in the world per capita economic rankings twenty places below South Africa in 99th.
Slovakia is 48th in the world per capita rankings placing it ten places below the Czech Republic in 38th place
Eritrea is 179th in the world per capita rankings putting it eighteen places below Ethiopia in the 161st position
Timor-Leste is 164th has the World per capita economic ranking placing it sixty-two places behind Indonesia in position 102.
Southern Sudan is 191st in the world per capita ranking which is thirty-eight places below (Northern) Sudan in 153rd place
No country that has broken away from a larger country has improved its world economic position. All have a lower ranking than the continuing country they have broken away from. Is this inevitable or were there just five cases of misfortune and the countries that broke away will become wealthier with time.
What we do know is that smaller countries breaking away from larger countries have not had an economic bounce from Independence.
Mike Hedges is the Labour and co-operative Senedd member for Swansea East