New Delhi: Most of us love visiting foreign countries or harbour the dream of going to one someday. But what defines a country? As per the United Nations, a country can be recognised if it has a permanent population, a defined territory with border controls, an independent government, relations with other countries, and be recognized by the UN. Notably, the UN recognises 193 member states while the Fédération Internationale de Football Association or FIFA has 211 affiliated countries. On the other hand, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) lists 249 country codes.
Interestingly, there are some ‘countries’ which exist but also do not exist, that means they are not recognised countries. In this article, we will take a look at some of those nations.
The countries which don’t officially exist but you can visit
Christiania
Christiania is an intentional community and anarchist commune in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. It began in 1971 as a squatted military base and Pusher Street was its main selling street. It was famous for its open illegal trade of cannabis until 2024, when it was shut down by the police and the majority of the inhabitants. According to reports, Christiania receives more than one million tourists every year.
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark and is the largest island in the world. It is the largest of three constituent parts of the kingdom and its citizens are full citizens of Denmark. The Greenlandic government Naalakkersuisut holds executive power in local government affairs. Greenland is a self-governing entity within the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Somaliland
Officially called the Republic of Somaliland, it is an unrecognised country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Ethiopia to the south and west, and Somalia to the east. As of 2024, it had approximately 6.2 million people and its capital and largest city is Hargeisa. Since 1991, it has been governed by democratically elected governments that seek international recognition as the government of the Republic of Somaliland.
Tuva
Officially known as the Republic of Tyva, it is a republic of Russia. However, it still has several cultural practices from the time of the Soviet Union. It is known for its forests and is also called ‘Putin’s playground’, as Vladimir Putin has been photographed hunting and fishing in the region.
Mapuche
The ancient territory of Mapuche has been reportedly described as “straddling parts of Argentina and Chile.” However, the Mapuche people, despite the Spanish empire formally recognising them, lost control of their territory to both nations in the 19th century. Later, many of the Mapuche abandoned their rural lifestyle and moved to cities.
Mayotte
Mayotte overseas department and region and single territorial collectivity of France. Also, it is one of the 18 regions of France, and has the same status as the Metropolitan France’s departments. In 1974, Mayotte chose to remain with France after the nearby Comoros declared its independence.
Seborga
The Principality of Seborga is a micronation which is yet to receive official recognition. As per reports, Seborga claims a 14 sq km area in the northwestern Italian Province of Imperia in Liguria, near the French border, and about 35 kilometres from Monaco. It was Giorgio Carbone, a local flower grower who first put forward the sovereignty for Seborga in 1963.
Transnistria
Officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, it is a landlocked breakaway state which is recognized internationally as Moldova’s part. It is an unrecognized but de facto independent semi-presidential republic which has its own government, parliament, military, currency, postal system, police, and vehicle registration.
Abkhazia
Officially known as the Republic of Abkhazia, it has been partially recognised and is located in the South Caucasus, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. While Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria have recognised it as an independent state, the Georgian government and most of the UN member states consider Abkhazia Georgia’s sovereign territory.
Murrawarri
The Murrawarri Republic is a micronation which, in 2013, declared its independence from Australia. It claimes the territory which is the Murrawarri people’s traditional homeland. However, the Australian government has not acknowledged the declaration of independence, and their independence remains unrecognised.
This article delves into the fascinating world of unrecognized countries and micronations. From the cannabis-infused Christiania in Denmark to the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, we explore places that exist but aren’t officially recognized by the international community. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
