How many nations are there on earth? Although the question seems straightforward, the solution is much more complicated than you may imagine. For instance, The UN lists 193 member states, but this completely excludes not only Taiwan and Kosovo, but also Vatican City. Some of these secret countries, like Kosovo, you might have heard of while others are so obscure that even their immediate neighbours might not know of them.
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Nagorno-Karabakh was an Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union collapsed. Nagorno-Karabakh had long ago voted to secede, so the region’s leaders took their chance. Azerbaijan disagreed and sent in the tanks. By the time the dust settled, Baku was no longer in control of the region, and a new republic of barely over 4,000 square kilometers had been born. Today, Nagorno-Karabakh is home to around 150,000, all crammed into a tiny area of unreceptive mountain not much bigger than Cornwall.
Freetown Christiania
Not only it is a self-proclaimed nation but it is the only one half-recognized by the state. Christiania declared independence in 1971. Christiania today is very different from the rest of Denmark. There are no cars allowed, no guns, and no private property. Buying and selling hash is completely legal in Denmark and the main street is today home to the biggest pot market on the planet.
Seborga
Seborga was founded in 954 AD as a principality in the colossal Holy Roman Empire. When the Empire collapsed in 1806, nearly all of the 300 or so states that comprised it were dismantled or absorbed into bigger neighbours. Same deal with Seborga, which became part of Sardinia, and later a unified Italy. When the Italian Unification treaty was signed in the 19th century, Seborga’s name was accidentally left off the document. Legally, it may therefore still be an independent state. Now it is a tiny hilltop town that covers an area the size of Central Park in NYC. It has only 400 residents, yet maintains diplomats in several nations.
Abkhazia
Independence wasn’t formally declared until 1999, but Abkhazia has essentially been separate since 1993. It has its own military, government, national bank, passports, boundaries, and the recognition of four UN member states. Since ’99, Abkhazia has been pulled ever-closer into Moscow’s orbit, essentially becoming a Russian exclave. Citizens can acquire Russian passports, crossing the border is a piece of cake, and jobs are reliant on Russian industry.
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan has functioned as an autonomous state within Iraq since 1970. Following the collapse of Baghdad’s control and the rise of ISIS, it has essentially become an independent country that keeps adding to its territory all the time. As the Iraqi army crumbled, the Kurds took up weapons. Today, they’re the most effective army fighting ISIS in the whole of the Middle East.