According to the authors, Russia is impossible to conquer not only because of the well-known “General Frost” (although for many countries the Russian climate alone is an insurmountable obstacle in winter). It is extremely difficult to invade Russia, as any history student knows, the publication writes. For example, when Napoleon entered the country in 1812, the Russians destroyed cities and other infrastructure as they retreated. They would rather destroy their country than hand it over to the enemy, the author is sure.

Additionally, any invader must remember that Russia is the world's largest country, divided into 11 time zones. But that's not all. On the territory of the Russian Federation you can find a variety of climatic zones - from polar to subtropical. We should not forget about Russia’s closest neighbors, many of whom are still ready to take up arms to protect their ally. This further expands the geography of a possible invasion due to the Kazakh steppes, the Caucasus mountains, etc.

The Russians themselves are hardy and skilled warriors and good hunters, writes We Are The Mighty. They do not need to be forced to fight the invaders, because they grew up on stories about the Great Patriotic War which their ancestors won.

For a similar reason, it will not be possible to capture the United States, the author of the article believes. After all, the invader will have to face not only the well-armed United States Army, but also all 330 million American citizens, most of whom own weapons.

As with Russia, another significant obstacle to invasion will be the country's vast territory and varied climate. Another rather unexpected advantage that We Are The Mighty writes about is the numerous street gangs operating on the streets of major American cities. It is expected that they will also cause a lot of trouble for the invaders, complicating the already difficult occupation of megacities.

The secret of Afghanistan's invincibility is its topography. None of the empires, which included the largest British Empire in history and two superpowers - the USSR and the USA, managed to conquer this country. The desert “bowl”, surrounded by high and extensive mountain ranges, became an insurmountable obstacle for the invaders. In case of defeat, Afghans can always take refuge in the mountains to recover and prepare for new battles. In addition, the mountains neutralize all the advantages of tanks and armored vehicles.

Another important factor is the country's population, which consists of several dozen different ethnic groups. Afghans are loyal to their clans, tribes, sheikhs, country, religion, etc. In the event of an invasion, the invader must subjugate more than 34 million people to his will.

Another invincible country is China. An invading invader must be prepared to fight a billion Chinese. Of course, not all of them are armed and trained to fight, but it won't take long for the government to start distributing weapons to the population. Additional problems for the invaders they will create difficult climatic conditions and the length of Chinese borders.

If the intervention troops are not destroyed by the People's Liberation Army of China, they will have to face tropical diseases and various ailments associated with overpopulation, writes We Are The Mighty.

We should not forget that the Chinese know how to masterfully copy foreign technologies, so they will not have problems with equipment and equipment.

India's inclusion in the list of invincible countries may come as a surprise to many. However, the rugged mountain passes in the north and east of the country, as well as the vast desert areas in the northwest, can pose an insurmountable obstacle to those who decide to attack India.

The most preferred place for landing troops and launching an invasion is the beaches in the southeast of the country. However, the humid tropical climate can cause a lot of trouble for invaders. In addition, territorial waters will be controlled by Indian Navy submarines, which will be able to sink warships, and enemy landing craft.

Since gaining independence, India has had many conflicts with its closest neighbors - China and Pakistan. The country's defense strategy is based on fighting a war on two fronts - and the Indian armed forces are ready for this.

An almost unlimited number of workers, religious fervor and a population of billions also make India a formidable adversary, the author of the article concludes.

New countries are emerging with alarming regularity. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were only a few dozen independent sovereign states on the planet. And today there are already almost 200 of them! Once a country has been formed, it will last for a long time, so the disappearance of a country is extremely rare. Behind last century There were very few such cases. But if a country breaks up, then it completely disappears from the face of the Earth: along with the flag, the government and everything else. Below are ten of the most famous countries that once existed and prospered, but ceased to exist for one reason or another.

10. German Democratic Republic(GDR), 1949-1990

Created after World War II in a sector controlled Soviet Union The German Democratic Republic was best known for its Wall and its tendency to shoot people who tried to cross it.

The wall was demolished with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. After its demolition, Germany reunited and became a whole state again. However, at first, because the German Democratic Republic was quite poor, unification with the rest of Germany nearly bankrupted the country. On this moment Things got better in Germany.

9. Czechoslovakia, 1918-1992


Founded on the ruins of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia was one of the most vibrant democracies in Europe before World War II. Betrayed by England and France in 1938 in Munich, it was completely occupied by Germany and disappeared from the world map by March 1939. Later it was occupied by the Soviets, who made it one of the vassals of the USSR. It was part of the Soviet Union's sphere of influence until its collapse in 1991. After the collapse, it again became a prosperous democratic state.

This should have been the end of this story, and, probably, the state would have been intact to this day if ethnic Slovaks living in the eastern half of the country had not demanded secession into an independent state, dividing Czechoslovakia in two in 1992.

Today, Czechoslovakia no longer exists; in its place there is the Czech Republic in the west and Slovakia in the east. Although, given the fact that the Czech Republic's economy is thriving, Slovakia, which is not doing so well, probably regrets secession.

8. Yugoslavia, 1918-1992

Like Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia was a product of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a result of World War II. Consisting mainly of parts of Hungary and the original territory of Serbia, Yugoslavia unfortunately did not follow the more intelligent example of Czechoslovakia. Instead, it was something of an autocratic monarchy before the Nazis invaded the country in 1941. After that it was under German occupation. After the Nazis were defeated in 1945, Yugoslavia did not become part of the USSR but became a communist country under the leadership of socialist dictator Marshal Josip Tito, leader of a partisan army during World War II. Yugoslavia remained a non-aligned authoritarian socialist republic until 1992, when internal conflicts and intransigent nationalism resulted in civil war. After it, the country broke up into six small states (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro), becoming a clear example of what might happen if cultural, ethnic and religious assimilation goes wrong.

7. Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1867-1918

While all the countries that found themselves on the losing side after the First World War found themselves in unsightly economic and geographical location, none of them lost more than the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was picked off like a roast turkey in a homeless shelter. From the collapse of the once huge empire, such modern countries as Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia emerged, and part of the empire’s lands went to Italy, Poland and Romania.

So why did it fall apart while its neighbor, Germany, remained intact? Yes, because it did not have a common language and self-determination; instead, it was inhabited by various ethnic and religious groups that, to put it mildly, did not get along with each other. Overall, the Austro-Hungarian Empire suffered what Yugoslavia endured, only on a much larger scale when it was torn apart by ethnic hatred. The only difference was that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was torn apart by the victors, and the collapse of Yugoslavia was internal and spontaneous.

6. Tibet, 1913-1951

Although the territory known as Tibet existed for more than a thousand years, it failed to become independent state until 1913. However, under the peaceful tutelage of a succession of Dalai Lamas, it eventually clashed with Communist China in 1951 and was occupied by Mao's forces, thus ending its brief existence as a sovereign state. In the 1950s, China occupied Tibet, which became more and more unrest until Tibet finally rebelled in 1959. This led to China annexing the region and dissolving the Tibetan government. Thus, Tibet ceased to exist as a country and instead became a "region" instead of a country. Today, Tibet is a huge tourist attraction for the Chinese government, even though there is infighting between Beijing and Tibet due to Tibet again demanding independence.

5. South Vietnam, 1955-1975


South Vietnam was created by the forced expulsion of the French from Indochina in 1954. Someone decided that dividing Vietnam in two around the 17th parallel would be a good idea, leaving Communist Vietnam in the north and pseudo-democratic Vietnam in the south. As in the case of Korea, nothing good came of it. The situation led to war between South and North Vietnam, which eventually involved the United States. For the United States of America, this war became one of the most devastating and expensive wars in which America has ever been involved. As a result, torn by internal divisions, America withdrew its troops from Vietnam and left it to its own devices in 1973. For two years, Vietnam, divided in two, fought until North Vietnam, backed by the Soviet Union, seized control of the country, eliminating South Vietnam forever. The capital of the former South Vietnam, Saigon, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, Vietnam has been a socialist utopia.

4. United Arab Republic, 1958-1971


This is another failed attempt to unite the Arab world. The Egyptian president, an ardent socialist, Gamal Abdel Nasser, believed that unification with Egypt's distant neighbor, Syria, would lead to the fact that their common enemy, Israel, would be surrounded on all sides, and that the united country would become a super- strength of the region. Thus, the short-lived United Arab Republic was created - an experiment that was doomed to fail from the very beginning. Being separated by several hundred kilometers, creating a centralized government seemed an impossible task, plus Syria and Egypt could never agree on what their national priorities were.

The problem would be resolved if Syria and Egypt united and destroyed Israel. But their plans were thwarted by the inappropriate Six Day War of 1967, which destroyed their plans for a shared border and turned the United Arab Republic into a defeat of biblical proportions. After this, the days of the alliance were numbered, and the UAR eventually dissolved with the death of Nasser in 1970. Without a charismatic Egyptian president to maintain the fragile alliance, the UAR quickly disintegrated, restoring Egypt and Syria as separate states.

3. Ottoman Empire, 1299-1922


One of the greatest empires in all of human history, the Ottoman Empire collapsed in November 1922, after surviving for over 600 years. It once stretched from Morocco to the Persian Gulf and from Sudan to Hungary. Its collapse was the result of a long process of disintegration over many centuries; by the beginning of the 20th century, only a shadow of its former glory remained.

But even then it remained an influential force in the Middle East and North Africa, and, most likely, would have remained so today if it had not participated in the First World War on the losing side. After the First World War it was disbanded, its largest part (Egypt, Sudan and Palestine) went to England. In 1922, it became useless and eventually collapsed completely when the Turks won their War of Independence in 1922 and terrified the Sultanate, creating modern Turkey in the process. However, the Ottoman Empire deserves respect for its long existence despite everything.

2. Sikkim, 8th century AD-1975

Have you never heard of this country? Where have you been all this time? Well, seriously, how could you not know about small, landlocked Sikkim, securely nestled in the Himalayas between India and Tibet... that is, China. About the size of a hot dog stand, it was one of those obscure, forgotten monarchies that managed to survive into the 20th century, until its citizens realized that they had no particular reason to remain an independent state, and decided to merge with modern India in 1975.

What was remarkable about this small state? Yes, because, despite his incredibly small size, he had eleven official languages, which probably created chaos when signing road signs - this is assuming that there were roads in Sikkim.

1. Union of Soviets Socialist Republics(Soviet Union), 1922-1991


It is difficult to imagine the history of the world without the participation of the Soviet Union in it. One of the most powerful countries on the planet, which collapsed in 1991, for seven decades it was a symbol of friendship among peoples. It was formed after the collapse of the Russian Empire after the First World War and flourished for many decades. The Soviet Union defeated the Nazis when the efforts of all other countries were insufficient to stop Hitler. The Soviet Union almost went to war with the United States in 1962, an event called the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After the Soviet Union collapsed following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, it split into fifteen sovereign states, creating the largest bloc of countries since the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Now the main successor to the Soviet Union is democratic Russia.

USA used various ways to annex new lands. They were conquered, annexed, bought, annexed at the request of local residents and rented. The 13 states that originally made up the United States of America then occupied an area comparable in size to the Philippines. Over the course of a century, most of the continent of North America, the Philippines, and islands in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans came under US control.

Robert Leckie, author of the study "From Sea to Shining Sea: From the War of 1812 to the Mexican War, the Saga of America's Expansion", notes that not a single country the world did not increase the size of its territory as quickly as the United States. The reasons for the emergence of new lands within the United States were very diverse. American politicians did not at all crave the expansion of territories just for the sake of expansion itself. In many cases, a significant part of American society was cool about such actions of the authorities, and sometimes she protested against them.

The process of acquiring new lands began a quarter century after the United States gained independence from British Empire(1776). In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson\Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) decided to buy from France its colonial possession - the “Louisiana Territory”, with an area of ​​more than 2 million square meters. km. France, which for a number of reasons did not need Louisiana, asked for $15 million for it, and the bulk of this amount, $11 million 250 thousand, had to be paid immediately, and the rest was compensated by paying off France's debt to US citizens. As a result, the territory of the United States practically doubled, and 13 new states were formed on this piece of land. Many US residents were very skeptical of Jefferson's decision. Similar views on land growth often prevailed subsequently.

In 1819, the United States purchased the Florida Peninsula from Spain. The United States decided to acquire these lands for security reasons: local Indians from the Seminole tribe constantly carried out destructive raids on the neighboring state of Georgia. Spain agreed to sell these lands, which it could not fully control because it did not have the strength or desire to deal with them - it was at the beginning of the 19th century that it faced massive unrest in its colonies in America. Florida went to the United States for $5 million - in fact, Washington did not pay this money, since these funds were used to pay off claims of US citizens to the Spanish crown.

In 1845, Texas, which had previously belonged to Spain and then to Mexico, became part of the United States. The annexation of Texas had a very complex and confusing history. A quarter century earlier, Americans received permission from the Mexican government to settle in Texas. The settlers had to remain loyal to Mexico, learn Spanish and convert to Catholicism. However, the Mexican authorities did not pay much attention to compliance with these rules. Settlers organized large-scale cotton production in Texas, and already in the 1830s the number of English-speaking Texans exceeded the number of Spanish-speaking ones. That's when the crisis broke out. In 1831, Mexico abolished slavery (in the United States, slavery continued for another three decades), which could have caused financial ruin for Texas planters who needed cheap labor. In addition, the Mexican government restricted immigration into Texas and sharply increased customs duties. In 1833, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, supported by nationalists, came to power in Mexico. The general decided to restore, de facto, lost control over Texas. In 1835, Mexican soldiers tried to capture cannons located in the town of Gonzales. The settlers rebelled and drove the Mexican troops out of the city. This was the beginning of the war. The Mexican forces were led by Santa Ana himself. When suppressing the uprising, he showed extreme cruelty - all captured insurgents were shot on the spot. This, in fact, decided the fate of Texas. Separatist ideas, which were initially not very popular, gained many fans. In 1836, the Texas militia defeated the Mexican army, and Santa Ana was captured. In exchange for his release, he granted Texas independence. In 1836, secessionist leader Samuel Houston became president of the Republic of Texas.

The United States openly sympathized with Texas, but for a number of reasons (primarily because of the problem of slavery, whose opponents were gaining increasing influence in the United States, and the economic crisis) for a long time did not want to include Texas in the United States (the corresponding appeal from the Texas government was received in Washington almost immediately after Houston's inauguration) and even refused to recognize the independence of the new state, fearing war with Mexico. Texas has even begun similar negotiations with other states. The reasons for this were the political, economic and military weakness of the new state, constant friction with the Mexicans and Indians. The British Empire reacted most favorably to this annexation of Texas, but it was also deterred by Texas slavery (slavery on the territory of the empire was declared illegal in 1833). However, in 1845, the United States annexed Texas, which received statehood (one of the most important reasons for this decision was fears that the newborn republic would come under the rule of the British crown). Texans and some Americans (supporters of preserving the institution of slavery) reacted to this decision with delight. However, Mexico went to war with the United States. Historian Joel Silbey, author of the study "Storm over Texas: The Annexation Controversy and the Road to Civil War", believes that the controversial annexation of Texas was one of the factors that became an indirect cause of the outbreak of the American Civil War (which began after a decade and a half).

A year later, the “Oregon Territory” joined the United States, which is now occupied by the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. These were disputed lands with a mixed population, originally claimed by Great Britain, the United States, Russia and Spain. Gradually, the number of contenders for a huge piece of land was reduced to two - the United States and the British Empire. In 1818, both sides agreed to jointly own the territory. However, tensions persisted as both countries had different ideas about where the boundaries of their dominions should lie. Time worked for the United States, since the Americans were actively developing the Oregon Territory. In 1844, US presidential candidate James K. Polk stated that the United States should gain control of the territories south of the 54th parallel. Then the slogan “Fifty-Four or War” appeared in the USA. After Polk's victory in the elections, American-British negotiations began, as a result of which the United States received lands south of the 49th parallel (1846). However, all controversial issues were not resolved, which resulted in a war that broke out in 1859.

The war with Mexico, which began after the annexation of Texas, led to the fact that the current states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, part of Colorado, Utah and Nevada became part of the United States. Mexico, which started fighting in 1847, was quickly defeated (American troops occupied Mexico City). The treaty was signed in 1848: Mexico lost a significant part of its territory. In return, the United States paid Mexico $15 million and pledged to repay the financial claims of the affected US citizens against the Mexican government (in the amount of approximately $3 million).

Five years later (1853), Mexico again sold part of its lands to the United States (now southern California and Arizona). The reason was the construction of a transcontinental railroad, which was supposed to connect the West and East of the United States - it was profitable to lay it along this route. The US proposal was accepted by the same President (and General) Santa Ana. Historian David M. Pletcher, author of The Diplomacy of Annexation: Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican War, believes that Santa Ana took this extremely unpopular step in Mexico due to the economic bankruptcy of their government. The United States paid $10 million for an area of ​​approximately 70 thousand square meters. km.

A number of small island territories in Pacific Ocean The United States annexed on the basis of the Guano Act, adopted by the US Congress under pressure from farmers in 1856. Jimmy Skaggs\Jimmy M. Skaggs, author of the study "The Great Guano Rush: Entrepreneurs and American Overseas Expansion", notes that guano - deposits of bird droppings - was then considered the best fertilizer and was extremely expensive (the main supplier of guano is Peru - in the mid-19th century it received income comparable to the income of modern oil exporting countries). The law stated that if a US citizen discovered deposits of guano on any island or rock that does not fall under the jurisdiction of another state and is not occupied by foreign citizens, then this land area passes to the United States. As a result, the United States included 79 Pacific islands, islets and atolls, many of which subsequently gained independence - now the American flag flies over the practically uninhabited islands of Bayer, Jarvis, Howland, Johnston Atoll, etc., discovered in 1857-1858 . However, sometimes there was no need to use the Guano Law. For example, in 1859, the uninhabited Midway Atoll was discovered by an American captain, and in 1867 it was declared US possession. This was a common practice during the colonial era. The origin of the name Midway (can be translated as “middle of the path”) is curious - the atoll was so named because it lies in the middle between California and Japan.

In 1876 the USA and Russian empire concluded an agreement on the sale of Russian America - Alaska. Russia began negotiations on this deal in 1866, but the US government has long doubted the wisdom of such an acquisition. Most Americans did not understand how the United States could benefit from buying a piece of land on the edge of the earth, where it is almost impossible to live due to severe frosts. The idea of ​​buying Alaska was actively supported by President Andrew Johnson and his Secretary of State William H. Seward. They were actively criticized by political opponents of Johnson, who for a long time could not get support for this deal in Congress. As a result, Alaska was purchased, and this deal (and the state of Alaska itself) was long called "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Ice Box." The United States paid Russia $7.2 million. For several decades, the United States paid virtually no attention to Alaska - this vast territory was controlled by the military. Civil administration did not appear until 1884, but its influence was minimal. The situation changed first as a result of the discovery of gold deposits (1896), and later during World War II, when the strategic importance of Alaska became clear to everyone. In 1959, Alaska became a US state.
In 1898, the United States annexed Hawaii, a previously independent kingdom ruled by Polynesian leaders (it was the Hawaiians who killed the famous navigator James Cook). In the 19th century, the United States, Great Britain and France fought for control of Hawaii. However, the United States won, due to the fact that Hawaii and the United States were the most tightly connected economically. American businessmen were active in Hawaii, primarily planters who produced sugar. In 1893, the Hawaiian throne was inherited by Queen Liliuokalani, who attempted to strengthen the institution of royal power. Strengthening was carried out with the help of a new constitution, and since the monarchy was absolute, through the issuance of royal edicts. Among other things, the queen was going to strengthen the budget by increasing tariffs on the export of Hawaiian sugar. However, these plans could not be realized. A group of angry planters led by Samuel Dole (18 people in total) overthrew the queen. Historian Tom Coffman, author of the study "The History of the American Annexation of the Nation of Hawaii"\Nation Within: The Story of America's Annexation of the Nation of Hawaii, notes that the coup took place in conditions of almost complete indifference of the Hawaiians. The coup was carried out with the support American military and the US Ambassador. It is curious that US President Grover Cleveland reacted extremely negatively to this act, apologized to the Queen and even fired the US Ambassador who supported the coup. Nevertheless, in 1894 a republic was created in Hawaii, Dole became president . The republic was immediately recognized by the United States. However, the days of Hawaii's independence were numbered. The new authorities turned to the United States with a request for annexation. The US Congress discussed this issue until 1898 - a positive decision was made in the wake of the war with Spain. The final green light was given by the new president William McKinley In 1900, Dole became the first governor of Hawaii to become an annexed territory. In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th US state. Ex-Queen Liliuokalani died in 1917, all these years she lived on her native island.

Part former possessions The USA gained independence and are now sovereign states. For example, in 1898, the United States defeated Spain and acquired the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam from the defeated. The Philippines became independent in 1946. The famous historian Walter La Faber, author of The New Empire: An Interpretation of American Expansion, 1860-1898, believes that the victory over Spain was the most important turning point in the history of the United States. In his opinion, after this the United States felt like a full-fledged international player, capable of challenging the world primacy of the European colonial powers. This radically influenced the ideology of the American elite and contributed to the struggle for new territories.

In 1903, the United States leased from the newborn state of Panama (with the support of the United States, which gained independence from Colombia) a plot of land adjacent to the future Panama Canal (for $10 million in one-time payments plus $250,000 in annual rent) - in 1999, the zone and canal were returned to Panama . In 1947, the United States received a UN mandate to manage the Mariana, Caroline and Marshall Islands - in 1986, the independent Federated States of Micronesia appeared on the Caroline Islands, the other two archipelagos de facto remained under US jurisdiction, reports

Russia is a country that cannot be conquered, believes the American patriotic publication We are the Mighty (WATM). Among the reasons for Russian invincibility, the authors name harsh climatic conditions, a large territory, a strong and combat-ready army, as well as features of national identity.

According to WATM, the invasion of Russia is "a terribly difficult matter" and cites Napoleon's invasion in 1812 as an example. Journalists draw attention to the dedication of the Russian people and their readiness to destroy their own cities, villages and other infrastructure so that it does not fall to the enemy. “Russians would rather destroy their country than leave it to an invader”, say the authors of the American publication.

According to WATM, the willingness of the Russian population to sacrifice themselves is not the only reason that will prevent the country from being conquered. Russia is the most big country in the world across land areas with varied climates. This factor also plays against a potential invader, the author of the article believes.

Shoigu responded to Germany’s call to “conduct dialogue with Russia from a position of strength”

If all of the above turns out to be insufficient to repel the enemy, then the invader "will probably have to fight every former Soviet state around Russian borders". According to the publication, many of them are still loyal to Russia and are ready to take up arms to help "to my Russian friends". This expands the variety of people, climates, and geography that the attacking side will have to contend with.

The list of countries that cannot be conquered also includes China, India, Afghanistan and the United States.

According to WATM, it will not be possible to conquer the United States not only because of its powerful army in the world, but also the presence among the population large quantity weapons. China will be able to defend its independence thanks to large numbers population and a developed economy, and India has a “naval strategy” that involves filling the coastal waters with submarines.

The authors call Afghanistan "cemetery of empires". In their opinion, this country cannot be captured due to the complex geographical relief and multi-ethnic population. They also recognize that even the United States, with its most modern army could not achieve significant success in conquering this country.

“Any army that the invader cannot destroy can simply disappear into the mountains and lick its wounds until the next season of fighting. In our time, high peaks deny the advantage of armor and tanks, just as they denied the advantages of heavy cavalry in earlier times,” wrote the authors of the publication about Afghanistan.

Due to the collapse of empires, states and the renaming of exotic places, the world map today looks completely different than it did a century ago.

Yugoslavia

A hundred years ago, a military conflict called the First World War redrawn the borders of Europe. Created in 1918, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was renamed Yugoslavia ten years later. The state united culturally and ethnically diverse territories that had previously been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Yugoslavia included the currently independent countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. Yugoslavia survived until its collapse in the 1990s.

Tibet

While we typically associate Tibet with peaceful Buddhist monks and the Dalai Lama, their spiritual leader, the region northwest of India has been plagued by strife for centuries. Tibet actually had independence only from 1912 to 1951, when it became part of the PRC. The Dalai Lama fled in March 1959 after an unsuccessful uprising against Chinese troops. Now retired, he still lives in exile. There, in the Indian city of Dharamsala, the government is in exile, and the struggle for the liberation of Tibet continues.

Neutral Saxony

Not everyone has heard of this miniature country. It was formed in 1816 as a result of an agreement between Prussia and the Netherlands so that both countries would have access to a zinc mine. The tiny state had a flag and even its own coin. However, it did not last long. At the end of the First World War, Neutral Saxony became part of Belgium. Nevertheless, even today the anniversary of its creation is celebrated by the residents of this region.

Newfoundland

The rugged island of Newfoundland is part of Canada today, but that wasn't always the case. Previously an island off the northeast coast North America was a British colony, and its isolation created a culture distinct from that of the surrounding region. Newfoundland became a self-governing independent territory, although it was still a British dominion. In 1934, it voluntarily decided to regain its status as a colony after the Great Depression hit its economy hard. In 1949, the island became part of the Canadian province now known as Newfoundland and Labrador (interestingly, the name coincides with the dog breeds).

Abyssinia

This romantic-sounding name was actually given to Ethiopia a hundred years ago by Arabs and Europeans. In the “scramble for Africa” at the end of the 19th century, Italy tried to capture it, but to no avail. In fact, the country was never colonized, remaining one of the few African states to remain independent until the Italians under Mussolini were able to briefly occupy Abyssinia in the late 1930s. At the end of World War II, Ethiopia was one of the founding countries of the United Nations.

Czechoslovakia

This Eastern European country was formed in 1918 from the ruins of Austria-Hungary. It included the historical regions: Moravia, Slovakia and Bohemia (Czech Republic). German occupation this state plunged Europe into the Second world war. After liberation by the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia became part of the Eastern Bloc and peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.

Ceylon

This large island south of India was called Ceylon until 1972. This is what the Europeans called it during colonization, which lasted several centuries. The island was under British control until 1948. After the end civil war At the beginning of this century, the situation in Sri Lanka finally stabilized.

Basutoland

Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1966, this state has been called Lesotho. Its history began in the 19th century, under King Moshoeshoe I, who tried to unite disparate tribes under his rule. Later, he even turned to the British for help in the fight against Boer settlers. Basutoland was one of only three countries in the world that was entirely within the borders of another state. Besides him, the Vatican and San Marino still have this feature. The latter are surrounded by Italian territory, but Basutoland was located inside South Africa. Today Lesotho is still inhabited by The Royal Family, the country is currently a constitutional monarchy.

Ottoman Empire

Unlike the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire survived the First World War, although not for long. In 1923, having lost most of its territories, it became the Republic of Turkey. Until the beginning of the last century, the Ottoman state had existed for more than 600 years. The empire controlled lands located in North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Its influence can still be seen in the culture and architecture of Turkey.

Sikkim

Few people have heard of this dwarf mountain region in the Himalayas. Sikkim was a sovereign monarchy from 1642 until it came under Indian protectorate in 1950, and was then finally annexed to India in 1975. Bordered by Bhutan, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Nepal, Sikkim is today considered by many to be home of the gods, due to the fact that its territory is dominated by snow-capped mountains.

Persia

This name evokes a Middle Eastern kingdom that was once one of the ancient civilizations in history. Centuries passed, and the country retained its old name until 1935, when it was officially renamed Iran. Today we mainly think of Persia when we talk about Persian carpets and Persian cats.

Siam

Anyone who has seen the musical "The King" might wonder, "Where did the monarch of Siam really live?" It should be noted that the stage hero had a real prototype: King Mongkut, who reigned in 1851-1868. Thailand is the country's new name, adopted in 1939. Never colonized by Europeans, Siam was an absolute monarchy until the last century. Today in the country autocracy is limited by the constitution.

Prussia

This country once included territories in the east and center of Europe, including present-day Poland and Germany. In one form or another, Prussia existed until 1947. It reached the peak of its power in the 18th century, and in the next it became the core German Empire, which was headed by the Prussian monarch in 1871. Prussia continued to exist until its lands were divided and the name disappeared forever from the world map after World War II. However, the descendants of the defunct monarchy continue to bear their titles: Prince Georg Friedrich Ferdinand today heads the former ruling family.

Zanzibar

An archipelago off the east coast of Africa with an exotic and enticing name, some may associate it with spices, explorers of uncharted territories and the adventures that come with it. And for good reason: this archipelago was once an important trading region. An independent sultanate was founded here in the 19th century. Despite falling under British protection shortly thereafter, the sultans continued to rule until 1964. Having gained full independence, Zanzibar then merged with mainland Tanganyika, thus creating modern Tanzania.

Sarawak

Adventurer James Brooke in the 1840s proclaimed the kingdom of Sarawak in Malaysia (Kalimantan island), where he began to rule. Despite the fact that Brooke was an Englishman, he resisted British colonization, and therefore was largely viewed positively in the country. The state was ruled by his descendants until the Japanese occupation during World War II, after which it became part of Great Britain. In 1963, Sarawak became part of new country- Malaysia.