List of former sovereign states
In the past, many states, countries or territories have been in existence. This page attempts to list them, grouped into a number of categories.
Ancient Civilisations
Territories that disappeared in ancient history.
- Sumer
- Akkad
- Babylonia
- Chaldea
- Assyria
- Kingdom of Israel
- Kingdom of Judah
- Egyptian Empire
- Hittites
- Hurrians
- Scythia
- Urartu
- Athens, Sparta, Syracuse, etc (Hellenic city-states)
- Empire of Alexander the Great (what is it called?)
- Carthage
- Indus Valley Civilisation - South Asia
- Roman Republic, Roman Empire
Former Colonies
These were all colonies, most of which were renamed after their independence.
- Basutoland - Since 1868 a British protectorate, later colony (governed from South Africa). Became independent as Lesotho in 1966.
- Bechuanaland - Since 1884 a British protectorate, later colony (governed from South Africa). Became independent as Botswana in 1966.
- Belgian Congo - Belgian colony from 1908 until 1960, when the it became independent as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Congo Free State - Name of the state owned from 1884 by King Leopold II of Belgium, later mostly annexed by his country in 1908, then known as Belgian Congo.
- Dahomey - This African kingdom was acquired by France. In 1904, it was made part of the French West African federation. It became independent in 1960, changing its name in 1975 to Benin.
- Danish West Indies - Danish colony, sold in 1917 to the United States. Now known as the United States Virgin Islands.
- French Equatorial Africa - A French federation of colonies, formed in 1910, containing the the colonies of Gabon, Middle Congo, Chad and Ubangi-Shari. The territories became autonomous parts of France in 1958, and the federation was dissolved.
- French Sudan - A French colony, part of the French West African federation since 1904. In 1959 it formed the independent Mali Federation together with Senegal, which fell apart in 1960, after which the country was renamed Mali.
- German South-West Africa - A German colony from 1884 to 1915, after which it became South African held territory until 1990, when the country became independent as Namibia.
- Gold Coast - A British colony since 1874, it became independent as Ghana in 1957.
- Italian East Africa
- Middle Congo - A French colony, previously named French Congo, became independent as the Republic of the Congo in 1960.
- Netherlands East Indies - A Dutch colony, officially since 1799, up to then controlled by the Dutch East India Company. Became independent as Indonesia in 1949.
- Netherlands New Guinea - Part of the Netherlands East Indies until 1949, became part of Indonesia in 1969 as Irian Jaya.
- Nyasaland - British protectorate, previously called British Central Africa, it was renamed Nyasaland in 1907. It became part of a federation with Rhodesia in 1953, and became independent as Malawi in 1964.
- New France was conquered by Britain; various parts of it later became part of Canada and the United States.
- Portuguese Timor - The eastern side of the island of Timor was a Portuguese colony until 1975, when independence was declared as East Timor. Indonesian troops seized the country, but the country was finally declared independent in 2002.
- South-West Africa - In 1915, South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa, which it held under mandate until 1922, after which they remained ruling the territory until its independence in 1990 as Namibia.
- The colonies of Vancouver Island, New Caledonia, Upper Canada and Lower Canada (later, the Province of Canada), Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland spent much time reorganizing themselves into various patterns; they all eventually became part of Canada.
Secessionist states
These nations declared themselves independent, but failed to achieve real independence and were re-incorporated.
- Biafra - Declared independence of Nigeria in 1967. Defeated and reincorporated in 1970.
- Confederate States of America - Declared its independence from the United States in 1861, incorporated again in 1865.
- Katanga - Declared its independence of the newly formed Republic of the Congo in 1960, was incorporated again in 1963.
Dissolved countries
These states were dissolved into a number of countries.
- Austria-Hungary - This double monarchy was formed in 1867 from the Habsburg empire, having an Austrian and a Hungarian part. In 1918, the empire was split into Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia.
- Czechoslovakia - State created from parts of Austria-Hungary, which dissolved after World War I. In 1993, the country was split into two parts, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- Mali Federation - In 1959 formed by Senegal and French Sudan, both parts of French West Africa, as an independent nation. It fell apart in 1960 into Senegal and Mali.
- Soviet Union or USSR - Formed after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1918, made up of several republics which have since become independent as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan,Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.
- United Arab Republic - A union formed by Egypt and Syria in 1958 was dissolved in 1961, though Egypt used the name until 1971.
- United Provinces of Central America also known as United States of Central America-- independant 1823; fell apart into seperate states in civil war 1838-1840.
- Yugoslavia - Though the name is still used by Serbia and Montenegro, the country fell apart when Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina seceded in the 1990s.
Renamed countries
These countries changed their names.
- Burma - Name of Myanmar until 1989.
- Ceylon - Name of Sri Lanka until 1972.
- German Empire - Formed in 1871 from the already confederated German states, led by Prussia. Known after World War I as the Weimar Republic.
- Persia - Name of Iran until 1935.
- Republic of the Congo - Name of Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 1971.
- Siam - Name of Thailand until 1938.
- Upper Volta - Name of Burkina Faso until 1984.
- Weimar Republic - After World War I, Germany became a republic, which it remained until Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933.
- Zaire - Name of Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 1997.
"Independent" Homelands of South Africa
These homelands, for black people, were granted "independence" from South Africa. Not recognised by other nations, they were officially re-incorporated in 1994.
- Bophuthatswana - Made "independent" in 1977, reincorporated in 1994.
- Ciskei - Made "independent" in 1981, reincorporated in 1994.
- Transkei - Made "independent" in 1976, reincorporated in 1994.
- Venda - Made "independent" in 1979, reincorporated in 1994.
Countries now part of other countries
These nations, once separate, are now part of another country.
- British Somaliland - became part of Somalia, but has since asserted its independence as the Somaliland republic.
- Chan Santa Cruz Maya state in eastern Yucatan peninsula, recognized as independant nation by British Empire in 1840s; now part of Mexico.
- Dalmatia - Having been part of many empires, the area became part of Yugoslavia after World War I, and now in Croatia.
- East Germany - United with West Germany to form Germany again.
- Etruria - Ancient country near Rome.
- Fiume - Now known as Rijeka in Croatia, this city was disputed between Italy and Yugoslavia after World War I. Being briefly independent, the city was captured by Italy, but passed to Yugoslavia after World War II.
- The Kingdom of Hawaii was unified in 1810 under Kamehameha I, and was recognized by the United States as an independent nation from 1826 until January 17, 1893.
- Ifni - A Spanish possession until 1969, when it was ceded to and incorporated in Morocco.
- Italian Somaliland - Became part of Somalia.
- Kalat - Became part of Pakistan.
- Moresnet - A tiny European territory that endured for a hundred years before definitively becoming part of Belgium.
- Prussia - Existing since 1701, Prussia was the most powerful of the German states when the German Empire was formed in 1871, as the Prussian King was declared the German Emperor. The State of Prussia was abolished by the Allied Control Council in 1947, following World War II.
- Republic of Texas - After becoming independent of Mexico in 1836, Texas sought annexation by the United States, which occurred in 1845.
- Tibet - Semi-independent from China from 1912 to 1950, when it was made an autonomous region within China.
- Transylvania - Semi-independent before becoming part of Austria-Hungary. Became part of Romania after World War I.
- West Germany - United with East Germany to form Germany again.
- Republic of Yucatan became part of Mexico
- Zanzibar - Zanzibar merged in 1964 with Tanganyika to become Tanzania.
To be classified
These should probably be included in one of the above categories - to be done.
- Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Naples Kingdom
- Rhodesia - became Zambia and Zimbabwe
- Prussia - abolished in 1947
- Java (island)
- Oubangui-Chari - became Central African Republic
- Tannu Tuva - autonomous
- Ivory Coast - became Côte d'Ivoire - ?
- Tavolara island, (now in Sardinia), smallest kingdom in the world
- Adiabene
- Commagene
- Persian Empire
- Magadhan Empire
- Mongol Empire
- Tang China
- Aztec Empire
- Mayan Empire (When somebody creates this please make these other headings redirect to it. Thanks.)
- Incan Empire (Tawatinsuyu, Inca, Inka, Incans)
- Iroquois Confederation
- Anasazi
- States in Medieval Britain
- Kievan Rus
- Khazar Empire
- Byzantine Empire
- Frankish Kingdom
- Holy Roman Empire
- Ottoman Empire
- Republic of Venice
- Hanseatic League -- neither a country nor an empire
- French West Africa - became Algeria, Morocco, Ivory Coast
- British Guiana - became Guyana
- British Honduras - became Belize
- French Somaliland - became Djibouti
- Italian North Africa - became Libya
- Netherlands Guiana - became Suriname
- Portuguese East Africa - became Mozambique
- Portuguese Guinea - became Guinea-Bissau
- Portuguese India - became part of India
- Portuguese West Africa - became Angola
- German/British Tanganyika - became Tanzania
- Spanish Guinea - became Equatorial Guinea
- Spanish Sahara - became Western Sahara