newest countries

The single nation of Serbia and Montenegro, formed after the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991, changed into the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, and finally into the two separate states of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.

It was Montenegro that ultimately ended the relationship, with areferendum on May 21, 2006, that found just over 55 percent wanted to end its ties with Serbia. On June 3, Montenegro declared independence. A few days later, Serbia followed suit. 

Since independence, Montenegro has applied for E.U. membership, joined the World Trade Organization, and rehabilitated its long-exiled monarchy. Generally, it's economic record since independence has been viewed positively.

Of course, Montenegro's independence ultimately left Serbia effectively a "new" state too, though it was the legal successor to the union. Since 2006, the country has generally pursued pro-European policies, and it is on track to membership of the European Union (though Kosovo's independence remains an issue). Under President Tomislav Nikolic, elected two years ago, the country has tried to balance a future in Europe with a partnership with its traditional ally, Russia.

East Timor, now also known as Timor-Leste, achieved independence on May 20, 2002, but the country had effectively voted for independence years before, when a referendum delivered a clear vote that clearly rejected the proposed "special autonomy" within Indonesia. After that referendum, there was brutal violence in the region with pro-Indonesian militias attacking citizens, and a special U.N. force had to be deployed to the country.

The country had already suffered. According to a U.N. report from 2006, Indonesia may have directly or indirectly killed as many as 180,000 people in East Timor after they invaded the country when its colonial ruler, Portugal, left in 1975. The situation in East Timor had made headlines around the world since 1991, when at least 250 pro-independence demonstrators were shot dead.

After independence, some troubles have remained: In 2006, the U.N. had to redeploy troops after fighting resumed. However, the country has enjoyed profits from its large oil reserves, and enjoyed some substantial growth: The World Bank says that the "social and economic development in Timor-Leste can be seen as remarkable."

Palau, geographically part of the larger Micronesia island group in the western Pacific Ocean, is the least populated country on this list, with a little over 21,000 people living on around 250 islands. It became independent on Oct. 1, 1994, 15 years after it had decided against becoming part of Micronesia due to cultural and linguistic differences.

The islands that make up Palau had passed through various colonial hands over the years, before coming under the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific, administered by the United States, after World War II. It's relationship with the United States remains a Compact of Free Association, which means the United States offers financial aid and retains military authority. In 2009, the country agreed to accept 6 Uighur detainees from Guantanamo Bay, sparking controversy. The country is one of the wealthiest Pacific Island states, and is known for its tourism industry.

The United Nations established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. However, when Ethiopia, under emperor Haile Selassie, annexed the region in 1962, it sparked a civil war that lasted 30 years. In 1991, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) ousted the Ethiopian forces, and on April 27, 1993, the country declared independence after a referendum.

Since independence, there have been a number of disputes with Ethiopia, including a border war in 1998 that lasted more than two years. In that time, the country has been ruled by one president, Isaias Afwerki, who has been widely criticized for repressive government tactics, earning the country the nickname "The North Korea of Africa."

On Jan. 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia was dissolved by parliament into two countries: The Czech Republic and Slovakia. After the "Velvet Revolution" ended one-party Communist rule, it was the "Velvet Divorce."

Immediately after the split, there appeared to be some trepidation: The New York Times noted "wide regret"at the end of the nation that was formed after World War I. However, the contemporary view is that the split was a (relative) success: "The split was really smooth," Slovakian journalist Pavol Mudry told the BBC last year. Both countries have joined the European Union (with Slovakia even taking on the euro) and have had largely stable, at times burgeoning, economies since independence.

Not everyone is happy with the split, however. In the run-up to the Scottish vote, Pavel Seifter, a former Czech ambassador to Britain, argued in the Guardian that neither country really appreciated what they had lost.