List of Top 5 Countries That No Longer Exist

These nations were once proud and powerful, with their flags, leaders, and cultures. But today, they live only in history books and old maps.

Do you know about countries that no longer exist? Take Czechoslovakia, for example. It was a peaceful and strong country in Europe. But in 1993, it split into two new nations—the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Another one is Yugoslavia, which broke apart into several countries after years of conflict.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 5 countries that no longer exist. We’ll explore how they vanished, what caused their fall, and what remains of them today. Let’s begin.

Forgotten Flags: Which are the Top Countries That Don’t Exist Anymore? List of Top 5

According to World Population Review, the following countries have lost time due to various factors such as war, natural disasters, and political instability.

Former Name	Current Status/Known As	Notes
Abyssinia	Ethiopia
Austria-Hungary	Austria, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, the Balkans	Ceased to exist following World War I.
Basutoland	Lesotho
Bengal	Part of India and Bangladesh
Burma	Myanmar
Catalonia	Autonomous region of Spain
Ceylon	Sri Lanka
Champa	Located in what is now Vietnam
Corsica	Department of France
East Germany	Reunited with West Germany to become Germany
East Pakistan	Bangladesh
England	Part of the United Kingdom
Gran Colombia	Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Hawaii	Annexed to the United States	It was a country until annexation.
New Grenada	Republic of Colombia
Newfoundland	Canadian province
North Yemen	United with South Yemen in 1990 to become Yemen
Ottoman Empire	Parts of Hungary, Russia, Turkey, the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa
Persia	Iran
Prussia	Parts of Germany and Poland	Disbanded following World War II.
Rhodesia	Zimbabwe
Scotland	Part of the United Kingdom
Siam	Thailand
Sikkim	Part of North India
South Vietnam	Vietnam
South Yemen	United with North Yemen in 1990 to become Yemen
Southwest Africa	Namibia
Tanganyika	United with Zanzibar to form Tanzania
Texas	Annexed by the United States	It was an independent country until annexation.
Tibet	Autonomous region of China
Transjordan	Jordan
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics	Divided into 15 countries (1988-1991)
United Arab Republic	Split into Syria and Egypt
Vermont	Entered the U.S. as a state	It was an independent country until it entered the U.S.
Wales	Part of the United Kingdom
West Florida (Republic of)	Parts of Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi became a U.S. territory	Declared independence from Spanish rule and became a United States territory in less than 90 days.
West Germany	Reunited with East Germany to become Germany
Western Samoa	Changed name to Samoa in 1997	(There is no Eastern Samoa, but American Samoa lies to the east.)
Yugoslavia	Split into six countries in the 1990s
Zaire	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Zanzibar	United with Tanganyika to form Tanzania

1. The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire became too vast to manage effectively. Internal conflicts, economic problems, and constant invasions from various tribal groups eventually led to its decline and division. The Western Roman Empire officially ended in 476 AD, while the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) continued for another thousand years.

2. The Soviet Union (USSR)

The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 due to a combination of factors. Its centrally planned economy struggled to keep up with the West, leading to shortages and discontent. Calls for more freedom from its various republics, along with significant economic and political reforms (like Perestroika and Glasnost), ultimately led to its dissolution into 15 independent countries.

3. Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia broke apart in the early 1990s due to deep-seated ethnic and religious tensions that resurfaced after the death of its strong leader, Josip Broz Tito. The desire for independence among its different republics (like Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, etc.) led to a series of violent conflicts and its fragmentation into multiple sovereign states.

4. Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved in 1993, an event known as the “Velvet Divorce”. The main reasons were growing nationalist sentiments within both the Czech and Slovak regions, as well as differing economic priorities and political visions between the two main ethnic groups.

5. East Germany (German Democratic Republic)

East Germany ceased to exist in 1990 when it reunified with West Germany. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 symbolised the end of communist rule. Economic stagnation in East Germany and a strong desire by its citizens for the freedoms and prosperity enjoyed in West Germany led to its absorption into a united Germany.

6. Austro-Hungarian Empire

The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed at the end of World War I in 1918. It was a vast, multi-ethnic empire, and the war exacerbated internal nationalist movements. Its defeat in the war, coupled with the desire for self-determination among its many different ethnic groups (Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Hungarians, etc.), led to its complete dissolution and the formation of several new independent nations.

7. Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire, often called the “Sick Man of Europe” in its later years, officially ended after its defeat in World War I in 1922. The empire had been weakening for centuries, facing internal revolts, economic difficulties, and territorial losses. Its final collapse led to the creation of modern Turkey and many other states in the Middle East and the Balkans.

8. Persia

Persia did not truly “cease to exist” but rather changed its name to Iran in 1935. It has a continuous history stretching back thousands of years. The name change was part of a modernisation effort by the then-ruling Pahlavi dynasty to emphasise the country’s Aryan heritage. It remains the same geographical entity and a continuous civilisation.

9. Prussia

Prussia was a powerful German kingdom that played a crucial role in unifying Germany in the 19th century. It ceased to exist as an administrative unit after World War II in 1947. Its territories were divided among the newly formed German states and Poland, and its former identity was dissolved to prevent any resurgence of militarism, given its historical association with German nationalism and military power.

10. South Vietnam

South Vietnam ceased to exist in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. It was supported by the United States against North Vietnam, which was backed by communist powers. After the withdrawal of US troops, North Vietnamese forces successfully invaded and unified the country under communist rule, forming the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Credit: Josh.com