This was published 5 years ago
Ten potential new countries: How Scotland, Bermuda and more could become nations in their own right
Scotland
The Scots narrowly rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, but with Brexit looming on the horizon and the Scottish National Party in charge of the Scottish government, there's decent chance of another referendum happening soon. The land of Loch Ness, island cruises and the Edinburgh festivals could make for a separate passport stamp.
West and East Libya
Since the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has been in a state of civil war. The ancient Roman and Greek ruins, plus Saharan desert landscapes, have been more or less off-limits to tourists since. Long-standing tribal rivalries and power vacuums have led to a mess where there are essentially two governments – one based in Tripoli, and one further east in Tobruk. Partition has been mooted – particularly in the US – as a potential solution.
Catalonia
The prosperous Spanish region of Catalonia – home of Barcelona, Dali's home town, several beach resorts and good chunks of Pyrenees mountain scenery – voted for independence in October 2017. The Spanish Constitutional Court was having absolutely none of it, however. So now Catalonia is in a weird stand-off, having said it's going to go independent, and with pro-independence politicians winning the subsequent election, but no-one willing to push the issue.
See also: I vowed never to return to Barcelona. I was wrong
Somaliland
Somalia has been in chaos for decades, but the northern chunk that was once known as British Somaliland is relatively stable, acts as a de facto independent state and has already declared independence. Internationally, it is recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia, but realistically recognition of independence from other states is all that's required – the apparatus is all in place. Rock art and caves at Laas Geel are key attractions for intrepid would-be visitors.
Bermuda
Still a British overseas territory, Bermuda resoundingly voted to stay that way in a 1995 referendum. But the current Progressive Labor Party government is pro-independence, and has made noises about the Atlantic island – famed for beaches and yachting as much as the notorious Triangle and shorts – going its own way. Any vote is likely to be a lot closer this time, as Bermuda's centre of gravity increasingly shifts towards the US.
Kurdistan
The Kurdish people form a majority in parts of Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey, and Kurdish nationalists have long sought an independent Kurdish state. Unsurprisingly, none of the four existing nations are too keen on losing territory. The Iraqi chunk is the most stable region of Iraq – and most likely to break away. It is already fully autonomous. But Turkey and Iran are likely to fiercely resist any possibly contagious breakaways.
New Caledonia
Part of France's global empire of incredibly confusing different technical statuses, New Caledonia is due to have an independence vote in November 2018. Current polling suggests that the Pacific Island group – home to plenty of lovely beaches and rugged mountain interiors, plus several impressive Kanak cultural sites – will choose to stay aligned to France, however.
See also: Twenty reasons to visit this heavenly French paradise
Puerto Rico
The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, home to the world's largest radio telescope and weird glow-in-the-dark bioluminescent bays, is currently an unincorporated territory of the United States. But Puerto Ricans voted to change this quasi-colony status in 2012, opting to become a full state of the Union. The problem is that the US government basically just ignored this. And the woefully inadequate response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria hasn't exactly thrilled Puerto Ricans either. Could another vote swing the other way towards independence? It's more likely to become a state though, if the Democrats get into power and fancy having another two reliably democratic senators.
Flanders and Wallonia
Beer and chocolate-mastering Belgium is, let's face it, a fairly ridiculous country. It's divided between largely prosperous Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north and more rural, French-speaking Wallonia in the south, with Brussels sitting awkwardly in the middle. And it's also prone to political crises where there's no government for months. The independence movement is traditionally stronger in Flanders, but it wouldn't take too much of a meltdown for parliament to be dominated by pro-independence politicians on both sides.
West Papua
West Papua's absorption into Indonesia was, to put it mildly, an absolute swizz. And independence movements, both peaceful and violent, have been active since. In 2017, an independence petition, smuggled in secret across the West Papua province and signed by 1.8 million West Papuans, was presented to the UN's decolonisation committee. This time it was rebuffed, but such pressure eventually worked for Timor L'Este…
See also: Despite the warnings, this untouched part of Indonesia is paradise
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