There are currently 195 countries that are recognized as established nations. However, after a long history of imperialism, colonialism, and countries evolving and developing, there are many countries that once existed but do not anymore. Here are 8 former nations that no longer exist.
1. Prussia
One of the former nations that no longer exist is Prussia. Prussia was an Empire that used to include the northern two-thirds of modern-day Germany and western Poland.
Through the 19th century, the Prussian Empire was known to be a military powerhouse. The Empire began in the 13th century when Teutonic Knights, a German order, claimed a large portion of land on the Baltic coast in what is now Poland. After Germany waged war but lost to Poland, Prussia became a Duchy and a vassal of Poland.
In the 18th century, Prussia had a massive growth of its economy, population, and military power, allowing it to fight wars against Austria to annex its territory.
However, Prussia was fully dissolved by Germany and Poland by the end of World War II.
Read More: 5 Deadliest Wars In History: From World Wars to Civil Wars
2. Abyssinia
Abyssinia, previously known as the Ethiopian Empire, was a kingdom in northeast Africa. The Empire consisted of the current states of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The kingdom was able to preserve its peace for many years as it was built on an ancient form of Christianity. However, it officially split into the states of Eritrea and Ethiopia in the 20th century.
3. Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia is known for its bloody history. Yugoslavia was founded in the late 17th century on the ideology to unite all the South Slavic peoples. However, it wasn’t until 1929 that the government officially started calling the country Yugoslavia.
Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia in 1941 and after only 11 days, the country had been conquered. However, after the Nazis were defeated in 1945, Yugoslavia was reformed under communist Marshal Josip Broz Tito, modeling the country on the structure of the Soviet Union.
After the death of Tito in 1980, the country slowly disintegrated as tensions over ethnicity rose. By 1991, these tensions hit an all time high and turned into a ten year long war that ended the nation.
Today, the countries that made up Yugoslavia are Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Slovenia.
4. Republic of Texas
Another one of the former nations that no longer exist is the Republic of Texas. Though the Republic of Texas was only an independent nation from 1836 to 1846, the nation was quite significant at the time as it represented a major chunk of North America and played a sizable role in the history of the U.S., Mexico, and the Spanish Empire.
The nation began as a territory of Spain. However, during the Mexican War of Independence, the Republic of Texas managed to declare independence to then suffer defeat only four months later. It was then six years later that the Republic officially was able to gain its independence from Spain. It wasn’t until 1836 that the Republic of Texas became an official state though because of issues between Texas and the Mexican government.
During its short ten years of existence, the country was continuously fighting with Mexico and the Comanche tribes. Finally, after ten years of battle, the U.S. annexed the Republic of Texas ending its state as a nation.
5. Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia was a country that consisted of current day Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The country began in the disruption of the European order at the end of World War I as the successor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, known as The Czechoslovak Republic. The Republic lasted until the Nazis intervened during World War II. From 1939 to 1945, Czechoslovakia was split into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia along with the Slovak Republic.
After World War II, the country was under the Soviet Union’s control and Czechoslovakia became a socialist republic. However, when communism collapsed in 1989, the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic became one country, but only for a little while.
The Republic was dissolved on December 31st, 1992, when the country peacefully split into what is now known as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
6. Bengal
Bengal was another one of the former nations that no longer exist. Bengal was an independent kingdom in southern Asia, near the Bay of Bengal, that existed from 1338 to 1539.
The nation fell when the East India Company inhabited the nation and defeated the country in the Battle of Plassey.
The country has since been divided into the modern-day nations of Bangladesh and India.
7. Kingdom of Hawai’i
Hawai’i had been a kingdom for hundreds of years before it was officially recognized as a country in the 1840s. Until 1840, Hawai’i was ruled as an absolute monarchy and subsequently as a constitutional monarchy.
Hawai’i engaged in much trade with the United States, especially in the sugar trade. However, the country’s existence started to get rocky in the later years as there was a rise in anti-monarchist protests and economic crises.
Through these struggles, the United States illegally annexed Hawai’i on July 4th, 1898, dissolving their nationhood.
Read More: Did You Know the History Behind This Forbidden Island in Hawaii?
8. Gran Colombia
The last of these former nations that no longer exist is Gran Colombia, a South American country that included what is currently known as Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, and Ecuador. The country existed as an independent state for 12 years from 1819 to 1830.
Though the country was quite powerful, led by famous military and political figure, Simón Bolívar, Venezuela and Ecuador left the union after feeling underrepresented by the government, dissolving the country and splitting it into many smaller independent states.
