What Is the Youngest Country in the World Today?

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan following decades of civil war. It became the youngest country in the world when it joined the United Nations in 2011. Located in East Africa, it faces challenges but continues working toward economic growth and stability.

Located in southeastern Europe, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. While over 100 countries recognize it, others — including Serbia and some UN members — do not. It’s a partial member of international organizations and held presidential elections independently.

Montenegro separated from a state union with Serbia after an independence referendum. Situated in the Balkan Peninsula, it’s now a member of the European Union candidate list and runs its own government.

Also known as East Timor, this island nation in Southeast Asia gained full independence after being a colony of Portugal and then part of Indonesia. Following a UN-supervised vote, it achieved de jure independence in 2002.

Following Montenegro’s exit from the union, Serbia re-established itself as a single nation and sovereign state. It has a long history dating back to the Serbian revolution, but its current independent status dates from 2006.

Palau is a small island nation in the western Pacific Ocean that gained independence through a free association agreement with the U.S. It was part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under UN oversight.

Eritrea declared independence from Ethiopia after a brutal conflict known as the Eritrean War. It was formerly an Italian colony and has struggled with governance since becoming an independent country in 1993.

The Velvet Revolution of 1989 preceded the peaceful split of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993. Since then, Slovakia has developed as a sovereign nation with its own identity, government, and ties to the European Union.

Emerging from the same split, the Czech Republic is another new country in modern terms, though it has a rich history going back to Bohemia and the World War I era.

Croatia declared independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia. After war and international diplomacy, it became a recognized state and later joined the European Union. It’s located on the eastern half of the Adriatic Sea in southeast Europe.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.