A historical sovereign state is a state that once existed, but has since been dissolved due to conflict, war, rebellion, annexation, or uprising. This page lists sovereign states, countries, nations, or empires that ceased to exist as political entities sometime after 1453, grouped geographically and by constitutional nature.[note 1]
Criteria for inclusion
The criteria for inclusion in this list are similar to that of the list of states with limited recognition. To be included here, a polity must have claimed statehood and either:
had de facto control over a territory, a population, a government, a capacity to enter into relations with other states, or
have been recognised as a state by at least one other state.
This is not a list for all variant governments of a state, nor is it a list of variations of countries' official long form name.
For purposes of this list, the cutoff between medieval and early modern states is the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
This article appears to contradict the article List of pre-modern states. Please discuss at the talk page and do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved. (June 2013)
Empire of Brazil – An empire created after Brazil declared its independence in 1822 and dissolved in 1889, now the countries of Brazil and Uruguay (who declared their independence in 1825, and was recognized in 1828).
Korea – Ceased to exist in 1910, its former territory now consists of the entirety of territory controlled by North Korea and South Korea, and a portion of territory claimed by Japan.
United Arab Republic – A union formed by Egypt and Syria in 1958. It was dissolved in 1961, though Egypt used the name until 1971. Other Pan-Arab unity agreements with Iraq and Jordan in the 1950s failed.
Bophuthatswana – Declared independent in 1977, reincorporated in 1994.
Ciskei – Declared independent in 1981, reincorporated in 1994.
Transkei – Declared independent in 1976, reincorporated in 1994.
Venda – Declared independent in 1979, reincorporated in 1994.
Secessionist states
These nations declared themselves independent, but failed to achieve it in fact or did not seek permanent independence and were either re-incorporated into the mother country or incorporated into another country.
Chechnya – Virtually independent from Russia from 1996 as Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, however the country was recognized only by the Taliban. After terrorist attacks in 1999 the republic was returned to Russia's control in the Second Chechen War.
Confederate States – Occupied the southeastern United States, stretching from Texas to Virginia. Declared secession from the U.S. in 1861, reintegrated into the U.S. in 1865. Reconstruction ended in 1876 and U.S. troops withdrew as an occupation force in 1877. South Carolina was the first state to declare its secession from the United States, doing so on December 20, 1860. Political factions in the "border states" of Kentucky and Missouri declared themselves parts of the Confederacy and controlled small portions of those regions early in the war. The major Indian tribes in Oklahoma signed an alliance with the Confederacy, and participated in its military efforts against the U.S.
Manitoba – short-lived republic led by Thomas Spence, declared after the Hudson's Bay Company gave up Rupert's Land and before the government of Canada took control (1867).