In the XX century, the map of the world was actively changing: empires were disintegrating, colonies gained statehood and independence, countries shared the course towards socialism and wars. It would seem that by the end of the XX century, everyone calmed down, even began to unite. But the world keeps changing. Since the beginning of the XXI century, several states have been formed, including in Europe. In South-East Asia, on the wreckage of a Portuguese colony, freed from Indonesian oppression, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste emerged. Africa did not stand aside.
And, most likely, they are not the last. Political hops continue to roam, dividing countries and peoples. Some peoples remember the statehood lost a century ago and dream of regaining it, others hesitate to create political tensions. The game is not over.
Persistent Catalan separatism
Now Catalonia is an autonomy in Spain, but in the Middle Ages it was an independent state, and then part of the powerful kingdom of Aragon. Catalans believe that without Spain they would have lived better, and in this they are strikingly unanimous: according to the results of an informal referendum in 2010, 90% of the inhabitants of Catalonia supported secession.
Catalonia became part of Spain in the XVIII century, and already in the XIX there was a movement for secession. Performances did not stop in the XX century, and in the XXI. In 2006 and 2012, more than 1.5 million people took to the streets, in 2017 there was an attempted political coup, but the organizers had to go into hiding. Spain is not going to give up its territories. In 2019, a group of Catalan politicians made another attempt to secede from Spain: they were accused of treason, a series of high-profile trials took place.
Catalans take care of their own culture and catalan language, leaving no hope of creating their own country. Beautiful Barcelona in their dreams is waiting for the role of the capital.
Scotland is tired of being the backbone of the kingdom
Scotland believes that Britain unfairly distributes income by bypassing Scotland. Scottish separatism is gaining momentum. It came to a formal referendum in 2014, in which 45% of the population voted to leave the United Kingdom. Scotland remained part of the UK, but in fact opinions were divided in half with a slight margin of SUPPORTERS of the UK.
However, later the Scots had another reason for secession: the Scots were against Britain's exit from the European Union. They're going to hold another referendum soon. And the separatists have a chance. But suddenly it turned out that separatism was contagious. Scotland's main trump card – the UK leaves the local authorities too little revenue from oil and gas production. However, now the Shetland Islands want to secede from Scotland itself, where they produce the mentioned oil and gas. If before that amateur analysts in social networks predicted the separation of Scotland in a year or two, now the situation is changing again.
Kurdish guerrilla war
In Turkey live the Kurds, a large nation that does not have not only its own state, but even autonomy. Kurdish settlements are also in neighboring countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, but even there they do not have a special status. Since the beginning of the xx century, the Kurds have been in favor of self-determination, but so far they have not succeeded in this. In 1984, individual performances turned into a real war, which continues to this day.
The Turkish government denies the Kurds the right to even be called a people, it considers the Kurds to be mountain Turks. On this basis, the Kurdish language is prohibited. In the 80s of the XX century, a military-political Kurdish organization was formed - the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party. Since then, the PKK has waged a guerrilla war against the Turkish government and its allies, Iraq and Iran. Escaping persecution by Turkish troops and taking refuge in the mountains, PKK militants often cross the borders of these countries.
Military and police units, aircraft and armored vehicles participate in anti-Kurdish raids, but so far the guerrilla war continues. The war in Syria, which has been going on since 2011, has allowed Kurdish nationalists to settle on Syrian soil.
Two Libyas, or more?
After the overthrow and assassination of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the rebels divided the country into spheres of influence. The country was divided again into tribes, losing its integrity. Currently, Eastern Libya and Western Libya are functioning separately with their interim governments and government banks. But the central regions of Libya also dream of seceding. Libya is rich in deposits of gas and oil, in the troubled times of civil war, each clan is trying to snatch more power and national wealth.
Even prosperous Belgians can "divorce"
There are 2 large historical areas in Belgium: Dutch (Flanders) and French (Wallonia). There is still a German community, but compared to these two it is small. In a developed European country, each nationality has autonomy, their relationships are thoughtful and time-tested. That is why Flanders and Wallonia have their own budget, even their own education system.
Local autonomous governments are incredibly influential, so conflicts sometimes arise at the state level. Sometimes Belgium is also predicted to be divided into 2 countries, but most likely, the Belgians will not go for it, because both sides will suffer losses from the partition. And interethnic conflicts there are not as serious as in other countries, no one will risk their well-being.
