From the Matador Trip section on the Matador website, they highlights a few “countries” that aren’t really countries.
With international school teachers always looking for new places to visit during their holiday breaks, this list of “new” countries is just what we are looking for!
Highlights from the article:
“If you’ve never heard of them before, it’s quite possibly because they don’t yet exist as countries in the eyes of much of the world. What is interesting is that these non-states, despite a lack of formal diplomatic recognition, often function as more or less independent nations. Many have their own currencies, governments, and visa procedures for would-be travelers, and some even see a respectable number of tourists each year. For countries that aren’t meant to exist in the first place, that is.
Some are places you can go and explore just like any other. They just happen to be the sovereign version of Schrödinger’s cat. They exist but they don’t. You can visit, but you can’t.”
They have highlighted 6 countries by they state this is by no means a complete list. There are a few more like Transnistria to Bouganville Island and Sealand. We choose to highlight the information that they provided for Kosovo.
Republic of Kosovo
Capital: Pristina
“The Republic of Kosovo was established in the aftermath of the Kosovo War in 1999, but was not recognised by Serbia, prompting a tug of war over the new nation’s identity. Eighty-five UN member states (plus Taiwan, who isrecognised in turn by only 23, but was not interesting enough to make this list) say that the Republic of Kosovo is a country. Russia, China, and Serbia disagree.
And so, pending any progress from the diplomats, the sort-of-republic plods along anyhow, signing up to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in the meanwhile.”
How do I visit?
“You can travel to the Republic of Kosovo from most borders that are not Serbia. Trying to enter Serbia afterwards can cause headaches, as Serbia appears to consider entering the country via the Republic of Kosovo as an illegal entry. So if you would like to go, try and get your visit to Serbia out of the way first.”
So, which of these countries have you been to. I must admit that I haven’t been to any of them…..just yet!
