Short-lived 20th Century States : 2 Quiz

Answer: Bougainville

Bougainville is formally a province of Papua New Guinea. A 9 year secessionist revolt ended in 1997 after claiming some 20.000 lives. The Bougainville Revolutionary Army is still striving for autonomy. In an election in June 2005 the first autonomous governemtn was elected on the island, which is still partt of PNG.

Answer: Moheli

Moheli seceded from the Comoros on August 11, 1997, a week after Anjouan had done so. It quetly rejoined Comoros in 1998.

Answer: South Kasai

South Kasai was a secessionist region in south central Congo in the early 60s. It declared independence on June 14, 1960, even before Congo (DR Conglo) declared its independence. On August 8 the autonomous Mining State of South Kasai was proclaimed. When its ruler Kalonji was arrested on December 30, 1961, this was the end of the state.

Answer: Biafra

Biafra was the name of Nigeria's former Eastern Region during its secession 1967-70.The civil war in this oil rich area was very bloody. The region is now divided into the Nigerian states East-Central, Rivers and South-Eastern. It is mainly populated by ibos.

Answer: Anjouan

Anjouan is, like Moheli, a former sultanate. It was annexed by France in 1912 and joined the Comoros at the independence in 1975. It rejoined the Comoros in 2002.

Answer: Katanga

Katanga is now the province Shaba, DR Congo. The province (with rich deposits of copper, uranium, chrome, cobalt, tin, iron, gold etc.) seceded from DR Congo 1960-63 but the secession was suppressed with the aid of a UN intervention.

Answer: South Moluccas

The Republic of Sputh Moluccas (Maluku Selatan) was declared independent from Indonesia on April 25, 1950, but was reintegrated in November 1950. An exile government still exists in the Netherlands.

Answer: Southwestern Somalia

This is a suppsedly autonomous self-proclaimed state founded by a Somalian warlord in 2002. In 2005 its status (like other warlord states of Somalia, such as Jubaland and Puntland) was unclear; the "states" may dissolve and unite into a federal Somalian state.

Answer: Suvadiva

The state of Suvadiva comprised some of the southern atolls of the Maldives of which Addu is the largest. The islands had long traded independently with India and the East Indies without paying tax to the Sultan of the Maldives. After a dispute over taxes the atoll of Addu declared itself independent on January 3, 1959. Two other atolls (Huvadhu and Fua Mulaku) followed on March 19 and the United Suvadiva Republic was declared.

The British, which military base on Gan Island (Addu Atoll) was the main employer in the South Maldives, initially supported the rebellion, but soon changed its policy and supported the Sultan.

The Suvadiva national flag was cut down on September 23, 1963, the Maldive flag was hoisted and the alternative government was removed.

Answer: Cabinda

Cabinda is an exclave of Angola. It declared independence from Portugal on August 1, 1975, but was invaded by the MPLA army of Angola in November 1975 with support from Cuba.

Answer: Puntland

Puntland is a warlord state in north east Somalia. It declared independence in 1998 but its present and future status is unclear.

Answer: Anguilla

Anguilla joined St.Kitts (St.Christopher) and Nevis in a self-governing state associated with the UK in 1967 called St.Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. Anguilla left the union in 1971 to reclaim its status as a British colony. St.Kitts (St.Christopher) and Nevis gained full independence in 1983.

Answer: Zanzibar

Zanzibar became a British protectorate in 1890. It gained full independence in 1963 and its Arab rulers were removed. Zanzibar united with Tanganyika in 1964 and the union state was renamed Tanzania.

Answer: Rhodesia

Rhodesia declared independence in 1965. This was considered illegal by the UK. It became Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and finally just Zimbabwe in 1980.

Answer: South Yemen

South Yemen ws united with North Yemen in 1990 after a civil war.

Answer: Tuva

Tuva was independent 1911-14. It was under Russian protection 1914-21 but again gained independence in 1921. It was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1944.

Answer: West Papua

West Papua (or Irian Jaya) was a Dutch colony in the western part of the island of New Guinea. It remained a colony when the rest of Indonesia became independent in 1949. It was relinquished to UN administration by the Dutch in 1962 and then transferred to Indonesia in 1963. The Papuan separatist movement is still active on the island.

Answer: Jubaland

Jubaland was originally a part of Kenya but was ceded to Italian Somaliland in 1925. It declared independence in 1998. As of 2005 its status is unsettled.

Answer: Rotuma

Rotuma attempted to secede from Fiji in 1987 after two military coups in Fiji. The separatists are said to represent a minority of the population and their claim for independence gained little support.

Answer: Somaliland

Somaliland (former British Somaliland) declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and is a de facto independent state though recognized by none. It seeks international recognition as an independent state, unlike other "states" in the Somalian territory.