Claims independence, but Georgia also claims sovereignty of Abkhazia as an autonomous region. When Georgia was seeking independence from the Soviet Union in the late 1980's, ethnic tension began to build, as the Abkhaz's wished to remain part of the USSR. The 1992-3 War In Abkhazia resulted in a defeat for Georgia, by the Russian-backed Abkhaz's, and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia. A ceasefire was agreed in 1994, but it has since been broken many times, most recently in 2008 while the South Ossetia War was ongoing. After that battle, UN and CIS peacekeeping forces were pulled out, and with Russia formally recognising Abkhazia's independence, it became a de facto state. Abkhazia is recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Ossetia, Transnistria and Nauru.
related dispute> South Ossetia

The North Atlantic island group, the Faroe Islands, has been an autonomous province of Denmark since 1948. A local Faroese government currently controls most aspects of their own lives, except security and foreign affairs. The local population is split over independence, and islanders are not considered citizens of the European Union, even if they hold Danish passports.

Gibraltar is a small island off the coast of North Africa, just below Iberia, which was historically part of Spain, but was ceded to the British in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. It is currently a self-governing British Overseas Territory, and the majority of it's 30,000 residents apparently wish to remain this way, but Spain continues to aggressively seek full sovereignty, or even shared sovereignty. Britain has said that it is committed to making sure it remains British.

Claims independence, but Serbia also claims sovereignty. The Republic of Kosovo also claims sovereignty over the United Nations administered region of Kosovo - some small enclaves with a majority of Serbian inhabitants - which UN peacekeepers currently control. 65 nations currently recognise Kosovo, including all of it's neighbours apart from Serbia (Albania, Montenegro and Macedonia). In 2008, Serbia requested a United Nations resolution declaring Kosovo's independence, and the UN General Assembly subsequently adopted a resolution asking the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the matter. More developments are expected.

Claims independence, but Azerbaijan also claims sovereignty. Fighting between the two is currently on hold, after a bloody battle for the entire early 90's, with the ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh independence fighters pitted against the Azerbaijani's. The region, and several other Azerbaijani regions around it, are currently under the joint control of the Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh military's with a stalemate in place. No states currently recognise Nagorno-Karabakh.

Claims independence, but the Republic of Cyprus also claims sovereignty. Only Turkey recognises Northern Cyprus, while the rest of the World currently recognises the de jure sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island of Cyprus. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup annexed the island to Greece, and this was followed by an invasion by Turkey in 1983, which has ultimately left the island divided in every sense. Northern Cyprus has become isolated from the rest of the World, and relies on Turkey completely for financial, political and military support.

Since the 1100's, parts of Ireland, or the island in full, has been controlled by Britain to some degree, and this long-term subjugation has lead to a much smaller population than one would expect, centuries of hardship and a legacy of poverty and conflict. Up until recent years Ireland had enjoyed a much lower standard of living than it's neighbouring island, Britain, and high rates of immigration were normal in all sections of society. After centuries of violent suppression, from the Act of Union on the 1st of January 1801, the entire island of Ireland became part of the newly-created United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. When the Republic of Ireland gained it's full independence from Britain in 1921, after many wars of independence, Northern Ireland was created within the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland. The island was partitioned, and one-sixth of it - Northern Ireland - remains controlled by the United Kingdom, but with it's own parliament, constitution, police force and culture. Northern Ireland is comprised of 6 of the counties on the island of Ireland, with the remaining 26 counties currently making up the independent nation, the 'Republic of Ireland'. Some people living within Northern Ireland want to remain as part of the UK (known as Loyalists/Unionists), whilst others want to be reunited with the rest of Ireland (known as Nationalists/Republicans). The public support within the Republic Of Ireland for a united Ireland is hard to gauge, although there are many passionate advocates, but most main political parties do not consider it an important subject to engage in. There is a ceasefire currently in place within Northern Ireland, with many of the leading paramilitary groups (including the IRA, INLA and UDA) disarming to concentrate on political solutions, although a recent surge in terrorist activity, from fringe groups, has begun once again.

Portugal controlled the Olivenza and Táliga regions from 1297, until it ceded them to Spain, under the terms of the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz. Both Portugal and Spain now claim sovereignty over this part of Iberia, but Olivenza and Táliga are both currently administered by Spain as part their autonomous community of Extremadura. This dispute has not caused any major diplomatic problems between the countries, even though they both continue to claim their full sovereignty.

Iceland, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom have all submitted claims of ownership to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Denmark will do so in 2014 on behalf of the Faroe Islands. Nobody lives on this small remote rock, and claims of ownership are possibly due to the possibility of potential oil and gas deposits in the area.

Claims independence from Georgia since 1990, but Georgia also claims full sovereignty over the region, and attempted to take it back by force, including during the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War, again in 2004, and most recently during the 2008 South Ossetia War. That latest battle saw Russian-backed South Ossetia gaining full control over it's territory, becoming de facto ruler. South Ossetia is recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Abkhazia, Transnistria and Nauru.
related dispute> Abkhazia

Claims independence since 1990, but Moldova also claims full sovereignty, and describes it as an autonomous region of Moldova. The 1992 War of Transnistria ended with a ceasefire, which was backed by a deal between Russia, Moldova and Transnistria. The ceasefire has remained in place to this day, although the international political situation for Transnistrian citizens has remained in the balance. A 2005 agreement between Moldova and the Ukraine has seen Transnistrians having to register with Moldova to export items across the border with the Ukraine (apart from Moldova, it's only other bordering nation), which has severely hit the local population, in a similar way to Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territories. Transnistria is recognised by South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and has it's own president, parliament, military, police, postal system, currency, constitution, flag and national anthem.