Catalonia and Scotland: how they compare to EU nations and Europe's other separatists – interactive


Scotland is to hold an independence referendum and Catalan leaders are campaigning for an electoral mandate to do the same. But how would they fare as independent nations? See how Scotland and Catalonia compare with existing EU member states – and where else could seek to redraw the map of Europe
Scotland
The Scottish National Party won an overall majority in 2011 elections to the Scottish parliament and announced plans for a 2014 referendum on independence. Under the terms of an 2012 deal with the United Kingdom government, which legislated to allow the vote, it will be a single Yes/No question on Scotland leaving the UK.

Flanders
The wealthy Dutch-speaking region has been pushing to reduce ties with poorer, and French-speaking, Wallonia – moves which could lead to the end of Belgium. Flemish separatist party N-VA, headed by Bart De Wever, saw support surge in October's local elections and took control of Antwerp. De Wever's stunts have included sending fake €50 notes on lorries from Flanders to Wallonia to illustrate Belgium's cash flows.

Greenland
A 2008 referendum on greater autonomy from Denmark passed with 75% approval. From 2009, Greenlanders were recognised as a separate people under international law, Greenlandic became the official language and the island was given control over its natural resources – which could put it on the road to full independence. Its largest political parties - the Inuit Community Party and Forward - are both pro-independence.

Bavaria
While in the long run it's unlikely that Bavaria would secede from Germany, there are certainly plenty of Bavarians who would like to - largely over money. One of 16 of Germany's federal Länder, Bavaria contributes half of the €7.3bn transferred annually to poorer regions. It is putting the transfers before Germany's constitutional court.

South Tyrol
An affluent and majority German-speaking region in the north of Italy where regionalist sentiment has grown with Italy's economic crisis. Italian PM Mario Monti's call for cuts in regional spending threatens the deal under which it retains 90% of its tax. Its governor, Luis Durnwalder of the South Tyrolean People’s party, supports its current autonomy within Italy but elections next year could favour separatists or those who want union with Austria.

Transnistria
A Transnistrian republic was declared in 1990, when it was part of the Moldovan Soviet Republic. Fighting with the newly-independent Moldova followed in 1991-92 after the USSR's collapse. The strip of land largely to the east of the River Dniester, has its own government, military, postal system and currency but is not recognised by any UN member state. Russia stations 1,200 troops in Transnistria, which Nato has called on Moscow to withdraw.

Basque Country
Pro-independence parties won a combined 48 seats in the 75-seat regional parliament in October elections, with the conservative Basque National Party coming first and the leftwing Euskal Herria Bildu placing second. The Spanish Basque country already has a high degree of autonomy within Spain and may now see increased calls for a referendum. Eta announced a permanent ceasefire to its pro-separatist violence in October 2011.

Lombardy
The Lega Lombarda took 26% of the vote in 2010 regional elections - its best ever result - and is part of the Lombardy government. Its founder, Umberto Bossi, was also a founder of the Northern League - which has at times campaigned for an independent state of Padania in northern Italy. While the Northern League is scandal-ridden and out of power nationally, its message still resonates

Veneto
Recent polls have put support for an independent Veneto, the region around Venice (and the heart of the former Venetian Republic) at between 70% and 80%. The Liga Veneta, a founding member of the Northern League, is its largest party and it took 35% of the vote in 2010 regional elections. The smaller, and more liberally-inclined, Venetian National party reconstituted itself in May 2012 as Indipendenza Veneta.

Kosovo
Declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognised by 95 UN members (including 22 of the EU's 27) but is not itself a member of the UN. Serbia, backed by Russia's security council veto, has vowed never to recognise it. China, Spain and Cyprus also consider it part of Serbia. The US and UK, who bombed Serbia under Nato auspices in the Kosovo war, were among the first to recognise it

Catalonia
The Catalan president, Artur Mas, has called early regional elections for 25 November that he has turned into a vote on separating from Spain. If he gets a mandate from the Catalan people, he says he will use it to push Madrid for a referendum on independence.

Corsica
Nationalist parties (the pro-autonomy Partitu di a Nazione Corsa and pro-independence Corsica Libera) polled a combined second in 2010 regional elections, a three-fold increase in support since a 2004 vote. Corsica Libera, the smaller of the two, does not condemn the violent acts of groups such as the National Front for the Liberation of Corsica.

Abkhazia
De facto independent since defeating Georgian government forces in a 1992-93 war. Russia issued passports to Abkhazians in 2000 - allowing them to travel abroad as its citizens - and recognised as a sovereign nation in 2008. But with the exception of Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Pacific Ocean island nations of Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu all other UN members consider it part of Georgia.

South Ossetia
Declared its independence from Georgia (then a Soviet Republic) in 1990 and the two sides have gone to war on two occasions since. The 2008 conflict saw Russia and Abkhazia join forces with South Ossetia, and Russian troops take and hold parts of the territory left under Georgian government control after the 1991-92 fighting. Recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Pacific Ocean island nations of Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Nagorno-Karabakh
A majority ethnic Armenian enclave within the internationally-recognised borders of Azerbijian. Inter-ethnic violence at the end of the Soviet era, when the regional parliament voted to join Armenia, was the trigger for war between the independent republics of Armenia and Azerbijan that lasted until a Russian-brokered ceasefire in 1994. Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence in 1991 but is not recognised by any UN member state.

Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2012/nov/22/catalonia-scotland-europe-separatists-interactive

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