Nomadic Backpacker
  • HOME
  • About
    • ABOUT Me
    • About the Blog
  • Sitemap
  • ADVERTISE
  • BORDER CROSSINGS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
  • Travel Advice
  • Top 3 Fav Countries
  • destinations
    • United Kingdom
    • Belize
    • Honduras
    • Panama
    • Costa Rica
    • Nicaragua
    • El Salvador
    • Guatemala
    • Mexico
    • Africa
    • Turkey
    • The Balkans

13 Obscure Countries or Autonomous Republics I Have Visited

28/4/2019

 

Posted April 28 2019

13 Obscure Countries Or Autonomous Republics I Have Visited

​Continuing on under the theme of 'Where I have Been', how about a list of places I have been that are not UN Member States.

These are autonomous republics, regions and communities, self-proclaimed republics, disputed territories, and de facto states.

Each one is accompanied by a screen shot from Google just in case you think I am making all this shit up

Let's start off with some of the more obvious ones:
​

1. Catalonia/Catalunya

Catalunya is an Autonomous Community in Spain. Barcelona is in Catalunya, and I have spent a few nights here on various backpacking trips into Spain.
Catalunya

2. Basque Country/Euskadi

Euskadi is another Autonomous Community in Spain. San Sebastian is in Euskadi, so, yes, I have been in Euskadi. 4 nights I think, in 2007.
Basque Country

3. Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an Autonomous Territory and former British colony, now governed, sadly, by China.
Hong Kong

4. Taiwan

Taiwan is a State of the Republic of China, although they have their own money and passports, just as Hong Kong does, yet it is partially accepted as being a country in its own right.
Taiwan
And now for the less obvious ones:
​

5. Ceuta

Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain. It's not even in Spain. Or Europe for that matter. It's in Africa. But I have not spent the night there. I just transited on my way back to Spain from Morocco.
Ceuta

6. Melilla

Melilla is another autonomous city of Spain. It is also not in Spain, or Europe. It is, as is Ceuta, in Africa. Again, I did not spend the night there. I took the ferry from Spain to Melilla and directly I crossed the border to Morocco. 
Melilla

7. Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a disputed territory on the northwest coast of Africa, in the Maghreb region, partially controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and partially controlled by Morocco. Dakhla is the last town in Western Sahara, over 2000km from Marakech and still 200km from Mauritania. I have been there twice.
Western Sahara

8. Abkhazia

Defacto and partially recognised state on the Black Sea coast, geographically, it's still Georgia but in reality, it's controlled by the Russians. I spent 3 nights in Sokhumi.
Abkhazia

9. Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh

Artsakh is a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I have been there twice but only once did I sleep in country (2016).
Artsakh

10. Karakalpakstan

The Republic of Karakalpakstan autonomous republic in Uzbekistan. It's where the Aral Sea is. I spent 1 night in Nukus and 2 in Moynak. All the others in this list, I was aware of but Karakalpakstan was a new one for me. I came across a weird and wonderful list and started to google the places to see where they were and had I been there or not.
Karakalpakstan

11. Gorno-Badakhshan

​The Pamirs are in Gorno-Badakhshan. Beautiful part of the world. That's a bit of an under rated description. Fuckin' amazing would be a better description.
Tajikistan

12. Autonomous Republic of Adjara

Another one in Georgia. The major city here is Batumi which is a port city and Adjara being a Black Sea holiday destination.
Adjara
And lastly, on such a list this surely would have to be in last place.

13. Užupis

Užupis is a self-proclaimed republic within the city of Vilnius, Lithuania. Yes I went exploring there but I did not over night there.
Uzupis
And if you still don't believe me, here is a sign on entry to Užupis:
Užupis
Since this article was written, I have backpacked in Transnistria. Transnistria is a de facto state, sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine and Kosovo

Related Posts: 8 Obscure Countries That I Would Like To Visit

    Most Popular Posts:


    ​
    • ​Tepito, the most dangerous barrio in Mexico City
    • Visting the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City
    • How to travel from Panajachel to Antigua by chicken bus
    • How to travel from Xela to San Pedro by chicken bus
    • How to travel from Puerto Barrios to Livingston by boat
    • How to travel from Livingston to Rio Dulce by boat
    • How to travel from San Salvador to Santa Ana by chicken bus
    • How to travel from San Salvador to Suchitoto by public bus
    • The cheapest way to get to the Terminal Oriente in San Salvador
    • Border Crossing: El Salvador to Nicaragua by boat
    • Top 3 favourite countries of Jonny Blair
    • Border Crossings

    Affiliate Link
    Airways Apparel Logo

    Support the blog


    Donate with PayPal

    support me on kofi
    Donations go towards the running costs of the blog.
    ​
    ​Thank you & Enjoy your day. 😀
    ​

    About

    ​Travelling the world solo, since 1992, as a low-budget backpacker.

    Former racing cyclist, mountain runner, electronic technician, waiter, postman, full-time traveller backpacker, with a passion for long, overland journeys.

    ​There ain't nowhere I won't consider going.
    ​

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    Albania
    Belarus
    China
    Countries Visited
    Kyrgyzstan
    Lithuania
    Moldova
    Transnistria
    Weebly

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • About
    • ABOUT Me
    • About the Blog
  • Sitemap
  • ADVERTISE
  • BORDER CROSSINGS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
  • Travel Advice
  • Top 3 Fav Countries
  • destinations
    • United Kingdom
    • Belize
    • Honduras
    • Panama
    • Costa Rica
    • Nicaragua
    • El Salvador
    • Guatemala
    • Mexico
    • Africa
    • Turkey
    • The Balkans
​