In addition to being devided into physical land masses, the world is also split into countries. These countries are separated from one another by language, government, and culture, and this creates the political world. As recently as 1950,there were only 82 countries. Today there are more than twice that many – some vast, others tiny. New countries are created when people want freedom from their past colonial rulers or when separate peoples living within one country seek independence. The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, for example, created seven new countries.

• divided [dɪ'vaɪdɪd] - разделённый (на части, группы)
• to split - делить на части
• to split into small groups to discuss something — делить на маленькие группы, чтобы обсуждать что-л.
• the government is split on this issue — в правительстве мнения по этому вопросу разделились
• government ['gʌv(ə)nmənt] - правительство
• organs of government — правительственные органы
• to form a government — формировать правительство
• to head a government — возглавлять правительство
• vast [vãːst] - огромный, обширный
• vast plains/expanses — обширные равнины, широкие просторы
• colonial [kə'ləunɪəl] - колониальный
• colonial rule — колониальное господство
• colonial areas — колониальные земли
• colonial markets — колониальные рынки
• colonial trade — колониальная торговля
• colonial produce — колониальные товары
• independence [ˌɪndɪ'pendəns] - независимость
• political independence — политическая независимость
• to achieve independence — достичь независимости
• to declare one's independence — провозгласить независимость
• to lose one's independence — терять свою независимость

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COUNTRY BORDERS
The line that separates one country from another is called a border. Sometimes these follow a natural feature, such as a mountain range or a river. On other occasions they follow a straight line, ignoring physical features. When countries are on friendly terms, borders can be little more than lines on a map, easily crossed. If there is conflict, however, borders may be heavily defended, and it is often difficult to move from one country to another.

• separate ['sepəreɪt] - отделять (ся) , разъединять (ся)
• border ['bɔːdə] - граница
• closed border — закрытая граница
• common border — общая граница
• disputed border — спорные пограничные территории
• defend [dɪ'fend] - защищать
• to defend a village/a town — оборонять деревню/город