page_title: Separatism
section_title: Ethnic separatism
hierarchical_section_title: Separatism / Ethnic separatism
context_page_description: A common definition of separatism is that it is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy. While some critics may equate separatism with religious segregation, racist segregation, or sexist segregation, most separatists argue that separation by choice may serve useful purposes and is not the same as government-enforced segregation. There is some academic debate about this definition, and in particular how it relates to secessionism, as has been discussed online.
  Separatist groups practice a form of identity politics, or political activity and theorizing founded in the shared experiences of the group's members. Such groups believe attempts at integration with dominant groups compromise their identity and ability to pursue greater self-determination. However, economic and political factors usually are critical in creating strong separatist movements as opposed to less ambitious identity movements.
context_section_description: Ethnic separatism is based more on cultural and linguistic differences than religious or racial differences, which also may exist. Ethnic separatist movements include the following:
  Eurasia
    
  The Soviet Union's dissolution into its original ethnic groupings which formed their own nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
  Chechen separatism in the Caucasus, currently the Republic of Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation (Russian rule).
  Serb separatism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska) and Kosovo (North Kosovo).
  Albanian separatism in Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia
  Greeks (Northern Epirotes) separatism in Northern Epirus region of Albania.
  Turkish separatism in Cyprus (Northern Cyprus).
  South Ossetian and Abkhazian separatism in Georgia.
  Armenian separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.
  Azeri separatists in Iran want to unite the provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Zanjan and Ardabil with Azerbaijan.
  Kurdish separatism in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
  Sorbs separatism in Germany (Lusatia).
  Silesian separatism in Poland and Czech Republic.
  Basque and Catalan separatism in Spain. Minor separatist movements in Andalusia, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castile (almost non-existent), Galicia, León, Navarre and Valencia (see nationalisms and regionalisms of Spain).
  "Celtic nations" in the British Isles have created various separatist movements from the United Kingdom described as Scottish independence, Welsh Nationalism, Irish Republicanism and Cornish Nationalism.
  France's Basque, Catalan, Corsican, Breton, Occitan and Savoyan separatists.
  Italy's separatist movements in Friuli, Sardinia, Sicily, South Tyrol and Veneto.
  Bavarian separatism in Germany, despite the Bavarian Land being referred to as the Bavarian Free State.
  Belgium granting Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia greater autonomy.
  In the Netherlands, some Frisians covet an autonomous country or area (see Fryske Beweging on the West Frisian Wikipedia).
  Switzerland's division into cantons along geographical, religious and linguistic lines.
  Russian separatism in Crimea (Annexation of Crimea)
  Separatist movements of Pakistan including Balochistan movement and the Sindhudesh movement.
  Separatist movements of India Jammu and Kashmir
  Assam separatist movements
  Insurgency in Northeast India
  Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority separatism in Tamil Eelam.
  Several ethnic minority groups fighting for separate states in Myanmar (Burma), including the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Rakhine, Rohingya, Shan, and the Wa.
  Ethnic Malay separatism in Thailand.
  Tibet has a government in exile established by the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.
  Uyghur (Turkic) separatism in China (Xinjiang)
  Future of Åland separatist political party in the Åland.
  Africa
   
  Africa's hundreds of ethnic groups are subsumed into 54 nation states, often leading to ethnic conflict and separatism, including in Angola, Algeria, Burundi, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, Congo and The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur in Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Western Sahara and Zimbabwe.
  The Biafran War in the 1960s among Igbos, Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba; today's ethnic and oil-related conflict in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.
  Conflicts in Liberia between African-Liberians and Americo-Liberians, people of African descent who immigrated from the Americas after being freed from slavery.
  Conflicts between Zulus and Xhosa in South Africa during and after apartheid.
  Boere-Afrikaners separatists.
  The Tuareg separatists in Niger and Mali.
  Anjouan's separatism in the Union of Comoros as the island is a separate community from that of Comoros.
  Americas
  Independence movement in Puerto Rico with the goal of obtaining complete independence from the United States.
  Hispanic (mostly Chicano) separatism, as embodied in the Chicano Movement (or Chicano nation) in the United States sought to recreate Aztlán, the mythical homeland of the Uto-Aztecs co
caption: Mural for Catalan independence in Belfast.
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