Editing 1990s (section)

===Decolonization and independence===

*[[Independence of Namibia]] (1990) – the [[Namibia|Republic of Namibia]] gained independence from [[South Africa]] on 21 March 1990. [[Walvis Bay]], initially retained by South Africa, joined Namibia in 1994.
*[[Breakup of Yugoslavia]] (1991–1992) – the republics of [[Croatia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], and [[Macedonia (country)|Macedonia]] declared independence from [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]].
*[[Independence of Eritrea]] (1993) – [[Eritrea]] gained independence from [[Ethiopia]].
*[[Dissolution of Czechoslovakia]] (1993) – the [[Slovak Republic]] adopts the [[Slovak National Council's Declaration of Independence of the Slovak Nation|Declaration of Independence]] from the [[Czech and Slovak Federative Republic]] ([[Czechoslovakia]]).
*[[History of Palau#Post-war development|Independence of Palau]] (1994) – [[Palau]] gained independence from the [[United Nations Trusteeship Council]].
*[[Handover of Hong Kong]] (1997) – The [[United Kingdom]] handed sovereignty of [[Hong Kong]] (then [[British Hong Kong]]) to the [[People's Republic of China]] on 1 July 1997.
*[[1999 East Timorese independence referendum|Independence of East Timorese]] (1999) – [[East Timor]] broke away from [[Indonesian occupation of East Timor|Indonesian occupation]], only a year after the fall of [[Suharto]] from power, ending a 24-year [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla war]] and [[genocide]] with more than 200,000 casualties. The UN deployed a peacekeeping force spearheaded by Australia's armed forces. The United States deployed police officers to serve with the [[Interpol]] element to help train and equip an East Timorese police force.
*[[Handover of Macau]] (1999) – [[Portuguese Empire|Portugal]] handed sovereignty of [[Macau]] ([[Portuguese Macau]]) to the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999.
*[[Dissolution of the Soviet Union]] (1991) – multiple [[Republics of the Soviet Union|Soviet Socialist Republics]] (SSRs) declared independence from the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|USSR]].
**[[Armenia]] – the [[Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic|Armenian SSR]] became the Republic of Armenia following the [[Declaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia|Declaration of Independence of Armenia]].
**[[Azerbaijan]] – the [[Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic|Azerbaijan SSR]] became the Republic of Azerbaijan.
**[[Belarus]] – the [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic|Byelorussian SSR]] became the Republic of Belarus following its [[Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic|Declaration of State Sovereignty]].
**[[Estonia]] – [[Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic|Estonian SSR]] became the Republic of Estonia.
**[[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] – The [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]] became the Republic of Georgia.
**[[Kazakhstan]] – the [[Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic|Kazakh SSR]] became the Republic of Kazakhstan.
**[[Kyrgyzstan]] – the [[Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic|Kirghiz SSR]] became the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
**[[Latvia]] – the [[Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Latvian SSR]] became the Republic of Latvia.
**[[Lithuania]] – the [[Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic|Lithuanian SSR]] became the Republic of Lithuania
**[[Moldova]] – the [[Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic|Moldavian SSR]] became the Republic of Moldova.
**[[Tajikistan]] – the [[Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic|Tajik SSR]] became the Republic of Tajikistan.
**[[Turkmenistan]] – the [[Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic|Turkmen SSR]] became the Republic of Turkmenistan.
**[[Ukraine]] – the [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]] became the Republic of Ukraine
**[[Uzbekistan]] – the [[Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic|Uzbek SSR]] became the Republic of Uzbekistan.