"Former Nations" refers to countries or states that once existed but have since been dissolved, merged, or transformed into new political entities. Examples include the Soviet Union, which disbanded in 1991 into 15 independent nations, and Yugoslavia, which fragmented in the 1990s into several countries, including Croatia and Serbia. These changes often result from various factors such as political upheaval, war, or shifts in national identity. The legacies of former nations can still influence current geopolitical landscapes, cultural identities, and international relations, as seen in the ongoing effects of the Ottoman Empire and its dissolution after World War I.