Former Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe that existed from 1918 until its dissolution in the early 1990s. It was made up of six republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The country was formed after World War I and was initially a monarchy before becoming a socialist federation after World War II. The breakup of Yugoslavia was marked by a series of conflicts and wars, often referred to as the Yugoslav Wars. These conflicts were driven by ethnic tensions and nationalistic movements within the republics. By 2006, all the republics had gained independence, leading to the formation of several new nations.