Pronunciation

1. The World’s Newest Countries
International borders aren’t set in stone. Throughout human history, the
lines on the maps that separate one country from another have been
erased and redrawn countless times. This even happens in modern days,
as evidenced by these five new countries that have emerged within our
lifetimes.
aren’t set in stone = aren’t permanent or unable to change
South Sudan
The African nation of Sudan had been embroiled in a civil war for decades.
After years of bloody battles that cost the lives of two million people,
South Sudan held a vote to determine whether to become independent
from the northern regions. 99% of the population voted in favor, and South
Sudan became the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011.
embroiled in a civil war = involved in a war/conflict inside the country
Unfortunately, the young country is still fraught with problems. South
Sudan is rich in oil, but it’s also landlocked and doesn’t have its own
pipeline for transport. There are serious problems with water supply and
health care, and many of the people live in poverty.

2. fraught with = full of (especially full of something bad)
landlocked = surrounded by land; doesn’t border the ocean
To make things worse, power struggles between political leaders led to a
civil war, which caused more than a million people to be displaced from
their homes. A peace agreement was signed in August 2015, and only time
will tell if the violence has truly come to an end.
Kosovo
By 2008, the United Nations had been administering the Kosovo region of
Serbia for the previous nine years – and the negotiations about its future
seemed to be going nowhere. Kosovo declared its independence, but
international reactions were mixed (and some countries don’t officially
recognize Kosovo to this day).
Russia was especially displeased with the split, and Serbia was worried
about the Serbs who became an ethnic minority in Kosovo. There are still
many issues to sort out in the small, mountainous country. Organized
crime is rampant and the unemployment rate is insanely high at 35%.
the split = the division
rampant = a bad thing that exists and spreads uncontrolled

3. Montenegro and Serbia
These lands were once a part of Yugoslavia, until that country collapsed in
1991. One of the new nations formed was known as Serbia and
Montenegro. Then, in 2006, they split into two distinct countries. They
were still represented by a single soccer team in the World Cup that year,
since the breakup was finalized just a few weeks prior to the tournament.
East Timor
East Timor was colonized by Portugal, and when the Portuguese left in
1975, the country enjoyed just nine days of freedom before being invaded
and claimed by Indonesia. This resulted in decades of brutal clashes
between separatist groups and the Indonesian military.
brutal clashes = cruel, violent conflicts and battles
The U.N. eventually stepped in, and Indonesia relinquished the territory. At
the time of East Timor’s independence, there was a lot of work to be done
– almost 70% of the buildings in the country had been destroyed by the
fighting. Since then, East Timor has made great strides in improving its
economy and quality of life.
relinquished = gave up, abandoned, surrendered
made great strides = made great progress

4. According to the World Bank, it takes an average of fifteen to thirty years
for new countries to stabilize and develop after a history of conflict. Let’s
hope that these new countries have a better future ahead.