Political borders may seem fixed, but history tells a different story. From the Roman Empire to the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, plenty of once-recognizable nations have vanished, merged, or fractured. Maps change, often faster than we think.
As climate change threatens coastlines and resources, and old colonial borders strain under political and ethnic pressure, it's possible that some of today’s countries may not be around in 50 years.
Click through the gallery to see which ones are at risk before they disappear from more than just your travel bucket list.