1. Pakistan and India
Before British rule, United India was
ruled by the Mughal Empire. There was
relative peace in the lands, which
consisted of a group of ethnically
diverse individuals with vastly different
religions. The people’s intense love for
their faith would sometimes morph
into intolerance towards other
religions, but things were stable for the
most part. Rulers like Akbar the Great
made attempts to teach religious
tolerance and inclusivity amongst the
people to allow for greater peace.
Most people believe that after the
British made India their colony, it
exacerbated the tensions that were
kept in check previously in the Mughal
rule. Mistrust started to rise, and
relations between the Hindus and
Muslims became so sour that the
country was partitioned under the
Two-Nation Theory. August of 1947
saw West and East Pakistan and the
Union of India become separate
nations, followed by mass migrations
from one country to another in a very
short period of time. It is estimated that
over 14 million people were displaced
and migrated. Violence soon followed
the migration of the Hindus, Sikhs, and
Muslims, and their once cordial
relations turned bloody. Both sides
killed hundreds and thousands of
individuals and left a lasting bloody
legacy of hatred within the generations
to come.
Even after partition, tensions between
the two countries did not subside.
Instead, things turned for the worst
when Kashmir became a part of India
despite being a Muslim majority
princely state. Soon, war broke out
immediately after partition in 1947 for
Kashmir. The United Nations mediated a
ceasefire, but the area became a cause
of multiple battles between the two
nations, including the 1965 war and
the Kargil incident. Even today, tensions
within Kashmir have brought the two
nations to the verge of warfare,
something that should send shivers
down the spine of every inhabitant on
this planet because both these
countries possess nuclear weapons. If
all-out war breaks out between these
nations, it could be a threat to not only
the people within the subcontinent but
all of humanity.

2. Saudi Arabia and Iran Saudi Arabia and Iran are two countries close to each other, separated by only a strip called the Persian Gulf, practically making them neighbors. However, with distinct religious, political, and cultural ideologies, these two countries can’t be further apart regardless of proximity. Tensions between KSA and Iran have been defined by warfare, which continues today in the form of the proxy war each country fights in Yemen for dominance and control of the Middle East. So, despite the diplomatic future of Saudi Arabia and Iran looking bright in the 1920s, what led to such tense and bleak circumstances which pushed each other into long-lasting conflicts? In the 1960s, conservative Wahhabism was on the rise in Saudi Arabia, which clashed directly with the rapid modernization in Iran. This modernization seemed to bother the House of Saud quite a bit. The Shah of Iran’s letter to Saudi Arabia, which urged them not to segregate the genders and be more modern, was met with a taunting and stern reply by Saudi Arabia, which reminded the Shah that Iran was a Muslim country with a Muslim population. However, despite both countries being Muslim, they were very far away in their ideology. This is another reason that there is great tension between the two states. Saudi Arabia is majority Wahhabi, which is a branch of the Sunni sect, while Iran is majority Shia, with almost half of the entire Shia population of the world living in Iran. This became a significant factor in their relationship when the Shah of Iran was ousted in 1979, and the ultra- conservative Shi’ite leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, took control over the country. The new Iranian regime openly condemned Sunni Saudi Arabia and their cordial relationship with the United States. These tensions between the two states were at an all-time high after Saudi Arabia backed Iraq in the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980, which lasted for about eight years, after which diplomatic relations went sour. After Iran’s support of Bashar Al-Assad against KSA and the US in the Syrian crisis, things ended up getting even worse. All of this tension boiled over, leading to the Yemen War, where both these countries try to exert their dominance, not to gain land, but to push each other’s ideologies to gain control of the Middle East, both politically and religiously.

3. Greece And Turkey The conflict between Turkey and Greece dates back centuries to Alexander the Great and his conquest of the Persian Empire. Since then, their ideologies have clashed, which has morphed into a religious, cultural, and land war during the Ottoman reign. Several wars, resource disputes, and issues with EU membership have left a bitter taste in the mouths of both Greece and Turkey over the years. The true hatred between the countries lies in the historical events that have shaped their relationship. Greece only gained independence after the bloody war with the Ottoman empire in the 19th century. This wave of freedom was due to nationalistic sentiment and a need for a separate homeland coupled with a pro-Christian state free from Islamic rule. In the case of Turkey, the modern republic was also formed after the end of the Ottoman rule in World War I, where Turkey primarily fought wars against Greece and was successful in gaining enough land to create a state. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk led this charge, which expelled most of the Greeks, resulting in ethnic cleansing on both sides. The already tarnished relationship between the two would only continue to worsen following the Cyprus issue of the 1960s and 70s, which morphed into disputes over resource exploration in the coastal waters of Cyprus. Both countries looked at each other with animosity and claimed that either side was trying to destroy the other. Tukey claimed that sea exploration was an essential step towards Tukey being self- sufficient in the energy department. On the other hand, Greece contended that this was only another hostile move by Turkey, which was trying to reestablish the Ottoman Empire and the sufferings that came with it. To this day, Cyprus, much like the relationship between Turkey and Greece, has been divided, with no breakthroughs for reunification.

4. United States of America and North Korea While rivalries between some countries can be seen as a ‘love-hate’ relationship, when it comes to North Korea and the US, there is no question that both these countries despise each other. With every breath that North Korea takes, it reminds its civilians about how the United States is an imperialist, aggressive nation that destroys anything that it touches. In the US, everyone is aware of this hatred and lives in a somewhat perpetual fear about North Korea bombing important US cities with their nuclear arsenal. The crux of their hatred is in the Korean War, which started in 1950 after the Soviet Union and the United States divided the region in North and South Korea along the 38th parallel. In an attempt to unify Korea, the communist leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, took up arms and launched an all-out attack against South Korea, which took the South by surprise. Not aware of the attack beforehand, South Korea could not react promptly, and the North Korean army soon captured the city of Seoul. It seemed that North Korea’s victory was imminent. However, heavy US support arrived soon, turning the battle in favor of South Korea. With the help of the US, the North Korean army was driven out of South Korea all the way up to Pyongyang. After the US successfully captured Pyongyang, military aid from China arrived to support the North, and the South Korean-US forces were forced out. The fighting soon became stagnant, but the war left a horrible legacy of hatred and bloodshed in North Korea’s mind against America. And it was for a good reason as well. During the war, the US dropped 635,000 tonnes of bombs on North Korea, completely obliterating it. This was reason enough for North Korea to start a hate campaign against the US for decades to come. This narrative of hate has allowed the Kim family to rule over North Korea for over 70 years. The government in North Korea reminds their people that the reason for their destruction is a singular nation: America. On the other side of the equation, America has more than enough reasons to hate North Korea as well. With an ever-increasing threat of all-out nuclear warfare, abduction of US civilian and military personnel, and mass human rights atrocities, relationships have been sour for a very long time. Despite America’s attempts to better ties with North Korea to end the decades-long animosity, it seems that North Korea is not ready to forget the horrors of the Korean War.

5. Argentina and The United Kingdom The central conflict which has turned relations sour between Argentina and the United Kingdom is their claim to the Falkland Islands. The UK has had a grip over the islands for many centuries now. Still, Argentina’s persistent claim to the islands has made their relationship worse despite the international community supporting the United Kingdom with their claim to the islands. The entire issue dates back to 1690, when John Strong, a British naval captain, laid the first claim to the island as a British territory. Despite other countries like France trying to compete for sovereignty over the Islands, the British managed to have a firm grip over the Falklands for over a century. Argentina came into the picture later in the early 1800s when an American privateer, David Jewett, declared the island as part of the Buenos Aires jurisdiction. Soon Argentina, unbeknownst to the British, laid claim to the island and even gave it away to settle a debt they owed over nine years later! This move by Argentina angered Britain, who prepared for action against their now rivals. Britain sent their navy to take back control of the island and swiftly re-established control without much resistance. Once again, the situation was under control, with Britain claiming sovereignty for the islands for over 150 years. During the latter half of the 20th century, the Argentinian-British relationships started taking a turn for the worst once again. The UN tried to interfere and called for peaceful negotiations between the two parties, but things seemed to spiral out of control. In fact, their dispute became so bad that Argentina invaded the islands in April 1982. However, after three months of fighting, the British crushed the Argentinian forces expelled all Argentinians from the islands and gave the Falklands a sovereign status under the watchful eyes of the UK. Argentina has not let up with its efforts to lay claim to the Islands. In 2006, they claimed sovereignty and even took their case to the UN in 2009. The British and government of the Falkland Islands ignored any demands that the Argentinians made. After a referendum was held in the Islands, where almost every resident wanted to remain a part of Britain, any hopes of laying claim to the island from the Argentinian side were lost. Funnily enough, in a last feeble attempt to further their case, Argentina claimed that they are the rightful owners of the islands because they were closer to Argentina than the United Kingdom!

6. Armenia and Azerbaijan In 2020, amidst a global pandemic, Armenia and Azerbaijan opened fire on each other, continuing their almost century-long war against one another. After World War I, the two countries came into being after the breaking up of the Transcaucasian Federation. Both of them joined the USSR, which set up a zone of ethnic Armenians inside Azerbaijan named Nagorno-Karabakh. This region has been the crux of the issues between these two countries, both of whom have laid claim on the area. Azerbaijan believes that because the territory is within its borders, they deserve to control it, while Armenia says that the area is majority Armenian and thus rightfully should join Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh itself wanted independence, but Azerbaijan refused to give up control, even declaring war in 1988 when Nagorno-Karabakh claimed independence after a referendum. Armenia backed Nagorno- Karabakh and declared war on Azerbaijan, which lasted for six years resulting in over thirty thousand lives being lost. When it was all said and done, Armenia took control of the disputed territory and even managed to capture surrounding lands, leaving Azerbaijan considerably smaller in territory than before the war. After the war, Nagorno-Karabakh claimed independence once again; however, neither country acknowledged its sovereignty. Today, both countries refuse to budge about this dispute, with Azerbaijan claiming no resolution will be reached until Armenia pulls out forces. On the other hand, Armenia wants a decisive decision about the fate of Nagorno- Karabakh before they move their military. If both sides remain stubborn, things are likely to get much worse in the region.

7. North and South Korea Unlike other rival countries in this list, South and North Korea are in a complicated situation. Many people have described the countries as estranged brothers who were caught in a wrong turn of events that led them to be in a state of animosity. Most people still don’t think that these states are rivals; however, considering that they fought a war with each other and have since called one another traitor to the cause of Korea, it is safe to say that there is some rivalry that exists between North and South Korea. After World War II, Kim Il-Sung, who later became the leader of North Korea, sided with USSR and launched an attack on the South after deeming them as conspirators and sympathizers of the Japanese. He did so to gain control of the lands but ended up drawing the US, USSR, and China into the conflict, making it an issue of the Cold War. As the US supported the South, North Korea claimed that South Korea is the “puppet” of the United States and does not belong amongst the true Koreans. This is a sentiment that is still echoed within North Korea. On the other hand, South Korea claims to be the only legitimate government in the Korean Peninsula. This means that each country calls the other illegitimate and does not want the other to gain power. Despite the apparent differences and animosity between the two, many people also argue that North Korea is only acting in a hostile manner because it wants the South to not be under the United States’ influence, warning them about how the US treated countries like Libya and Iran. However, this sentiment is not always echoed because North Korea threatens to drop nukes on its bordering state in the same breath. At the end of the day, one thing has been consistent with most rivalry cases. The dispute is usually after a piece of land and exists between two groups of people that were once living together in relative peace, but due to drastically changing circumstances, they turned hostile.

8. India and China India and China have had relationships that have been unstable for decades, led by border issues and either countries hatred for their allies. Despite having more than one-third of the entire world’s population residing in their countries, trade between the nations is, at best, unimpressive. They combine for about $85 billion in trade which is a number half of that between China and Australia. This defines their relationship the best way. The root of their tense relationships is the border dispute in the disputed territory of Kashmir at Ladakh. The 1962 clash between the two countries kick-started their issues which still continue today. Experts in either country conclude that India-China ties can not move towards betterment unless the border issue is resolved. Almost every sector in either country represents their animosity. From tourism to direct flights, China and India are not doing very well. Here is a fun fact that puts things in perspective; in 2013, only 175,000 Chinese visited India as a tourist spot. In comparison, over 4.6 million Chinese visited Thailand. For a country that is right next door, this statistic is bizarre. Furthermore, right-wing Chinese have been keen on expressing views about how South Tibet will be taken back by force to the Prime Minister of India after he joined China’s social media Twitter alternative, Weibo. Last year, Modi quit Weibo after India banned over 50 Chinese apps. Their ties get even worse when you add China’s friendly relationship with Pakistan in the mix. This is because India and Pakistan have been at odds ever since they were partitioned (and even before that). Here is another eye- opener: President Xi’s visit to India in 2014 was the first time a Chinese premier visited India in eight years! However, during the visit, only a measly $20 billion in investment was announced by the President. In contrast, during the same time, Xi Jinping announced a $46 billion investment plan within Pakistan, which is considerably smaller than India. Only last year, amidst a pandemic, the two countries clashed in a bloody conflict once again at the disputed borders. 20 Indian soldiers were killed, which reignited their hatred for each other. These skirmishes have been the highlight of their relationship, and with Pakistan in the equation, there is no question that the animosity between China and India is very real.

9. Nigeria and Biafra

Interesting read, but would have been better with paragraphs

Show regards for your audience by editing your work. Sometimes, quality costs nothing but a couple of minutes.

Very interesting post...kudos to the writer

Nigeria leaders and Nigeria

Algeria and Morocco.

Japan and China.

US and Cuba.

Turkey and Armenia.

Russia and almost all of its former Soviet States

Front page tommorow morning

I didn't see israel and palestine anywhere in this post of yours.

Op what about the two online countries


Oduduwa and Biafra?

I never see for your post.

Interesting. South Korea and North Korea

wiseone28:
Op what about the two online countries


Oduduwa and Biafra?

I never see for your post.

Swine

Kirkman:
I didn't see israel and palestine anywhere in this post of yours.

Good observation. I didn't see US and Iran either

I feel its a Japan and China war that might end the world...The Japanese are technologically too advanced for my liking..

Israel and Iran

Enoch07:
9. Nigeria and Biafra

Wrong.

orisa37:


Wrong.

say what?

Argentina and Brazil

Nigeria and Ghana

Armenia and azberjan

Biafra, oduduwa vs Fulani


It all started in the year...