Non-recognized States are a widespread and politically sensitive de facto phenomenon in international politics, raising numerous questions from both a public international law and private law perspective. The present book deals with rarely analysed questions on how States deal with legal issues of private law arising with regard to non-recognized States and what issues of international trade and investment law arise in such cases. The book takes the non-recognized States that emerged in the post-Soviet area after 1990/1991 as examples, but also makes references to other non-recognized States. The book is written from a comparative perspective, giving room to authors from various States and non-recognized States (state-like entities) alike.

Recent developments have led to the disappearance of three non-recognized States in the region. In this regard, the book may also be interesting as a source of information that has already disappeared or will probably soon disappear from the Internet. Further, the book is highly relevant for the remaining non-recognized States in the region, while also offering a source of inspiration for private law (including civil procedure) and investment law aspects concerning non-recognized States in general.