Catalan and Kurdish referendums are part of a growing number of separatist movements calling for freedom around the world

Two recent independence referendums - one held in the Iraqi Kurdistan region on September 25 and the other in Spain's Catalonia on October 1 - resulted in overwhelming victories for "yes" voters calling for secession.

Their future, however, remains in limbo. Both the Iraqi and Spanish governments have strongly opposed moves for independence and refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the Catalan and Kurdish people's votes.

As Spain and Iraq brace for the coming legal battles over their respective referendums, other independence, or "separatist" movements, continue to unfold around the world.

In fact, dozens of regions are currently calling for greater autonomy or complete independence in Europe alone. Here are some of the world's biggest (and longest) active independence movements: