It only lasted four years and was never officially recognized by anyone

Yep, not even the Brits would recognize the CSA. The British working class strongly supported the ending of slavery, with some even refusing to work with the small amounts of cotton they managed to smuggle out. Lincoln wrote a letter of thanks to British workers, and a statue of him still stands in Manchester with a part of the letter engraved on it.

Never recognized as a country*

Technically, I can stick a custom flag in my yard and declare secession. I'd be an independent country 🤓

/s