Boundaries that disregarded ethnic and religious differences most contributed to an absence of national identity in newly independent countries.
Explanation:
The powers that granted independence to the countries they ruled for long periods, also usually interfered in demarcating the boundaries of the regions before granting independence.
This demarcation of boundaries was not always done on the basis of ethnic and religious differences in the region. Thus, it often made the newly independent countries experience a lack of national identity among the people of the countries.