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List of sovereign states

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The following is a list providing an overview of sovereign states around the world, with information on their status and recognition of their sovereignty.

The 206 listed states can be divided into three categories based on membership within the United Nations System: 193 member states,[1] two observer states and 11 other states. The sovereignty dispute column indicates states having undisputed sovereignty (190 states) and states having disputed sovereignty (16 states, of which there are six member states, one observer state and nine other states).

Compiling a list such as this can be a difficult and controversial process, as there is no definition that is binding on all the members of the community of nations concerning the criteria for statehood. For more information on the criteria used to determine the contents of this list, please see the criteria for inclusion section below. The list is intended to include entities that have been recognised as having de facto status as sovereign states, and inclusion should not be seen as an endorsement of any specific claim to statehood in legal terms.

List of states[edit]

Common and formal names Membership within the UN System[a] Sovereignty dispute[b] Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty[d]
A AAA A AAA A AAA
ZZZUN member states and observer states A AAA ZZZ
ZZZAbkhazia → See Abkhazia listing
 Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan A UN member state A None
 Albania – Republic of Albania A UN member state A None
 Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria A UN member state A None
 Andorra – Principality of Andorra A UN member state A None Andorra is a co-principality in which the office of head of state is jointly held ex officio by the French president and the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Urgell,[2] who himself is appointed with approval from the Holy See.
 Angola – Republic of Angola A UN member state A None
 Antigua and Barbuda A UN member state A None Antigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth realm[e] with one autonomous region, Barbuda.[f]
 Argentina – Argentine Republic[g] A UN member state A None Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and one autonomous city.[h]
 Armenia – Republic of Armenia A UN member state Not recognised by Pakistan. Armenia is not recognised by Pakistan due to the dispute over Artsakh.[5][6][7]
ZZZArtsakh → See Artsakh listing
 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia A UN member state A None Australia is a Commonwealth realm[e] and a federation of both states and territories. There are six states, three internal territories, six external territories and one claimed Antarctic external territory. The external territories of Australia are:
 Austria – Republic of Austria A UN member state A None Member of the European Union.[c] Austria is a federation of nine states.
 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan A UN member state A None Azerbaijan contains one autonomous region, Nakhchivan [f] The de facto state of Artsakh has been established in the southwest of Azerbaijan.
 Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas[9] A UN member state A None The Bahamas is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain A UN member state A None
 Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh A UN member state A None
 Barbados A UN member state A None Barbados is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Belarus – Republic of Belarus A UN member state A None
 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Belgium is a federation of three linguistic communities and three regions.
 Belize A UN member state A None Belize is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Benin – Republic of Benin A UN member state A None
 Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan A UN member state A None
 Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia A UN member state A None
 Bosnia and Herzegovina A UN member state A None Bosnia and Herzegovina has two constituent entities:

and Brčko District, a self-governing administrative district.[10]

 Botswana – Republic of Botswana A UN member state A None
 Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil A UN member state A None Brazil is a federation of 26 states and one federal district.
 Brunei – Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace A UN member state A None
 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Burkina Faso A UN member state A None
ZZZBurma → See Myanmar listing
 Burundi – Republic of Burundi A UN member state A None
 Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia A UN member state A None
 Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon A UN member state A None
 Canada[i] A UN member state A None Canada is a Commonwealth realm[e] and a federation of 10 provinces and three territories.
 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde[j] A UN member state A None
 Central African Republic A UN member state A None
 Chad – Republic of Chad A UN member state A None
 Chile – Republic of Chile A UN member state A None [k]
 China – People's Republic of China[l] A UN member state Partially unrecognised. B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina China contains five autonomous regions, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang.[f] Additionally, it has sovereignty over the Special Administrative Regions of:

China claims, but does not control Taiwan, which is governed by a rival administration (the Republic of China) that claims all of China as its territory.[m]

China is not recognised by 15 UN member states and the Holy See, which, with the exception of Bhutan, all recognise Taiwan instead.[n]

ZZZChina, Republic of → See Taiwan listing
 Colombia – Republic of Colombia A UN member state A None
 Comoros – Union of the Comoros A UN member state A None Comoros is a federation of three islands.[o]
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the[p] A UN member state A None
 Congo, Republic of the[q] A UN member state A None
ZZZCook Islands → See Cook Islands listing
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica A UN member state A None
ZZZCôte d'Ivoire → See Ivory Coast listing
 Croatia – Republic of Croatia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Cuba – Republic of Cuba A UN member state A None
 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus A UN member state Not recognised by Turkey[13] Member of the EU.[c] The northeastern part of the island is the de facto state of Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus is not recognised by Turkey due to the Cyprus dispute, with Turkey recognising Northern Cyprus.

 Czech Republic[r] A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
ZZZDemocratic People's Republic of Korea → See Korea, North listing
ZZZDemocratic Republic of the Congo → See Congo, Democratic Republic of the listing
 Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] The Kingdom of Denmark includes 2 self-governing territories:

The continental territory of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland form the three constituent countries of the Kingdom.[s] The Kingdom of Denmark as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.[14][15]

 Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti A UN member state A None
 Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica A UN member state A None
 Dominican Republic A UN member state A None
 East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste[t] A UN member state A None
 Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador A UN member state A None
 Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt A UN member state A None
 El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador A UN member state A None
 Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea A UN member state A None
 Eritrea – State of Eritrea A UN member state A None
 Estonia – Republic of Estonia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Eswatini – Kingdom of Eswatini[u] A UN member state A None
 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia A UN member state A None Ethiopia is a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.
 Fiji – Republic of Fiji A UN member state A None Fiji contains one autonomous region, Rotuma.[f][16][17]
 Finland – Republic of Finland A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
  •  Åland is a neutral and demilitarised autonomous region of Finland.[f][v]
 France – French Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] France contains five overseas regions/departments; French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion. France also includes the overseas territories of:
 Gabon – Gabonese Republic A UN member state A None
 Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia[18] A UN member state A None
 Georgia A UN member state A None Georgia contains two autonomous republics, Adjara and Abkhazia.[f] In Abkhazia and South Ossetia, de facto states have been formed.
 Germany – Federal Republic of Germany A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Germany is a federation of 16 states.
 Ghana – Republic of Ghana A UN member state A None
 Greece – Hellenic Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Greece contains one autonomous area, Mount Athos.[19]
 Grenada A UN member state A None Grenada is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala A UN member state A None
 Guinea – Republic of Guinea[x] A UN member state A None
 Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau A UN member state A None
 Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana A UN member state A None
 Haiti – Republic of Haiti A UN member state A None
ZZZHoly See → See Vatican City listing
 Honduras – Republic of Honduras A UN member state A None
 Hungary A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Iceland[y] A UN member state A None
 India – Republic of India A UN member state A None India is a federation of 28 states and eight union territories.
 Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia A UN member state A None Indonesia has five autonomous provinces, Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta.[f]
 Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran A UN member state A None
 Iraq – Republic of Iraq A UN member state A None Iraq is a federation[o][23] of 19 governorates, four of which make up the autonomous Kurdistan Region.[f]
 Ireland[z] A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Israel – State of Israel A UN member state Partially unrecognised Israel exerts strong control over the territory claimed by Palestine. Israel annexed East Jerusalem,[25] an annexation not recognised by the international community.[26] Israel maintains varying levels of control over the rest of the West Bank, and although Israel no longer has a permanent civilian or military presence in the Gaza Strip, following its unilateral disengagement, it is still considered by some to be the occupying power under international law.[27][28][29][30][31]

Israel is not recognised as a state by 28 UN members and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Palestine Liberation Organization, which enjoys recognition by a majority of UN member states as the sole representative of the Palestinian people, also does not recognise Israel.

 Italy – Italian Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Italy has 5 autonomous regions, Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.[f]
 Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire[aa] A UN member state A None
 Jamaica A UN member state A None Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Japan A UN member state A None
 Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan A UN member state A None
 Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan A UN member state A None
 Kenya – Republic of Kenya A UN member state A None
 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati A UN member state A None
 Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea A UN member state B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina North Korea is not recognised by three UN members, France, Japan, and South Korea, the last of which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.[32]
 Korea, South – Republic of Korea A UN member state B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina South Korea has one autonomous region, Jejudo.[f][33]

South Korea is not recognised by North Korea, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.

ZZZKosovo → See Kosovo listing
 Kuwait – State of Kuwait A UN member state A None
 Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic A UN member state A None
 Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic A UN member state A None
 Latvia – Republic of Latvia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Lebanon – Lebanese Republic A UN member state A None
 Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho A UN member state A None
 Liberia – Republic of Liberia A UN member state A None
 Libya – State of Libya A UN member state A None
 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein A UN member state A None
 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
ZZZMacedonia → See North Macedonia listing
 Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar A UN member state A None
 Malawi – Republic of Malawi A UN member state A None
 Malaysia A UN member state A None Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories.
 Maldives – Republic of Maldives A UN member state A None
 Mali – Republic of Mali A UN member state A None
 Malta – Republic of Malta A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands A UN member state A None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States.
 Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania A UN member state A None
 Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius A UN member state A None Mauritius has an autonomous island, Rodrigues.[f]
 Mexico – United Mexican States A UN member state A None Mexico is a federation of 31 states and one autonomous city.

The Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities have de facto autonomy.

 Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia A UN member state A None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia is a federation of four states.
 Moldova – Republic of Moldova A UN member state A None Moldova has the autonomous regions of Gagauzia and Transnistria autonomous territorial unit. The latter is under the de facto control of Transnistria.
 Monaco – Principality of Monaco A UN member state A None
 Mongolia A UN member state A None
 Montenegro A UN member state A None
 Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco A UN member state A None Part of the Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara is controlled by the partially recognised Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
 Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique A UN member state A None
 Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar[ab] A UN member state A None Wa State is a de facto autonomous state within Myanmar.
ZZZNagorno-Karabakh → See Artsakh listing
 Namibia – Republic of Namibia A UN member state A None
 Nauru – Republic of Nauru A UN member state A None
   Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal A UN member state A None Nepal is a federation composed of 7 provinces.
 Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes four areas with substantial autonomy:

The continental part of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten form the four constituent countries of the Kingdom. Three other overseas territories (Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius) are special municipalities of the continental Netherlands.[ac] The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law applies only to parts within Europe.

 New Zealand A UN member state A None New Zealand is a Commonwealth realm,[e] and has one dependent territory and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory of:

The Realm of New Zealand has responsibilities for (but no rights of control over) two freely associated states:

The Cook Islands and Niue have diplomatic relations with 49 and 18 UN members respectively.[34][35][36] They have full treaty-making capacity in the UN,[37] and are members of some UN specialized agencies.

 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua A UN member state A None Nicaragua contains two autonomous regions, Atlántico Sur and Atlántico Norte.[f]
 Niger – Republic of Niger A UN member state A None
 Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria A UN member state A None Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and one federal territory.
ZZZNiue → See Niue listing
ZZZNorth Korea → See Korea, North listing
 North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia[ad] A UN member state A None
ZZZNorthern Cyprus → See Northern Cyprus listing
 Norway – Kingdom of Norway A UN member state A None Norway has two unincorporated areas in Europe:
  •  Svalbard is an integral part of Norway, but has a special status due to the Svalbard Treaty.
  •  Jan Mayen is an uninhabited island that is an integral part of Norway, although unincorporated.

Norway has one dependent territory and two claimed Antarctic dependent territories in the Southern Hemisphere:

 Oman – Sultanate of Oman A UN member state A None
 Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan A UN member state A None Pakistan is a federation of four provinces and one capital territory. Pakistan exercises control over certain portions of Kashmir, but has not officially annexed any of it,[38][39] instead regarding it as a disputed territory.[40][41] The portions that it controls are divided into two territories, administered separately from Pakistan proper:

Azad Kashmir describes itself as a "self-governing state under Pakistani control", while Gilgit-Baltistan is described in its governance order as a group of "areas" with self-government.[42][43][44] These territories are not usually regarded as sovereign, as they do not fulfil the criteria set out by the declarative theory of statehood (for example, their current laws do not allow them to engage independently in relations with other states). Several state functions of these territories (such as foreign affairs and defence) are performed by Pakistan.[43][45][46]

 Palau – Republic of Palau A UN member state A None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States.
 Palestine – State of Palestine A UN observer state; member of 2 UN specialized agencies Partially unrecognised. B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina The State of Palestine, declared in 1988, is not recognised as a state by Israel and has received diplomatic recognition from 138 states.[47] The proclaimed state has no agreed territorial borders, or effective control over much of the territory that it proclaimed.[48] The Palestinian National Authority is an interim administrative body formed as a result of the Oslo Accords that exercises limited autonomous jurisdiction within the Palestinian territories. In foreign relations, Palestine is represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization.[49] The State of Palestine is a member state of UNESCO,[50] UNIDO, and an observer state in the UN.
 Panama – Republic of Panama A UN member state A None
 Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea A UN member state A None Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm[e] with one autonomous region, Bougainville.[f]
 Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay A UN member state A None
 Peru – Republic of Peru A UN member state A None
 Philippines – Republic of the Philippines A UN member state A None The Philippines contains one autonomous region, Bangsamoro.[f]
 Poland – Republic of Poland A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Portugal – Portuguese Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Portugal contains two autonomous regions, the Azores and Madeira.[f]
ZZZPridnestrovie → See Transnistria listing
 Qatar – State of Qatar A UN member state A None
ZZZRepublic of Korea → See Korea, South listing
ZZZRepublic of the Congo → See Congo, Republic of the listing
 Romania A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Russia – Russian Federation A UN member state A None Russia is a federation of 85 federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, autonomous okrugs, federal cities, and an autonomous oblast). Several of the federal subjects are ethnic republics.[f]
 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda A UN member state A None
ZZZSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic → See Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic listing
 Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis A UN member state A None Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth realm[e] and is a federation[o] of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis.
 Saint Lucia A UN member state A None Saint Lucia is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A UN member state A None Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Samoa – Independent State of Samoa A UN member state A None
 San Marino – Republic of San Marino A UN member state A None
 São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe A UN member state A None São Tomé and Príncipe contains one autonomous province, Príncipe.[f]
 Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia A UN member state A None
 Senegal – Republic of Senegal A UN member state A None
 Serbia – Republic of Serbia A UN member state A None Serbia contains two autonomous regions, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija.[f] The latter is under the de facto control of Kosovo.
 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles A UN member state A None
 Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone A UN member state A None
 Singapore – Republic of Singapore A UN member state A None
 Slovakia – Slovak Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
 Solomon Islands A UN member state A None Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia A UN member state A None Somalia is a federation of six states. Two, Puntland and Galmudug, have self-declared autonomy, while one, Somaliland, is de facto independent.
ZZZSomaliland → See Somaliland listing
 South Africa – Republic of South Africa A UN member state A None
ZZZSouth Korea → See Korea, South listing
ZZZSouth Ossetia → See South Ossetia listing
 South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan A UN member state A None South Sudan is a federation of 10 states and three administrative areas.
  • The Abyei Area is a zone with "special administrative status" established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. It is de jure a condominium of South Sudan and Sudan, but de facto administered by two competing administrations and the United Nations.[51][52]
 Spain – Kingdom of Spain A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c] Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two special autonomous cities.[f][ae]
 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka[af] A UN member state A None
 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan A UN member state A None Sudan is a federation of 18 states.
  • The Abyei Area is a zone with "special administrative status" established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. It is de jure a condominium of South Sudan and Sudan, but de facto administered by two competing administrations and the United Nations.[51][52]
ZZZSudan, South → See South Sudan listing
 Suriname – Republic of Suriname A UN member state A None
ZZZSwaziland → See Eswatini listing
 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden A UN member state A None Member of the EU.[c]
  Switzerland – Swiss Confederation A UN member state A None Switzerland is a federation of 26 cantons.
 Syria – Syrian Arab Republic A UN member state A None The Syrian National Coalition, which is recognised as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people by 20 UN members, has established an interim government to rule rebel controlled territory during the Syrian civil war.

Syria has one self-declared autonomous region: Rojava.

ZZZTaiwan (Republic of China) → See Taiwan listing
 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan A UN member state A None Tajikistan contains one autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province.[f]
 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania A UN member state A None Tanzania contains one autonomous region, Zanzibar.[f]
 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand A UN member state A None
ZZZThe Bahamas → See Bahamas, The listing
ZZZThe Gambia → See Gambia, The listing
ZZZTimor-Leste → See East Timor listing
 Togo – Togolese Republic A UN member state A None
 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga A UN member state A None
ZZZTransnistria → See Transnistria listing
 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago A UN member state A None Trinidad and Tobago contains one autonomous region, Tobago.[f]
 Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia A UN member state A None
 Turkey – Republic of Turkey A UN member state A None
 Turkmenistan A UN member state A None
 Tuvalu A UN member state A None Tuvalu is a Commonwealth realm.[e]
 Uganda – Republic of Uganda A UN member state A None
 Ukraine A UN member state A None Ukraine contains one autonomous region, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,[f] however it is under the de facto control of Russia.
 United Arab Emirates A UN member state A None The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates.
 United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland A UN member state A None Former EU member in transition.[ag] The United Kingdom is a Commonwealth realm[e] consisting of four constituent countries; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom has the following 13 overseas territories and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory:

The British monarch also has direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:

 United States – United States of America A UN member state A None The United States is a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. Additionally, the Federal government of the United States has sovereignty over 13 unincorporated territories. Of these territories, the following five are inhabited possessions:

It also has sovereignty over several uninhabited territories:

It also disputes sovereignty over the following two territories:

Three sovereign states have become associated states of the United States under the Compact of Free Association:

 Uruguay – Oriental Republic of Uruguay A UN member state A None
 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan A UN member state A None Uzbekistan contains one autonomous region, Karakalpakstan.[f]
 Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu A UN member state A None
  Vatican City – Vatican City State A UN observer state under the designation of "Holy See"; member of three UN specialized agencies and the IAEA A None Administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity with diplomatic relations to 183 states. This figure consists of 180 UN member states, the Cook Islands, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the State of Palestine.[53] In addition, the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Holy See is a member of the IAEA, ITU, UPU, and WIPO and a permanent observer of the UN (in the category of "Non-member State")[49] and multiple other UN System organizations. The Vatican City is governed by officials appointed by the Pope, who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome and ex officio sovereign of Vatican City.
 Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela A UN member state A None Venezuela is a federation of 23 states, one capital district, and federal dependencies.
 Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam A UN member state A None
 Yemen – Republic of Yemen A UN member state A None
 Zambia – Republic of Zambia A UN member state A None
 Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe A UN member state A None
ZZZUN member states and observer states A ZZZ ZZZ
ZZZ AB B
ZZZ↓ Other states ↓ D AAA ZZZ
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Recognised by Russia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela, Artsakh, South Ossetia and Transnistria.[54] Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
 Artsakh – Republic of Artsakh[ah] D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina A de facto independent state,[55][56][57] recognised only by Abkhazia,[58] South Ossetia[58] and Transnistria.[58][59] Claimed in whole by Azerbaijan.[60]
 Cook Islands D Member of eight UN specialized agencies A None
(See political status)
A state in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with 52 states. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity.[37] It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
 Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo D Member of two UN specialized agencies B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo was placed under the administration of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in 1999.[61] Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and it has received diplomatic recognition from 113 UN member states and the Republic of China, while 18 states have recognized Kosovo only to later withdraw their recognition.[62] Serbia continues to maintain its sovereignty claim over Kosovo. Other UN member states and non UN member states continue to recognise Serbian sovereignty or have taken no position on the question. Kosovo is a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. The Republic of Kosovo has de facto control over most of the territory, with limited control in North Kosovo.
 Niue D Member of five UN specialized agencies A None
(See political status)
A state in free association with New Zealand, Niue maintains diplomatic relations with 20 states. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity.[37] It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
 Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Recognised only by Turkey. Under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", it is an observer state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Economic Cooperation Organization. Northern Cyprus is claimed in whole by the Republic of Cyprus.[63]
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Recognised at some stage by 84 UN member states, 45 of which have since withdrawn or frozen their recognition. It is a founding member of the African Union and the Asian–African Strategic Partnership formed at the 2005 Asian–African Conference. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, are claimed in whole by Morocco as part of its Southern Provinces. In turn, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the part of Western Sahara to the west of the Moroccan Wall controlled by Morocco. Its government resides in exile in Tindouf, Algeria.
 Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina A de facto independent state,[55][64][65][66][67] not diplomatically recognised by any other state, claimed in whole by the Federal Republic of Somalia.[68]
 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina A de facto independent state,[69] recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, Abkhazia, Artsakh and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia.[70]
 Taiwan – Republic of China[l] D Former UN member (as Republic of China, 1945–1971)
Observer in one UN specialized agency under the name "Chinese Taipei"
B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina A state competing (nominally) for recognition with the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the government of China since 1949. The Republic of China (ROC) controls the island of Taiwan and associated islands, Quemoy, Matsu, the Pratas and parts of the Spratly Islands, and has not renounced claims over its annexed territories on the mainland.[71] The ROC is recognised by 14 UN member states and the Holy See as of 20 September 2019. All these states do not recognise the PRC either. Additionally, one UN member (Bhutan) has refrained from recognising either the ROC or the PRC.

The territory of the ROC is claimed in whole by the PRC.[m] The ROC participates in international organizations under a variety of pseudonyms, most commonly "Chinese Taipei" and in the WTO it has full membership. The ROC was a founding member of the UN and enjoyed membership from 1945 to 1971, with veto power in the UN Security Council. See China and the United Nations.

 Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic D No membership B Claimed by Georgia Claimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina A de facto independent state,[55] recognised only by Abkhazia, Artsakh and South Ossetia.[54] Claimed in whole by Moldova as the Transnistria autonomous territorial unit.[72]
ZZZ↑ Other states ↑ D ZZZ ZZZ
ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ
Legend "Membership within the UN System" column
  UN Member states
  UN Observer states
  Member of a UN Specialized Agency
  Observer in a UN Specialized Agency
  No membership in the UN System
Legend "Sovereignty dispute" column
  Undisputed sovereignty
  Sovereignty disputed

Criteria for inclusion[edit]

The dominant customary international law standard of statehood is the declarative theory of statehood, which was codified by the Montevideo Convention of 1933. The Convention defines the state as a person of international law if it "possess[es] the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) a capacity to enter into relations with the other states" so long as it was not "obtained by force whether this consists in the employment of arms, in threatening diplomatic representations, or in any other effective coercive measure".[73][improper synthesis?]

Debate exists on the degree to which recognition should be included as a criterion of statehood. The declarative theory of statehood argues that statehood is purely objective and recognition of a state by other states is irrelevant. On the other end of the spectrum, the constitutive theory of statehood defines a state as a person under international law only if it is recognised as sovereign by other states. For the purposes of this list, included are all states that either:

  • consider themselves sovereign (through a declaration of independence or some other means) and are often regarded as satisfying the declarative theory of statehood, or
  • are recognised as a sovereign state by at least one UN member state

Note that in some cases, there is a divergence of opinion over the interpretation of the first point, and whether an entity satisfies it is disputed. Unique political entities which fail to meet the classification of a sovereign state are considered proto-states.[74][75]

On the basis of the above criteria, this list includes the following 206 entities:[76][ai]

  • 203 states recognised by at least one UN member state
  • Two states that satisfy the declarative theory of statehood and are recognised only by non-UN member states: Artsakh, Transnistria
  • One state that satisfies the declarative theory of statehood and is not recognised by any other state: Somaliland

The table includes bullets representing entities which are either not sovereign states or have a close association to another sovereign state. It also includes subnational areas where the sovereignty of the titular state is limited by an international agreement. Taken together, these include:

  • States in a free association relationship to another state
  • Two entities controlled by Pakistan which are neither sovereign states, dependent territories, or part of another state: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan
  • Dependent territories of another state, as well as areas that exhibit many characteristics of dependent territories according to the dependent territory page
  • Subnational entities created by international agreements

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ This column indicates whether or not a state is a member of the United Nations.[1] It also indicates which non-member states participate in the United Nations System through membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency or one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. All United Nations members belong to at least one specialized agency and are parties to the statute of the International Court of Justice.
  2. ^ This column indicates whether or not a state is the subject of a major sovereignty dispute. Only states whose entire sovereignty is disputed by another state are listed.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab The member states of the European Union have transferred part of their sovereignty in the form of legislative, executive, and judicial powers to the institutions of the EU, which is an example of supranational union. The EU has 27 member states.[8]
  4. ^ Information is included on:
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Commonwealth realms are members of the Commonwealth of Nations in which the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. The realms are sovereign states; see Relationship of the realms.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x For more information on divisions with a high degree of autonomy, see List of autonomous areas by country.[3]
  7. ^ The Argentine Constitution (Art. 35) recognises the following denominations for Argentina: "United Provinces of the Río de la Plata", "Argentine Republic" and "Argentine Confederation"; furthermore, it establishes the usage of "Argentine Nation" for purposes of legislation.
  8. ^ Argentina's claimed Antarctic territory of Argentine Antarctica (Antártida Argentina) is one of five constituent departments of the province Tierra del Fuego.[4]
  9. ^ The legal name for Canada is the sole word; an officially sanctioned, though disused, name is Dominion of Canada (which includes its legal title); see: Name of Canada, Dominion.
  10. ^ The government of Cape Verde declared "Cabo Verde" to be the official English name of the country in 2013.[11]
  11. ^ Chile's claimed Antarctic territory of the Chilean Antarctic (Antártica Chilena) is a commune of the Antártica Chilena Province of the Magallanes Region.
  12. ^ a b The People's Republic of China (PRC) is commonly referred to as "China", while the Republic of China (ROC) is commonly referred to as "Taiwan". The ROC is also occasionally known diplomatically as Chinese Taipei, or by another alternative name.
  13. ^ a b In 1949, the Republic of China government led by the Kuomintang (KMT) lost the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China (CPC) and set up a provisional capital in Taipei. The CPC established the PRC. As such, the political status of the ROC and legal status of Taiwan (alongside the territories under ROC jurisdiction) are in dispute. In 1971, the United Nations gave the China seat to the PRC. In the view of the United Nations, no member of the organisation withdrew as a consequence of this but the ROC representatives declared that they were withdrawing. Most states recognise the PRC to be the sole legitimate representative of all China, and the UN classifies Taiwan as "Taiwan, Province of China". The ROC has de facto relations with most sovereign states. A significant political movement within Taiwan advocates Taiwan independence.
  14. ^ See also Dates of establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and Foreign relations of China.
  15. ^ a b c More information on more or less federal structures can be found at a List of federations.[12]
  16. ^ Also known as Congo-Kinshasa. Formerly referred to as Zaire, its official name from 1971 to 1997.
  17. ^ Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
  18. ^ A simpler official short name has been encouraged by the Czech government, "Czechia". This variant remains uncommon, but has been adopted by several companies and organisations. See Name of the Czech Republic.
  19. ^ The designation "Denmark" can refer either to continental Denmark or to the short name for the entire Kingdom of the Danish Realm (e.g. in international organizations).
  20. ^ The government of East Timor uses "Timor-Leste" as the official English name of the country.
  21. ^ Formerly referred to as the Kingdom of Swaziland, its official name until 2018.
  22. ^ Åland was demilitarised by the Treaty of Paris in 1856, which was later affirmed by the League of Nations in 1921, and in a somewhat different context reaffirmed in the treaty on Finland's admission to the European Union in 1995.
  23. ^ France's claimed Antarctic territory of Adélie Land (Terre Adélie) is one of five constituent districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
  24. ^ Also known as Guinea-Conakry.
  25. ^ While sometimes referred to as the "Republic of Iceland"[20][21] and sometimes its counterpart Lýðveldið Ísland in Icelandic, the official name of the country is simply "Iceland".[22] One example of the former is the name of the Constitution of Iceland, which in Icelandic is Stjórnarskrá lýðveldisins Íslands and literally means "the Constitution of the republic of Iceland". However, note that in this usage "republic" is not capitalised.
  26. ^ "Ireland" is the official name of the country in English. "Republic of Ireland" (the official description in English) and "Éire" (the official name in Irish) have sometimes been used unofficially to distinguish the state from the larger island of Ireland, however, this is officially deprecated.[24] See names of the Irish state.
  27. ^ The government of Ivory Coast uses "Côte d'Ivoire" as the official English name of the country.
  28. ^ The country's official name of Myanmar, adopted in 1989, has been mixed and controversial, with the former name Burma still being used in many cases. See Names of Myanmar.
  29. ^ The designation "Netherlands" can refer either to the continental Netherlands or to the short name for the entire Kingdom (e.g. in international organizations).
  30. ^ Formerly known constitutionally as the Republic of Macedonia from 1991 to 2019 and under the international designation of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) from 1993 to 2019 due to the Macedonia naming dispute with Greece. Following the Prespa agreement going into effect in February 2019, the country was renamed to North Macedonia.
  31. ^ Spain holds several small overseas territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco, known as the Plazas de soberanía.
  32. ^ Formerly known as Ceylon until 1972.
  33. ^ The UK formally withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020. The state is currently in a provisional transition period out of the supranational union till 31 December 2020, see Brexit, Post-Brexit relations.
  34. ^ Formerly known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, its official name from 1991 to 2017
  35. ^ The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is not included, as despite being a sovereign entity it lacks territory and does not claim statehood. Entities considered to be micronations are not included. It is often up to debate whether a micronation truly controls its claimed territory. Also omitted from this list are all uncontacted peoples, either who live in societies that cannot be defined as states or whose statuses as such are not definitively known.

References[edit]

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  13. ^ Andreas S. Kakouris (9 July 2010). "Cyprus is not at peace with Turkey". CNN. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014. Turkey stands alone in violation of the will of the international community. It is the only country to recognize the "TRNC" and is the only country that does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and its government.
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  36. ^ Republic of Nauru Permanent Mission to the United Nations. "Foreign Affairs". United Nations. Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
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  39. ^ Aslam, Tasnim (11 December 2006). "Pakistan Does Not Claim Kashmir As An Integral Part..." Outlook India. The Outlook Group. Archived from the original on 13 December 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
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  48. ^ See the following on statehood criteria:
  49. ^ a b "Non-member States and Entities". United Nations. 29 February 2008. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
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  55. ^ a b c Ker-Lindsay, James (2012). The Foreign Policy of Counter Secession: Preventing the Recognition of Contested States. Oxford University Press. p. 53. ISBN 9780199698394. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013. In addition to the four cases of contested statehood described above, there are three other territories that have unilaterally declared independence and are generally regarded as having met the Montevideo criteria for statehood but have not been recognized by any states: Transnistria, Nagorny Karabakh, and Somaliland.
  56. ^ Krüger, Heiko (2010). The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: A Legal Analysis. Springer. p. 55. ISBN 978-3-642-11787-9.
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  69. ^ Jansen, Dinah (2009). "The Conflict between Self-Determination and Territorial Integrity: the South Ossetian Paradigm". Geopolitics Vs. Global Governance: Reinterpreting International Security. Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, University of Dalhousie: 222–242. ISBN 978-1-896440-61-3. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
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  72. ^ Regions and territories: Trans-Dniester
  73. ^ Hersch Lauterpacht (2012). Recognition in International Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 419. ISBN 9781107609433.
  74. ^ Hahn, Gordon (2002). Russia's Revolution from Above, 1985–2000: Reform, Transition, and Revolution in the Fall of the Soviet Communist Regime. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers. p. 527. ISBN 978-0765800497.
  75. ^ Griffiths, Ryan (2016). Age of Secession: The International and Domestic Determinants of State Birth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 85, 213–242. ISBN 978-1107161627.
  76. ^ The following bullets are grouped according to the availability of sources for the two criteria ((a) and/or (b)). This arrangement is not intended to reflect the relative importance of the two theories. Additional details are discussed in the state's individual entries.

Bibliography[edit]