Category:Diplomatic missions by country

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Countries choose to establish diplomatic missions in other countries in order to further foreign policy objectives. However like any other responsibility governments need to consider resourcing constraints. A country will typically post ambassadors and other diplomats to the countries they have significant dealings and bilateral ties with. Less important countries may only warrant a consulate or honorary consulate, with the ambassador being resident at a more significant post.

In other circumstances a country may not recognise the sovereignty of another country, or underlying hostility exists between the two countries. However substantial bilateral ties or other political imperatives might require the presence of a de facto embassy, which may be given a less authorative name like 'liaison office' or 'cultural institute' (as several countries call their missions to the Palestinian National Authority and Taiwan, and conversely how the Palestinian and Taiwanese call their missions to countries that don't recognise their sovereignty). In more belligerent relationships the only mission may just consist of an 'Interests Section' within the embassy of a trusted country (the Swiss have US Interests Sections within their Havana and Tehran embassies).