List of sovereign states

"List of nations" and "List of countries" redirect here. For other country lists, see Lists of countries and territories. For non-sovereign dependencies, see Dependent territory.

This list of sovereign states provides an overview of sovereign states around the world, with information on their status and recognition of their sovereignty.

Membership within the United Nations system divides the 206 listed states into three categories: 193 member states,[1] two observer states, and 11 other states. The sovereignty dispute column indicates states whose sovereignty is undisputed (190 states) and states whose sovereignty is disputed (16 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 recognized to have 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

Short and formal names Membership within the UN System [Note 1] Sovereignty dispute [Note 2] Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty [Note 3]
↓ UN member states or observer states ↓
Abkhazia → Abkhazia
 Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan UN member state None
 Albania – Republic of Albania UN member state None
 Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria UN member state None
 Andorra – Principality of Andorra UN member state 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 by the Holy See.
 Angola – Republic of Angola UN member state None
 Antigua and Barbuda UN member state None Antigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] with 1 autonomous region, Barbuda.[Note 5][3]
 Argentina – Argentine Republic[Note 6] UN member state None Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and 1 autonomous city.
 Armenia – Republic of Armenia UN member state Not recognized by Pakistan[4][5][6] See Armenia–Pakistan relations and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia UN member state None Australia is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] and a federation of six states and 10 territories. The external territories of Australia are:
 Austria – Republic of Austria UN member state None Member of the European Union.[lower-alpha 1] Austria is a federation of nine states (Bundesländer).
 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan UN member state None Azerbaijan contains two autonomous regions, Nakhchivan and Nagorno-Karabakh (Dağlıq Qarabağ).[Note 5] In Nagorno-Karabakh, a de facto state has been established.
 Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of the Bahamas UN member state None The Bahamas is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain UN member state None
 Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh UN member state None
 Barbados UN member state None Barbados is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Belarus – Republic of Belarus UN member state None
 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Belgium is a federation divided into linguistic communities and regions.
 Belize UN member state None Belize is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Benin – Republic of Benin[Note 7] UN member state None
 Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan UN member state None
 Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia UN member state None
 Bosnia and Herzegovina UN member state None Bosnia and Herzegovina is a federation of two constituent units:

and Brčko District, a self-governing administrative unit.[8]

 Botswana – Republic of Botswana UN member state None
 Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil UN member state None Brazil is a federation of 26 states and 1 federal district.
 Brunei – Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace UN member state None
 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Burkina Faso[Note 8] UN member state None
Burma → Myanmar
 Burundi – Republic of Burundi UN member state None
 Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia UN member state None
 Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon UN member state None
 Canada[Note 9] UN member state None Canada is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] and a federation of 10 provinces and three territories.
 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde UN member state None
 Central African Republic UN member state None
 Chad – Republic of Chad UN member state None
 Chile – Republic of Chile UN member state None Chile has two "special territories" in the Valparaíso Region:
 China – People's Republic of China[Note 10] UN member state Partially unrecognized. Claimed by the Republic of China The People's Republic of China (PRC) contains five autonomous regions, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet.[Note 5] Additionally, it has sovereignty over the Special Administrative Regions of:

China is not recognised by 21 UN member states and the Holy See, which instead recognise Taiwan (the Republic of China).[Note 11]

China claims, but does not control, Taiwan which is governed by a rival administration.[Note 12]

China controls part of the territory of Kashmir, which is disputed by India and Pakistan.

China, Republic of → Taiwan
 Colombia – Republic of Colombia UN member state None
 Comoros – Union of the Comoros UN member state None Comoros is a federation of 3 islands.[Note 13][9]
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the[Note 14] UN member state None
 Congo, Republic of the[Note 15] UN member state None
Cook Islands → Cook Islands
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica UN member state None
Côte d'Ivoire → Ivory Coast
 Croatia – Republic of Croatia UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Cuba – Republic of Cuba UN member state None
 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus UN member state Not recognized by Turkey[10] Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] The northeastern part of the island is the de facto state of Northern Cyprus. See Foreign relations of Cyprus and Cyprus dispute. Turkey refers to the Republic of Cyprus government as "The Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus".[11]
 Czech Republic[Note 16] UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
Democratic People's Republic of Korea → Korea, North
Democratic Republic of the Congo → Congo, Democratic Republic of the
 Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]

The Danish Realm includes two self-governing territories:

The designation "Denmark" can refer either to one of the Kingdom's constituent countries or to the short name for the Kingdom (e.g. in international organizations). 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.

 Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti UN member state None
 Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica UN member state None
 Dominican Republic UN member state None
 East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste[Note 17] UN member state None
 Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador UN member state None
 Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt UN member state None
 El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador UN member state None
 Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea UN member state None
 Eritrea – State of Eritrea UN member state None
 Estonia – Republic of Estonia UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia UN member state None Ethiopia is a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.
 Federated States of Micronesia UN member state None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia is a federation of four states.
 Fiji – Republic of Fiji UN member state None Fiji contains 1 autonomous region, Rotuma.[Note 5][12][13]
 Finland – Republic of Finland UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 France – French Republic UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] France contains five overseas regions/departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion. France also includes the overseas territories of:
 Gabon – Gabonese Republic UN member state None
 Gambia, The – Republic of the Gambia UN member state None
 Georgia UN member state None Georgia contains two autonomous republics, Adjara and Abkhazia.[Note 5] In Abkhazia and South Ossetia, de facto states have been formed.
 Germany – Federal Republic of Germany UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Germany is a federation of 16 federated states (Länder).
 Ghana – Republic of Ghana UN member state None
 Greece – Hellenic Republic UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Mount Athos is an autonomous part of Greece that is jointly governed by the multinational "Holy Community" on the mountain and a civil governor appointed by the Greek government.[14]
 Grenada UN member state None Grenada is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala UN member state None
 Guinea – Republic of Guinea[Note 19] UN member state None
 Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau UN member state None
 Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana UN member state None
 Haiti – Republic of Haiti UN member state None
Holy See → Vatican City
 Honduras – Republic of Honduras UN member state None
 Hungary UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Iceland[Note 20] UN member state None
 India – Republic of India UN member state None India is a federation of 29 states and seven union territories. India claims the entire territory of Kashmir as one of its states, but only exercises control over part of it, while the rest is controlled by the People's Republic of China and Pakistan.
 Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia UN member state None Indonesia has five provinces with official special autonomy status: Aceh, Jakarta SCR, Yogyakarta SR, Papua, and West Papua.[Note 5]
 Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran UN member state None
 Iraq – Republic of Iraq UN member state None Iraq is a federation[Note 13][15] of 18 governorates, three of which make up the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan.[Note 5]
 Ireland[Note 21] UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Israel – State of Israel UN member state Partially unrecognized Israel exerts strong control over the territory claimed by Palestine. Israel annexed East Jerusalem,[17] an annexation not recognised by the international community.[18] 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.[19][20][21][22][23] Israel is not recognised as a state by 32 UN members (including most Arab states) and by the SADR.
 Italy – Italian Republic UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Italy has five autonomous regions, Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.[Note 5]
 Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire UN member state None
 Jamaica UN member state None Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Japan UN member state None
 Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan UN member state None
 Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan UN member state None
 Kenya – Republic of Kenya UN member state None
 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati UN member state None
 Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea UN member state Claimed by South Korea North Korea is not recognised by two UN members: Japan and South Korea.[Note 22][24]
 Korea, South – Republic of Korea UN member state Claimed by North Korea South Korea contains 1 autonomous region, Jeju-do.[Note 5][25] South Korea is not recognised by one UN member: North Korea.[Note 22]
Kosovo → Kosovo
 Kuwait – State of Kuwait UN member state None
 Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic UN member state None
 Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic UN member state None
 Latvia – Republic of Latvia UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Lebanon – Lebanese Republic UN member state None
 Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho UN member state None
 Liberia – Republic of Liberia UN member state None
 Libya – State of Libya UN member state None Libya has one self-declared autonomous region:[26]
 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein UN member state None
 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia UN member state None Because of the Macedonia naming dispute, the country is referred to by the UN and a number of states and international organizations as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".
 Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar UN member state None
 Malawi – Republic of Malawi UN member state None
 Malaysia UN member state None Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories.
 Maldives – Republic of Maldives UN member state None
 Mali – Republic of Mali UN member state None
 Malta – Republic of Malta UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands UN member state None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States.
 Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania UN member state None
 Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius UN member state None Mauritius has an autonomous island, Rodrigues.[Note 5]
 Mexico – United Mexican States UN member state None Mexico is a federation of 31 states and 1 federal district.
 Moldova – Republic of Moldova UN member state None Moldova has the autonomous regions of Gagauzia and Transnistria, the latter of which has established a de facto state.
 Monaco – Principality of Monaco UN member state None
 Mongolia UN member state None
 Montenegro UN member state None
 Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco UN member state None Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and controls most of it, which is disputed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
 Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique UN member state None
 Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar[Note 23][27] UN member state None
Nagorno-Karabakh → Nagorno-Karabakh
 Namibia – Republic of Namibia UN member state None
 Nauru – Republic of Nauru UN member state None
   Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal UN member state None Nepal is a federation composed of 14 zones.
 Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four constituent countries:

The monarch and his ministers form the government of the kingdom as well as the government of its constituent country, the Netherlands. Following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, Curaçao and Sint Maarten have become constituent countries, which, alongside Aruba, enjoy considerable autonomy. The other three islands (Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius) became special municipalities of the constituent country of the Netherlands.

The designation "Netherlands" can refer either to one of the Kingdom's constituent countries or to the short name for the Kingdom (e.g. in international organizations). 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 UN member state None New Zealand is a Commonwealth realm,[Note 4] and has the dependent territories 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 41 and with 17 UN members respectively.[28][29][30] They have full treaty-making capacity in the UN,[31] and are members of some UN specialized agencies.

 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua UN member state None Nicaragua contains two autonomous regions, Atlántico Sur and Atlántico Norte.[Note 5]
 Niger – Republic of Niger UN member state None
 Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria UN member state None Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and 1 federal territory.
Niue → Niue
Northern Cyprus → Northern Cyprus
North Korea → Korea, North
 Norway – Kingdom of Norway UN member state None

Norway has the dependent territories of:

 Oman – Sultanate of Oman UN member state None
 Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan UN member state None Pakistan is a federation of four provinces, 1 capital territory, and tribal regions. Pakistan disputes the entire territory of Kashmir with India, and part of it with the People's Republic of China. It exercises control over certain portions of Kashmir, but has not officially annexed any of it,[32][33] instead regarding it as a disputed territory.[34][35] The portions that it controls are divided into two territories, administered separately from Pakistan proper:[Note 24]

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.[36][37] These territories are not usually regarded as sovereign, as they do not fulfill 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 on their behalf.[37][38][39]

 Palau – Republic of Palau UN member state None Under Compact of Free Association with the United States.
 Palestine – State of Palestine UN observer state; member of one UN specialized agency Partially unrecognized. Disputed by Israel The declared State of Palestine has received diplomatic recognition from 136 states.[40] The proclaimed state has no agreed territorial borders, or effective control on much of the territory that it proclaimed.[41] 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.[42] The State of Palestine is a member state of UNESCO,[43] and an observer state in the UN.
 Panama – Republic of Panama UN member state None
 Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea UN member state None Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] with 1 autonomous region, Bougainville.[Note 5]
 Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay UN member state None
 Peru – Republic of Peru UN member state None
 Philippines – Republic of the Philippines UN member state None The Philippines contains one autonomous region, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.[Note 5]
 Poland – Republic of Poland UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Portugal – Portuguese Republic UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Portugal contains two autonomous regions, Azores and Madeira.[Note 5]
Pridnestrovie → Transnistria
 Qatar – State of Qatar UN member state None
Republic of Korea → Korea, South
Republic of the Congo → Congo, Republic of the
 Romania UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Russia – Russian Federation UN member state None Russia is officially 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.[Note 5]
 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda UN member state None
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic → Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
 Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis UN member state None Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] and is a federation[Note 13] of 14 parishes.
 Saint Lucia UN member state None Saint Lucia is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines UN member state None Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Samoa – Independent State of Samoa UN member state None
 San Marino – Republic of San Marino UN member state None
 São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe UN member state None São Tomé and Príncipe contains 1 autonomous province, Príncipe.[Note 5]
 Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia UN member state None
 Senegal – Republic of Senegal UN member state None
 Serbia – Republic of Serbia UN member state None Serbia contains two autonomous regions, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija.[Note 5] The latter is under the de facto control of the Republic of Kosovo.
 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles UN member state None
 Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone UN member state None
 Singapore – Republic of Singapore UN member state None
 Slovakia – Slovak Republic UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
 Solomon Islands UN member state None The Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia UN member state None Somalia is presently divided with the official Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) controlling only part of the country. Puntland and Galmudug have declared themselves as autonomous regions of Somalia (a claim that the FGS does not recognise),[44] while Somaliland has formed an unrecognised de facto state.
Somaliland → Somaliland
 South Africa – Republic of South Africa UN member state None
South Korea → Korea, South
South Ossetia → South Ossetia
 South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan UN member state None South Sudan is a federation of 10 states.
 Spain – Kingdom of Spain UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and 2 special autonomous cities.[Note 5]
 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka UN member state None Formerly known as Ceylon.
 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan UN member state None Sudan is a federation of 17 states. Disputes Abyei and Kafia Kingi with South Sudan.
Sudan, South → South Sudan
 Suriname – Republic of Suriname UN member state None
 Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland UN member state None
 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1]
  Switzerland – Swiss Confederation UN member state None Switzerland is a federation of 26 cantons.
 Syria – Syrian Arab Republic UN member state None The Syrian National Coalition, which is recognized 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:

Taiwan (Republic of China) → Taiwan
 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan UN member state None Tajikistan contains 1 autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province.[Note 5]
 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania UN member state None Tanzania contains 1 autonomous region, Zanzibar.[Note 5]
 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand UN member state None
Timor-Leste → East Timor
 Togo – Togolese Republic UN member state None
 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga UN member state None
Transnistria → Transnistria
 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago UN member state None Trinidad and Tobago contains 1 autonomous region, Tobago.[Note 5]
 Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia UN member state None
 Turkey – Republic of Turkey UN member state None
 Turkmenistan UN member state None
 Tuvalu UN member state None Tuvalu is a Commonwealth realm.[Note 4]
 Uganda – Republic of Uganda UN member state None
 Ukraine UN member state None
 United Arab Emirates UN member state None The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates.
 United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland UN member state None Member of the EU.[lower-alpha 1] The United Kingdom is a Commonwealth realm[Note 4] consisting of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom has the following overseas territories:

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

 United States – United States of America UN member state None The United States is a federation of 50 states and 1 federal district. The United States has sovereignty over the following inhabited possessions and commonwealths:

It also has sovereignty over several uninhabited territories:

It also has sovereignty over the following incorporated territories:

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

It also disputes sovereignty over the following territories:

 Uruguay – Oriental Republic of Uruguay UN member state None
 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan UN member state None Uzbekistan contains 1 autonomous region, Karakalpakstan.[Note 5]
 Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu UN member state None
  Vatican City – Vatican City State UN observer state under the designation of "Holy See"; member of three UN specialized agencies and the IAEA None Administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity with diplomatic ties to 180 states.[45] 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")[42] 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 UN member state None Venezuela is a federation of 23 states, 1 capital district, and federal dependencies.
 Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam UN member state None
 Yemen – Republic of Yemen UN member state None
 Zambia – Republic of Zambia UN member state None
 Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe UN member state None
↑ UN member states and observer states ↑
↓ Other states ↓
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia No membership Claimed by Georgia Recognised by Russia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Venezuela,[46] Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Transnistria.[47] Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
 Cook Islands Member of eight UN specialized agencies None
(See political status)		 A state in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with 44  states. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity.[31] It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
 Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo Member of two UN specialized agencies Claimed by Serbia 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.[48] Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and it has received diplomatic recognition from 108 UN member states and the Republic of China. 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.
 Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic[Note 25] No membership Claimed by Azerbaijan A de facto independent state,[49][50][51] recognised only by Abkhazia,[52] South Ossetia[52] and Transnistria.[52][53] Claimed in whole by Azerbaijan.[54]
 Niue Member of five UN specialized agencies None
(See political status)		 A state in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with 19  states. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity.[31] It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
 Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus No membership Claimed by Cyprus 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.[55]
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic No membership Claimed by Morocco Recognised at some stage by 84 UN member states, 37 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 No membership Claimed by Somalia A de facto independent state,[49][56][57][58][59] not diplomatically recognised by any other state, claimed in whole by the Federal Republic of Somalia.[60]
 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia No membership Claimed by Georgia A de facto independent state,[61] recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Venezuela,[46] Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Transnistria.[47] Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia.[62]
 Taiwan – Republic of China[Note 10] Former UN member (as Republic of China, 1945-1971) Observer in one UN specialized agency under the name "Chinese Taipei" Claimed by the People's Republic of China A state competing for recognition with the People's Republic of China as the government of China since 1949. The Republic of China controls the island of Taiwan and associated islands, Quemoy, Matsu, the Pratas and parts of the Spratly Islands,[Note 26] and has not renounced claims over its annexed territories on the mainland.[63] The Republic of China is recognised by 21 UN member states and the Holy See as of 2013. The territory of the Republic of China is claimed in whole by the People's Republic of China.[Note 12] The Republic of China participates in international organizations under a variety of pseudonyms, most commonly "Chinese Taipei" and in the WTO it has full membership. The Republic of China was a founding member of the UN and enjoyed membership from 1945 to 1971, with veto power in the security council. See China and the United Nations.
 Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic No membership Claimed by Moldova A de facto independent state,[49] recognised only by Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia.[47] Claimed in whole by Moldova as the Transnistria autonomous territorial unit.[64]
↑ Other states ↑
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

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".[65]

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:

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.

On the basis of the above criteria, this list includes the following 206 entities:[66][Note 27]

See also

Notes

  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. ↑ Information is included on:
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 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.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 For more information on divisions with a high degree of autonomy, see the List of autonomous areas by country.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Formerly referred to as Dahomey, its official name until 1975.
  8. ↑ Also known as Burkina; formerly referred to as Upper Volta, its official name until 1984.
  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. 1 2 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, along with other names.
  11. ↑ See also Dates of establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China.
  12. 1 2 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 the 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 and the ROC withdrew from the UN. 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.
  13. 1 2 3 More information on more or less federal structures can be found at a List of federations.
  14. ↑ Also known as Congo-Kinshasa. Formerly referred to as Zaire, its official name from 1971 to 1997.
  15. ↑ Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
  16. ↑ A simpler official short-form name has been encouraged by the Czech government: the English variant Czechia remains uncommon, but variants in Czech (Česko) and some other languages are more popular. See Name of the Czech Republic
  17. ↑ The government of East Timor uses "Timor-Leste" as the English translation.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ Also known as Guinea-Conakry.
  20. ↑ While sometimes referred to as the "Republic of Iceland" ( ) and sometimes its counterpart Lýðveldið Ísland in Icelandic, the official name of the country is simply Iceland. 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", but note that "republic" is not capitalized. The official title of the President of Iceland (Forseti Íslands) does also not include the word republic as in some other republics. See Names for Iceland.
  21. ↑ "Ireland" is the official name 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; this is officially deprecated.[16] See names of the Irish state.
  22. 1 2 Both North Korea and South Korea claim to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. See also Foreign relations of North Korea and Foreign relations of South Korea.
  23. ↑ The government changed the state's official name in English from "Union of Myanmar" to "Republic of the Union of Myanmar" in October 2010.
  24. ↑ Sovereignty over Kashmir is disputed between India and Pakistan; smaller parts are disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. Kashmir is divided between India, Pakistan and the PRC. See the List of territorial disputes.
  25. ↑ The Constitution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Art. 1.2) recognizes "Artsakh Republic" as an alternative denomination.
  26. ↑ The sovereignty over the Spratly Islands is disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and in part by Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Except for Brunei, each of these countries occupies part of the islands (see List of territorial disputes).
  27. ↑ The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is not included, as despite being a sovereign entity it lacks territory and doesn't 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.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 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 28 member states.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Press Release ORG/1469 (3 July 2006). "United Nations Member States". United Nations. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  2. ↑ "Andorra country profile". BBC News. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Government of Antigua and Barbuda. "Chapter 44: The Barbuda Local Government Act" (PDF). Laws of Antigua and Barbuda. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  4. ↑ "Pakistan Worldview, Report 21, Visit to Azerbaijan" (PDF). Senate of Pakistan Foreign Relations Committee. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2009.
  5. ↑ Nilufer Bakhtiyar: "For Azerbaijan Pakistan does not recognise Armenia as a country" 13 September 2006 [14:03] – Today.Az
  6. ↑ "Pakistan the only country not recognizing Armenia – envoy". News.Az. February 5, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014. We are the only country not recognizing Armenia as a state.
  7. ↑ Europa, retrieved 28 February 2011
  8. ↑ Stjepanović, Dejan (2015). "Dual Substate Citizenship as Institutional Innovation: The Case of Bosnia’s Brčko District". Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 21 (4): 382–383. doi:10.1080/13537113.2015.1095043. eISSN 1557-2986. ISSN 1353-7113. OCLC 5927465455. (subscription required (help)).
  9. ↑ Constitution of Comoros, Art. 1.
  10. ↑ Andreas S. Kakouris (July 9, 2010). "Cyprus is not at peace with Turkey". CNN. Retrieved May 17, 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.
  11. ↑ See Republic of Turkey Ministry for European Union Affairs Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Rotuma Act". Laws of Fiji (1978 ed.). Suva, Fiji: Government of Fiji. 1927. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
  13. ↑ Government of Fiji, Office of the Prime Minister (1978). "Chapter 122: Rotuma Act". Laws of Fiji. University of the South Pacific. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  14. ↑ Constitution of Greece, Art. 105.
  15. ↑ Source: Iraqi constitution
  16. ↑ Daly, Mary E. (January 2007). "The Irish Free State/Éire/Republic of Ireland/Ireland: "A Country by Any Other Name"?". Journal of British Studies (Cambridge University Press on behalf of The North American Conference on British Studies) 46 (1). doi:10.1086/508399. (subscription required (help)).
  17. ↑ Knesset website, Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel
  18. ↑ "Disputes – International". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  19. ↑ Gold, Dore; Institute for Contemporary Affairs (26 August 2005). "Legal Acrobatics: The Palestinian Claim that Gaza is Still "Occupied" Even After Israel Withdraws". Jerusalem Issue Brief, Vol. 5, No. 3. Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  20. ↑ Bell, Abraham (28 January 2008). "International Law and Gaza: The Assault on Israel's Right to Self-Defense". Jerusalem Issue Brief, Vol. 7, No. 29. Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  21. ↑ "Address by Foreign Minister Livni to the 8th Herzliya Conference" (Press release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  22. ↑ Salih, Zak M. (17 November 2005). "Panelists Disagree Over Gaza's Occupation Status". University of Virginia School of Law. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  23. ↑ "Israel: 'Disengagement' Will Not End Gaza Occupation". Human Rights Watch. 29 October 2004. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  24. ↑ "Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea". Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  25. ↑ Keun Min. "Greetings". Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  26. ↑ "East Libya declares self-government". Al Jazeera. November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Myanmar gets new flag, official name, anthem". Reuters. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  28. ↑ Federal Foreign Office of Germany (November 2009). "Beziehungen zu Deutschland". Government of Germany. Retrieved 2010-07-16. For more information, see Foreign relations of the Cook Islands.
  29. ↑ China Internet Information Centre (13 December 2007). "Full text of joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Niue". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  30. ↑ Republic of Nauru Permanent Mission to the United Nations. "Foreign Affairs". United Nations. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  31. 1 2 3 http://untreaty.un.org/cod/repertory/art102/english/rep_supp8_vol6-art102_e_advance.pdf
  32. ↑ Constitution of Pakistan, Art. 1.
  33. ↑ Aslam, Tasnim (11 December 2006). "'Pakistan Does Not Claim Kashmir As An Integral Part...'". Outlook India (The Outlook Group).
  34. ↑ Williams, Kristen P. (2001). Despite nationalist conflicts: theory and practice of maintaining world peace. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-0-275-96934-9.
  35. ↑ Pruthi, R.K. (2001). An Encyclopaedic Survey Of Global Terrorism In 21St Century. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 120–121. ISBN 978-81-261-1091-9.
  36. ↑ http://home.ajk.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&catid=14
  37. 1 2 http://gbtribune.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/self-governance-order-2009.pdf
  38. ↑ Political Handbook of the World 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  39. ↑ http://www.ajkassembly.gok.pk/AJK_Interim_Constitution_Act_1974.pdf
  40. ↑ Palestine Liberation Organization. "Road For Palestinian Statehood: Recognition and Admission". Negotiations Affairs Department. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  41. ↑ See the following on statehood criteria:
  42. 1 2 "Non-member States and Entities". United Nations. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  43. ↑ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. "Arab States: Palestine". United Nations. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  44. ↑ Weller, Marc; Nobbs, Katherine (2010). Asymmetric Autonomy and the Settlement of Ethnic Conflicts. Philadelphia, United States: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-4230-0.
  45. ↑ "Bilateral relations of the Holy See". Holy See website. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
  46. 1 2 "Chavez Backs Abkhazia, South Ossetia". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  47. 1 2 3 Абхазия, Южная Осетия и Приднестровье признали независимость друг друга и призвали всех к этому же (in Russian). newsru.com. 2006-11-17. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
  48. ↑ "United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo". UN. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  49. 1 2 3 Ker-Lindsay, James (2012). The Foreign Policy of Counter Secession: Preventing the Recognition of Contested States. Oxford University Press. p. 53. ...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.
  50. ↑ Krüger, Heiko (2010). The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: A Legal Analysis. Springer. p. 55. ISBN 978-3-642-11787-9.
  51. ↑ Nikoghosyan, Hovhannes (August 2010). "Kosovo ruling implications for Armenia and Azerbaijan". HULIQ.com (Hareyan Publishing, LLC). Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  52. 1 2 3 Вице-спикер парламента Абхазии: Выборы в НКР соответствуют всем международным стандартам: "Абхазия, Южная Осетия, НКР и Приднестровье уже давно признали независимость друг друга и очень тесно сотрудничают между собой", – сказал вице-спикер парламента Абхазии. ... "...Абхазия признала независимость Нагорно-Карабахской Республики..." – сказал он."
  53. ↑ "In detail: The foreign policy of Pridnestrovie". Pridnestrovie. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  54. ↑ See Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh (17 January 2006). BBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2006.
  55. ↑ See The World Factbook|Cyprus (10 January 2006). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved January 17, 2006.
  56. ↑ "Self-Determination, Sovereignty, and the Failure of States: Somaliland and the Case for Justified Secession" (PDF). Minnesota Journal of International Law 19:2: 380–381. 2010. Considering each of these factors, Somaliland has a colorable argument that it meets the theoretical requirements of statehood. ... On these bases, Somaliland appears to have a strong claim to statehood.
  57. ↑ International Crisis Group (23 May 2006). "Somaliland: Time for African Union leadership" (PDF). Africa Report (110): 10–13. Retrieved 2011-04-19
  58. ↑ Mesfin, Berouk (September 2009). "The political development of Somaliland and its conflict with Puntland" (PDF). ISS Paper (Institute for Security Studies) (200): 8. Retrieved 2011-04-19
  59. ↑ Arieff, Alexis. "De Facto Statehood? The Strange Case of Somaliland" (PDF). Yale Journal of International Affairs (Spring/Summer 2008). Retrieved 2011-04-17
  60. ↑ See Regions and territories: Somaliland (30 December 2005). BBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2006.
  61. ↑ Jansen, Dinah (2009). "The Conflict between Self-Determination and Territorial Integrity: the South Ossetian Paradigm" (PDF). Geopolitics vs. Global Governance: Reinterpreting International Security (Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, University of Dalhousie): 222–242. ISBN 978-1-896440-61-3
  62. ↑ "Russia condemned for recognizing rebel regions". CNN.com (Cable News Network). 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  63. ↑ "Ma refers to China as ROC territory in magazine interview". Taipei Times. 2008-10-08.
  64. ↑ 'See Regions and territories: Trans-Dniester (13 December 2005). BBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2006.
  65. ↑ Hersch Lauterpacht (2012). Recognition in International Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 419.
  66. ↑ 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

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