Member states of the League of Nations

Between 1920 and 1939, a total of 63 countries became member states of the League of Nations. The Covenant forming the League of Nations was included in the Treaty of Versailles and came into force on 10 January 1920. The League of Nations was dissolved on 18 April 1946, when its assets and responsibilities were transferred to the United Nations.

The League’s greatest extent was from 28 September 1934 (when Ecuador joined) to 23 February 1935 (when Paraguay withdrew) with 58 members. At this time, only Costa Rica (22 January 1925), Brazil (14 June 1926), the Empire of Japan (27 March 1933) and Germany (19 September 1933) had withdrawn and only Egypt was left to join (on 26 May 1937). The members (listed from earliest joining and alphabetically if they joined on the same day) at this time were Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, the British Empire, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Irish Free State, Ethiopia, Italy, Liberia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Persia/Iran, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Union of South Africa, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Venezuela, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Luxembourg, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Turkey, Iraq, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Afghanistan, British Raj, Syria and Ecuador.

Of the 42 founding members, 23 (or 24, counting Free France) remained members until the League of Nations was dissolved in 1946. A further 21 countries joined between 1920 and 1937, but 7 left, withdrew or were expelled before 1946.

Countries are listed under the year in which they joined. The word "withdrew" indicates that a country left of its own choice. The word "left" indicates a country that ceased to exist because of annexation by Germany, Italy or the USSR. The USSR was the only country to be expelled by the League.

Despite formulating the concept and signing the Covenant, the United States never joined the League of Nations.

Map

A map of the world in the years 1920-1945, which shows the League of Nations members during its history.
  Members
≈
  Colonies of members
  Mandates
  Non-members
  Colonies of non-members

10 January 1920: founding members

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1926

1931

1932

1934

1937

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ South America, Encyclopedia of World History
  2. ↑ League of Nations chronology, United Nations
  3. ↑ Members of the 1st Assembly, League of Nations, Geneva, November 15 to December 18, 1920.
  4. ↑ Czechoslovakia never formally left the League and was present at the last meeting of the Assembly in 1946
  5. ↑ Left upon German takeover in 1943
  6. ↑ Occupied by Axis Powers 1941-1945
  7. ↑ Withdrew from active participation in the League after its defeat by the Soviet Union in 1944.
  8. ↑ Forced to withdraw by German occupation in May 1940 and incorporation into the German Reich.
  9. ↑ Forced to withdraw by Italian invasion of 1939.
  10. ↑ Toledo-García, Itzel; University of Essex, UK: ‘’"La cuestión de la dignidad nacional en el ingreso de México a la Sociedad de Naciones, 1919-1931"’’ Retrieved September 4, 2016. (Translated from Spanish: "On September 7th, 1931, the British Empire, Germany, Northern Ireland, Spain, France, Italy and Japan began the initiative; next day the proposal was adopted unanimously by the assembly, and the invitation was sent to the government of Mexico. The 10th of September the acceptance was communicated in Geneva… Two days later, Mexico was declared member of the League of Nations."
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