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List of sovereign states

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A long row of flags
Flags of the United Nations member and non-member GA observer states in front of the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

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 205 listed states can be divided into three categories based on membership within the United Nations System: 193 UN member states, two UN General Assembly non-member observer states, and ten other states. The sovereignty dispute column indicates states having undisputed sovereignty (188 states, of which there are 187 UN member states and one UN General Assembly non-member observer state), states having disputed sovereignty (15 states, of which there are six UN member states, one UN General Assembly non-member observer state, and eight de facto states), and states having a special political status (two states, both in free association with New Zealand).

Compiling a list such as this can be complicated and controversial, 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.

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 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".

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 polities that consider themselves sovereign states (through a declaration of independence or some other means) and either:

  • are often regarded as satisfying the declarative theory of statehood, or
  • are recognised as a sovereign state by at least one UN member state

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.

On the basis of the above criteria, this list includes the following 205 entities:

  • 203 states recognised by at least one UN member state
  • One state that satisfies the declarative theory of statehood and is recognised only by non-UN member states
  • One state that satisfies the declarative theory of statehood and is not recognised by any other state

The table includes bullets in the right-hand column representing entities that 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:

  • Entities that are in a free association relationship with another state
  • Two entities controlled by Pakistan which are neither sovereign states, dependent territories, nor 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

List of states

UN member states and General Assembly observer states

"Membership within the UN System" column legend

  UN member state   UN General Assembly observer state

"Sovereignty dispute" column legend

  Undisputed sovereignty   Disputed sovereignty

Common and formal names Membership within the UN System Sovereignty dispute Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty
 Afghanistan A UN member state A None The  Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the de facto ruling government, has not been recognised by any state.

The former ruling government the  Islamic Republic of Afghanistan continues to be recognised by the United Nations as the government of Afghanistan.

 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, 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 with one autonomous region, Barbuda.
 Argentina – Argentine Republic A UN member state A None Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and one autonomous city.
 Armenia – Republic of Armenia A UN member state Not recognised by Pakistan. Armenia is not recognised by Pakistan due to the dispute over Artsakh.
 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia A UN member state A None Australia is a Commonwealth realm 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. Austria is a federation of nine states.
 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan A UN member state A None Azerbaijan contains one autonomous region, Nakhchivan.
 Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas A UN member state A None The Bahamas is a Commonwealth realm.
 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
 Belarus – Republic of Belarus A UN member state A None Many states rescinded their recognition of President Alexander Lukashenko following the disputed 2020 election. Lithuania currently recognises Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Coordination Council as the legitimate government of Belarus.
 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium A UN member state A None Member of the EU. Belgium is a federation of three linguistic communities and three regions.
 Belize A UN member state A None Belize is a Commonwealth realm.
 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.

 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 – Brunei Darussalam A UN member state A None
 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Burkina Faso – People's Republic of Burkina Faso A UN member state A None
 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 A UN member state A None Canada is a Commonwealth realm and a federation of ten provinces and three territories.
 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde 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 Chile has one special territory, Easter Island.
 China – People's Republic of China A UN member state Partially unrecognised. BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine China contains five autonomous regions, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. 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.

China is not recognised by 11 UN member states and Vatican City, which, with the exception of Bhutan, all recognise the Republic of China (Taiwan) instead.

 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.
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the A UN member state A None
 Congo, Republic of the A UN member state A None
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica A UN member state A None
 Croatia – Republic of Croatia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Cuba – Republic of Cuba A UN member state A None
 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus A UN member state Not recognised by Turkey Member of the EU. 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 A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark A UN member state A None Member of the EU. The Kingdom of Denmark includes two self-governing territories:

The metropolitan territory of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland form the three constituent countries of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Denmark as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law (in most cases) does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. See Greenland and the European Union, and Faroe Islands and the European Union for more information.

 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 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.
 Eswatini – Kingdom of Eswatini A UN member state A None
 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia A UN member state A None Ethiopia is a federation of eleven regions and two chartered cities.
 Fiji – Republic of Fiji A UN member state A None Fiji contains one autonomous region, Rotuma.
 Finland – Republic of Finland A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
  •  Åland is a neutral and demilitarized autonomous region of Finland.
 France – French Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU. 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 A UN member state A None
 Georgia A UN member state A None Georgia contains two autonomous republics, Adjara and Abkhazia. 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. 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. Greece contains one autonomous area, Mount Athos.
 Grenada A UN member state A None Grenada is a Commonwealth realm.
 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala A UN member state A None
 Guinea – Republic of Guinea 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
 Honduras – Republic of Honduras A UN member state A None
 Hungary A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Iceland 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 nine autonomous provinces, Aceh, Jakarta, Central Papua, Highland Papua, Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta.
 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 of 19 governorates, four of which make up the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
 Ireland A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Israel – State of Israel A UN member state Partially unrecognised Israel exerts strong control over the territory claimed by Palestine. It has annexed East Jerusalem, an act not recognised by the international community. Israel has varying levels of control over the rest of the West Bank, and although it ended its permanent civilian or military presence in the Gaza Strip, it is still considered to be the occupying power under international law.

Israel is not recognised as a state by 28 UN members and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Palestine Liberation Organization, recognised by a majority of UN member states as the representative of the Palestinian people, recognised Israel in 1993.

 Italy – Italian Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU. Italy has five autonomous regions: Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
 Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire A UN member state A None
 Jamaica A UN member state A None Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm.
 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
 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.
 Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon 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.
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 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.
 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.
 Mexico – United Mexican States A UN member state A None Mexico is a federation of 31 states and one autonomous city.
 Micronesia, Federated States of 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 the Left Bank of the Dniester. The latter and a city, Bender (Tighina), 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 A UN member state A None Wa State is a de facto autonomous state within Myanmar. The United Nations has not recognised the de facto ruling government of Myanmar, the State Administration Council.
 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 seven provinces.
 Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands A UN member state A None Member of the EU. The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes four areas with substantial autonomy:

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

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

The New Zealand Government acts for the entire Realm of New Zealand in all international contexts, which 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. They have full treaty-making capacity in the UN, 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.
 Niger – Republic of the 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.
 North Korea – Democratic People's Republic of Korea A UN member state BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine North Korea is not recognised by one UN member, South Korea, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
 North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia A UN member state A None
 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, instead regarding it as a disputed territory. 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. 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 defense) are performed by Pakistan.

 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 General Assembly observer state; member of two UN specialized agencies Partially unrecognised. The State of Palestine, declared in 1988, is not recognised as a state by Israel but has received diplomatic recognition from 146 states. The proclaimed state has no agreed territorial borders, or effective control over much of the territory that it proclaimed. 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. The State of Palestine is a member state of UNESCO, UNIDO and other international organizations.
 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 with one autonomous region, Bougainville.
 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.
 Poland – Republic of Poland A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Portugal – Portuguese Republic A UN member state A None Member of the EU. Portugal contains two autonomous regions, the Azores and Madeira.
 Qatar – State of Qatar A UN member state A None
 Romania A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Russia – Russian Federation A UN member state A None Russia is a federation of 83 internationally recognised federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, autonomous okrugs, federal cities, and an autonomous oblast). Several of the federal subjects are ethnic republics.
 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda A UN member state A None
 Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis A UN member state A None Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth realm and is a federation of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis.
 Saint Lucia A UN member state A None Saint Lucia is a Commonwealth realm.
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A UN member state A None Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Commonwealth realm.
 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.
 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. 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.
 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
 Solomon Islands A UN member state A None Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm.
 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.
 South Africa – Republic of South Africa A UN member state A None
 South Korea – Republic of Korea A UN member state BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine South Korea has one autonomous region, Jeju Province.

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

 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.
 Spain – Kingdom of Spain A UN member state A None Member of the EU. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two special autonomous cities.
 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 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.
 Suriname – Republic of Suriname A UN member state A None
 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden A UN member state A None Member of the EU.
  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 opposition 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.

 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan A UN member state A None Tajikistan contains one autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province.
 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania A UN member state A None Tanzania contains one autonomous region, Zanzibar.
 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand A UN member state A None
 Togo – Togolese Republic A UN member state A None
 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga A UN member state A None
 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago A UN member state A None Trinidad and Tobago contains one autonomous region, Tobago.
 Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia A UN member state A None
 Turkey – Republic of Türkiye 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.
 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, which is under the control of Russia. Seven other areas of Ukraine are under full or partial Russian control, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia oblasts and Sevastopol.
 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 The United Kingdom is a Commonwealth realm 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.
 Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu A UN member state A None
 Vatican City – Vatican City State A UN General Assembly observer state under the designation of "Holy See"; member of three UN specialized agencies 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. 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 three UN specialized agencies (ITU, UPU, and WIPO) and the IAEA, as well as being a permanent observer of the UN (in the category of "Non-member State") 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

Other states

"Membership within the UN System" column legend

  Member state of a UN Specialized Agency   No membership

"Sovereignty dispute" column legend

  Undisputed sovereignty   Disputed sovereignty

Common and formal names Membership within the UN System Sovereignty dispute Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia D No membership BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
 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 at least 63 other states and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. 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 BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine 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. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and it has received diplomatic recognition from 114 UN member states and the Republic of China, while 18 of those states have recognised Kosovo only to later withdraw their recognition. 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 at least 28 other states and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. 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 BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine 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.
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic D No membership BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine The Polisario Front, which administers the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, is recognized by the UN as the legitimate representative of the people of Western Sahara. Recognised at some stage by 84 UN member states, 38 of which have since withdrawn or frozen their recognition. It is a founding member of the African Union, an international organization with permanent observer status at the UN General Assembly.

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 BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine A de facto independent state, not formally diplomatically recognised by any other state; claimed in whole by the Federal Republic of Somalia.
 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania D No membership BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine A de facto independent state, recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, Abkhazia, and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Provisional Administration of South Ossetia.
 Taiwan – Republic of China D Was a UN member state until 1971, now no membership Partially unrecognised. BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine 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, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, and Pratas Island, as well as Taiping Island and Zhongzhou Reef of the Spratly Islands, and has not renounced claims over its annexed territories on the mainland. The ROC is recognised by 11 UN member states as well as Vatican City, none of which recognise the PRC. Additionally, one UN member (Bhutan) has refrained from recognising either the ROC or the PRC.

In addition to these relations, the ROC also maintains unofficial relations with 58 UN member states, one self-declared state (Somaliland), three territories (Guam, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the European Union via its representative offices and consulates under the One China principle. Taiwan has the 31st-largest diplomatic network in the world with 110 offices.

The territory of the ROC is claimed in whole by the PRC. The ROC participates in international organizations under a variety of pseudonyms, most commonly "Chinese Taipei" and in the WTO it has full membership under the designation of "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu". 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 BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed 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 Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine A de facto independent state, recognised only by Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Claimed in whole by Moldova.

See also

Notes

  1. The following bullets are grouped according to the availability of sources for the two criteria ((a) 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.
  2. 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.
  3. This column indicates whether or not a state is a member of the United Nations. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. Information is included on:
  7. ^ Commonwealth realm refers to any member state of the Commonwealth of Nations whose head of state is King Charles III. Each realm is separate, independent, and a sovereign state; see relationship between the realms.
  8. ^ For more information on divisions with a high degree of autonomy, see List of autonomous areas by country.
  9. 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.
  10. Argentina's claimed Antarctic territory of Argentine Antarctica (Antártida Argentina) is one of five constituent departments of the province Tierra del Fuego.
  11. Sometimes officially "Azerbaijan Republic"
  12. 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.
  13. The government of Cape Verde declared "Cabo Verde" to be the official English name of the country in 2013.
  14. Chile's claimed Antarctic territory of the Chilean Antarctic (Antártica Chilena) is a commune of the Antártica Chilena Province of the Magallanes Region.
  15. ^ 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 other alternative names.
  16. ^ In 1949, the Republic of China government led by the Kuomintang (KMT) lost the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and set up a provisional capital in Taipei. The CCP 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 organization 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.
  17. See also Dates of establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and Foreign relations of China.
  18. ^ More information on more or less federal structures can be found at a List of federations.
  19. Also known as Congo-Kinshasa. Formerly referred to as Zaire, its official name from 1971 to 1997.
  20. Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
  21. An official short name in English has been adopted by the Czech government, "Czechia". This variant remains uncommon, but has been adopted by several companies and organizations including the United Nations. See Name of the Czech Republic.
  22. The designation "Denmark" can refer either to Metropolitan Denmark or to the entire Danish Realm (e.g. in international organisations).
  23. The government of East Timor uses "Timor-Leste" as the official English name of the country.
  24. Formerly referred to as the Kingdom of Swaziland, its official name until 2018.
  25. Åland was demilitarized 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.
  26. France's claimed Antarctic territory of Adélie Land (Terre Adélie) is one of five constituent districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
  27. Also known as Guinea-Conakry.
  28. 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". However, in this usage "republic" is not capitalized.
  29. "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. See names of the Irish state.
  30. The government of Ivory Coast uses "Côte d'Ivoire" as the official English name of the country.
  31. 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.
  32. The designation "the Netherlands" can refer either to the Metropolitan Netherlands or to the entire Kingdom (e.g. in international organisations).
  33. 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 "North Macedonia".
  34. Spain holds several small overseas territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco, known as the plazas de soberanía.
  35. Formerly known as Ceylon until 1972.
  36. Formerly the "Republic of Turkey". In 2023, the United Nations recognized "Türkiye" as the official English name of the country after a request made by the Turkish government.
  37. This column indicates whether or not a state is a member of the United Nations. 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.
  38. 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.
  39. Information is included on:
  40. Though de facto recognized by Taiwan.

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