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Revision as of 03:10, 21 January 2005 edit172.157.58.245 (talk) Note on Western Sahara← Previous edit Revision as of 03:12, 21 January 2005 edit undo172.157.58.245 (talk) →Observer States and Non-membersNext edit →
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In addition to the member states discussed above, there is also a non-member observer state: the ] (]), which maintains a permanent observer mission at the UN headquarters. The Vatican is the smallest sovereign country in the world. In addition to the member states discussed above, there is also a non-member observer state: the ] (]), which maintains a permanent observer mission at the UN headquarters. The Vatican is the smallest sovereign country in the world.


] is often considered to be a state in "official" or academic lists of countries of the world. Because it has no effective soverignity with a government-in-exile headquartered in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, however, it is not represented at the UN. ] is often considered to be a state in "official" or academic lists of countries of the world. Because it has no effective soverignity with a ] headquartered in the ] of Tindouf, ], however, it is not represented at the UN.


Some international organizations or entities, such as the ] and ], have a similar observer status but not as "non-member states"; see ] for a list. Some international organizations or entities, such as the ] and ], have a similar observer status but not as "non-member states"; see ] for a list.

Revision as of 03:12, 21 January 2005

There are currently 191 member states in the United Nations.

Observer States and Non-members

In addition to the member states discussed above, there is also a non-member observer state: the Holy See (Vatican City State), which maintains a permanent observer mission at the UN headquarters. The Vatican is the smallest sovereign country in the world.

Western Sahara is often considered to be a state in "official" or academic lists of countries of the world. Because it has no effective soverignity with a government-in-exile headquartered in the refugee camp of Tindouf, Algeria, however, it is not represented at the UN.

Some international organizations or entities, such as the Palestinian Authority and Sovereign Military Order of Malta, have a similar observer status but not as "non-member states"; see UN General Assembly for a list.

Seat of China

Main article: China and the United Nations

The Republic of China was one of the five original founders of the UN in 1945. However, at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Kuomintang-controlled ROC government fled to Taiwan, with the Communist government of the newly declared People's Republic of China taking control of most of the country. Representatives of the Nationalist government continued to represent China at the UN, though it was often alleged that this was somewhat unfair, given the size of the ROC's jurisdiction of Taiwan (and other outlying islands) compared to the PRC's juridiction of mainland China. In October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the General Assembly, effectively expelling the ROC from all UN organs and replacing the China seat on the Security Council with the PRC. Multiple attempts by the Republic of China to re-join the UN, no longer to represent "China" as a whole but the "twenty-three million people of Taiwan," have not made it past committee.

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