List of sovereign states in the 2020s

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of sovereign states in the 2020s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 2020 and the present day. It contains 210 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 195 widely recognized sovereign states, two associated states, and 13 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de jure constituents of other powers by the general international community.

Members or observers of the United Nations[edit]

Name and capital city Information on status and recognition of sovereignty

A[edit]


 Afghanistan
Capital: Kabul
Widely-recognized UN member state. The United Nations continued to recognize the exiled government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as the de jure legitimate government (from 15 August 2021).[1]

 Albania – Republic of Albania
Capital: Tirana
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Capital: Algiers
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Andorra – Principality of Andorra
Capital: Andorra la Vella
Widely recognized UN member state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.

 Angola – Republic of Angola
Capital: Luanda
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Antigua and Barbuda
Capital: St. John's
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Antigua and Barbuda had two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda.

 Argentina – Argentine Republic[a]
Capital: Buenos Aires
Widely recognized UN member state. Argentina was a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claimed the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories.

 Armenia – Republic of Armenia
Capital: Yerevan
Widely recognized UN member state.[b]

 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
Capital: Canberra
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories:

 Austria – Republic of Austria
Capital: Vienna
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Austria was a federation of nine states.

 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan
Capital: Baku
Widely recognized UN member state. Azerbaijan had one autonomous republic, Nakhchivan. It included the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic had declared independence (to 1 January 2024).

B[edit]


 The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas
Capital: Nassau
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

 Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
Capital: Manama
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh
Capital: Dhaka
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Barbados
Capital: Bridgetown
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm until 30 November 2021, when it became a republic.

 Belarus – Republic of Belarus
Capital: Minsk
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
Capital: Brussels
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Belgium was a federation of three communities and three regions.

 Belize
Capital: Belmopan
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

 Benin – Republic of Benin
Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
Capital: Thimphu
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia
Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Capital: Sarajevo
Widely recognized UN member state. Bosnia and Herzegovina was a federation of two constituent entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was itself a federation of ten cantons, and Republika Srpska.

 Botswana – Republic of Botswana
Capital: Gaborone
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
Capital: Brasília
Widely recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 26 states and one federal district.

 Brunei – Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Widely recognized UN member state. Brunei claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia).

 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
Capital: Sofia
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Burkina Faso
Capital: Ouagadougou
Widely recognized UN member state.

Burma → Myanmar

 Burundi – Republic of Burundi
Capital: Gitega
Widely recognized UN member state.

C[edit]


 Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
Capital: Phnom Penh
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
Capital: Yaoundé
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Canada
Capital: Ottawa
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm; Canada was a federation of ten provinces and three territories.

 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde
Capital: Praia
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Central African Republic
Capital: Bangui
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Chad – Republic of Chad
Capital: N'Djamena
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Chile – Republic of Chile
Capital: Santiago
Widely recognized UN member state; Chile had two special territories, Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, although it was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.

 ChinaPeople's Republic of China
Capital: Beijing
Widely recognized UN member state[c]. The People's Republic of China had 22 provinces, four direct controlled municipalities and five autonomous regions: Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet. Additionally, it had sovereignty over two special administrative regions:

The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, all of which were governed by the Republic of China. It also claimed the Paracel Islands (disputed by the Republic of China and Vietnam), the Spratly Islands (disputed by the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei), and South Tibet (controlled by India). The People's Republic of China administered Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract, which were within the disputed region of Kashmir.


 Colombia – Republic of Colombia
Capital: Bogotá
Widely recognized UN member state; Colombia administered Serranilla Bank and claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States).

 Comoros – Union of the Comoros
Capital: Moroni
Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros was a federation of three islands autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Comoros also claimed sovereignty over the French region of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. Comoros also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and France).

 Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Capital: Kinshasa
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Congo, Republic of the
Capital: Brazzaville
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
Capital: San José
Widely recognized UN member state.

Côte d'Ivoire → Ivory Coast

 Croatia – Republic of Croatia
Capital: Zagreb
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member.

 Cuba – Republic of Cuba
Capital: Havana
Widely recognized UN member state. The Cuban region of Guantánamo Bay was under the control of the United States.

 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus
Capital: Nicosia
Widely recognized UN member state;[d] EU member. The northeastern part of the island was the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, which was recognized only by Turkey.

 Czech Republic
Capital: Prague
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

D[edit]


 Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
Capital: Copenhagen
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The Kingdom of Denmark also included two autonomous countries:

 Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
Capital: Djibouti
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
Capital: Roseau
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Dominican Republic
Capital: Santo Domingo
Widely recognized UN member state.

E[edit]


 East Timor[e] – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Capital: Dili
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
Capital: Quito
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
Capital: Cairo
Widely recognized UN member state.

 El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
Capital: San Salvador
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Capital: Malabo
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Eritrea – State of Eritrea
Capital: Asmara
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Estonia – Republic of Estonia
Capital: Tallinn
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Eswatini – Kingdom of Eswatini
Capital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Capital: Addis Ababa
Widely recognized UN member state. Ethiopia was a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.

F[edit]


 Fiji – Republic of Fiji
Capital: Suva
Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.

 Finland – Republic of Finland
Capital: Helsinki
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region:

 France – French Republic
Capital: Paris
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. France included five overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion. It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories:

France also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and the Comoros).


G[edit]


 Gabon – Gabonese Republic
Capital: Libreville
Widely recognized UN member state.

 The Gambia – Republic of the Gambia
Capital: Banjul
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Georgia
Capital: Tbilisi
Widely recognized UN member state. Georgia had two autonomous regions, Adjara and Abkhazia; the latter was home to a de facto independent state. Georgia also included the disputed region of South Ossetia, where a partially-recognized breakaway republic had declared independence.

 Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
Capital: Berlin
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Germany was a federation of sixteen states.

 Ghana – Republic of Ghana
Capital: Accra
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Greece – Hellenic Republic
Capital: Athens
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Greece had sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that was jointly governed by the multi-national "Holy Community" on the mountain and the Civil Governor appointed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spiritually under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

 Grenada
Capital: St. George's
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada had one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
Capital: Guatemala City
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Guinea – Republic of Guinea
Capital: Conakry
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Capital: Bissau
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Capital: Georgetown
Widely recognized UN member state.

H[edit]


 Haiti – Republic of Haiti
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Widely recognized UN member state. Haiti claimed the uninhabited U.S. possession of Navassa Island.

Holy See → Vatican City

 Honduras – Republic of Honduras
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Hungary
Capital: Budapest
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

I[edit]


 Iceland – Republic of Iceland
Capital: Reykjavík
Widely recognized UN member state.

 India – Republic of India
Capital: New Delhi
Widely recognized UN member state. India was a federation of twenty-eight states and nine union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet was disputed by China. India administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

 Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
Capital: Jakarta
Widely recognized UN member state. Indonesia had five special provinces: Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta.

 Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
Capital: Tehran
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Iraq – Republic of Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
Widely recognized UN member state. Iraq was constitutionally designated as a federation of autonomous regions, but only one region (Iraqi Kurdistan) had been established.

 Ireland[f]
Capital: Dublin
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Israel – State of Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
Widely recognized UN member state.[g] Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. These areas were not generally recognized as being part of Israel.

 Italy – Italian Republic
Capital: Rome
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions, Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

 Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
Capital: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state.

J[edit]


 Jamaica
Capital: Kingston
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

 Japan
Capital: Tokyo
Widely recognized UN member state. Its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by North Korea and South Korea. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands was disputed by Russia.

 Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Capital: Amman
Widely recognized UN member state.

K[edit]


 Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
Capital: Nur-Sultan (renamed Astana in 2022)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Kenya – Republic of Kenya
Capital: Nairobi
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
Capital: South Tarawa
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Capital: Pyongyang
Widely recognized UN member state.[h] It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by South Korea and Japan.

 Korea, South – Republic of Korea
Capital: Seoul
Widely recognized UN member state.[i] South Korea had one autonomous region, Jeju. It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by North Korea and Japan.

 Kuwait – State of Kuwait
Capital: Kuwait City
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic
Capital: Bishkek
Widely-recognized UN member state.

L[edit]


 Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic
Capital: Vientiane
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Latvia – Republic of Latvia
Capital: Riga
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Lebanon – Lebanese Republic
Capital: Beirut
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
Capital: Maseru
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Liberia – Republic of Liberia
Capital: Monrovia
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Libya – State of Libya
Capital: Tripoli, Libya
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
Capital: Vaduz
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Liechtenstein was the responsibility of Switzerland.

 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
Capital: Vilnius
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Capital: Luxembourg
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

M[edit]


 Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
Capital: Antananarivo
Widely recognized UN member state. Madagascar claimed the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island. It also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Comoros and France).

 Malawi – Republic of Malawi
Capital: Lilongwe
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Malaysia
Capital: Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative)
Widely recognized UN member state. Malaysia was a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei).

 Maldives – Republic of Maldives
Capital: Malé
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Mali – Republic of Mali
Capital: Bamako
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Malta – Republic of Malta
Capital: Valletta
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
Capital: Majuro
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claimed the United States territory of Wake Island.

 MauritaniaIslamic Republic of Mauritania
Capital: Nouakchott
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
Capital: Port Louis
Widely recognized UN member state. Mauritius had one autonomous dependency, Rodrigues, and two other dependencies, Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos. It claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island.

 Mexico – United Mexican States
Capital: Mexico City
Widely recognized UN member state. Mexico was a federation of 31 states and one federal district.

 Federated States of Micronesia
Capital: Palikir
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM was a federation of four states.

 Moldova – Republic of Moldova
Capital: Chişinău
Widely recognized UN member state. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units, Gagauzia and Transnistria; the latter was controlled by a de facto independent state.

 Monaco – Principality of Monaco
Capital: Monaco
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Monaco was the responsibility of France.

 Mongolia
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Montenegro
Capital: Podgorica
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco
Capital: Rabat
Widely recognized UN member state. Morocco claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was disputed and partially controlled by the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas.

 Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
Capital: Maputo
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Myanmar[j] – Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Capital: Naypyidaw
Widely recognized UN member state.

N[edit]


 Namibia – Republic of Namibia
Capital: Windhoek
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Nauru – Republic of Nauru
Capital: Yaren (unofficial, seat of parliament)
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Nauru was the responsibility of Australia.

   Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Capital: Kathmandu
Widely recognized UN member state. Nepal was a federation of seven provinces.

Kingdom of the Netherlands NetherlandsKingdom of the Netherlands
Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consisted of four autonomous countries:

It also had sovereignty over one non-autonomous region (consisting of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands):

The Kingdom of the Netherlands, excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, was a member of the EU.


 New Zealand
Capital: Wellington
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had responsibilities for the two free associated states of:

It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories:

The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (an unincorporated territory of the United States). New Zealand did not recognize this claim.


 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
Capital: Managua
Widely recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region.

 Niger – Republic of Niger
Capital: Niamey
Widely recognized UN member state.

 NigeriaFederal Republic of Nigeria
Capital: Abuja
Widely recognized UN member state. Nigeria was a federation of 36 states and one federal territory.

 North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia
Capital: Skopje
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Norway – Kingdom of Norway
Capital: Oslo
Widely recognized UN member state. Norway had two integral overseas areas: Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The latter had a special status due to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Norway had sovereignty over the following dependencies:

O[edit]


 Oman – Sultanate of Oman
Capital: Muscat
Widely recognized UN member state.

P[edit]


 Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Capital: Islamabad
Widely recognized UN member state. Pakistan was a federation of four provinces and four territories. It administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan.

 Palau – Republic of Palau
Capital: Ngerulmud
Widely recognized UN member state under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

 Palestine – State of Palestine
Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claims)
Partially-recognised de facto self-governing entity.[k] Palestine claimed sovereignty over a disputed region consisting of three Israeli-occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Palestine was a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly. The Palestinian National Authority was an interim administrative body that exercised limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Gaza was under the control of Hamas.

 Panama – Republic of Panama
Capital: Panama City
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Capital: Port Moresby
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Papua New Guinea had one autonomous region, Bougainville.

 Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
Capital: Asunción
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Peru – Republic of Peru
Capital: Lima
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
Capital: Manila
Widely recognized UN member state. The Philippines had one autonomous region, Bangsamoro. The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claimed sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah.

 Poland – Republic of Poland
Capital: Warsaw
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Portugal – Portuguese Republic
Capital: Lisbon
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal claimed the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga.

Q[edit]


 Qatar – State of Qatar
Capital: Doha
Widely recognized UN member state.

R[edit]


 Romania
Capital: Bucharest
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Russia – Russian Federation
Capital: Moscow
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Russia was a federation of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, 9 krais, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands was disputed by Japan and its claim over Crimea,[5] Donetsk Oblast, Kherson Oblast, Luhansk Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast[6] was disputed by Ukraine.

 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda
Capital: Kigali
Widely recognized UN member state.

S[edit]


 Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Capital: Basseterre
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis was a federation of fourteen parishes on two islands. It had one autonomous island, Nevis.

 Saint Lucia
Capital: Castries
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm.

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Capital: Kingstown
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

 Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
Capital: Apia
Widely recognized UN member state.

 San Marino – Republic of San Marino
Capital: San Marino
Widely recognized UN member state.

 São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Capital: São Tomé
Widely recognized UN member state; São Tomé and Príncipe had one autonomous province, Príncipe.

 Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Capital: Riyadh
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Senegal – Republic of Senegal
Capital: Dakar
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Serbia – Republic of Serbia
Capital: Belgrade
Widely recognized UN member state. Serbia claimed two autonomous provinces, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija,[7] with the latter controlled by a partially-recognized de facto independent state.

 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
Capital: Victoria
Widely recognized UN member state. The Seychelles claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory.

 Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
Capital: Freetown
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Singapore – Republic of Singapore
Capital: Singapore
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Slovakia – Slovak Republic
Capital: Bratislava
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
Capital: Ljubljana
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

 Solomon Islands
Capital: Honiara
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

 Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia
Capital: Mogadishu
Widely recognized UN member state. Several autonomous regional governments existed in the de jure territory of Somalia. Although these states did not claim independence from Somalia, they were de facto self-governing:

There were also areas of the country that at various times had no effective government at all, or which were ruled by local clans. In addition, one state, Somaliland, had declared and established de facto independence from Somalia.


 South Africa – Republic of South Africa
Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan
Capital: Juba
Widely recognized UN member state. South Sudan was a federation of 10 states. It disputed Abyei with Sudan.

 Spain – Kingdom of Spain
Capital: Madrid
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Spain was divided into seventeen autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Its sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla and Peñón de Alhucemas was disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga was disputed by Portugal. It claimed the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.

 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
Capital: Khartoum
Widely recognized UN member state; Sudan was a federation of 18 states. Sovereignty over Abyei was disputed with South Sudan.

 Suriname – Republic of Suriname
Capital: Paramaribo
Widely recognized UN member state.

Swaziland → Eswatini

 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
Capital: Stockholm
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.

  Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
Capital: Bern
Widely recognized UN member state. Switzerland was a federation of 26 cantons.

 Syria – Syrian Arab Republic
Capital: Damascus
Widely recognized UN member state. Syria included the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Israel. It disputed the Turkish sovereignty over Hatay Province. The government of the Syrian Arab Republic was widely viewed as the legitimate authority of Syria, though control of its territory transferred between multiple groups during the Syrian civil war.

T[edit]


 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
Capital: Dushanbe
Widely recognized UN member state; Tajikistan had one autonomous province, Gorno-Badakhshan.

 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
Capital: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state; Tanzania had one autonomous region, Zanzibar.

 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
Capital: Bangkok
Widely recognized UN member state.

Timor-Leste → East Timor

 Togo – Togolese Republic
Capital: Lomé
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
Capital: Nuku'alofa
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Capital: Port of Spain
Widely recognized UN member state; Trinidad and Tobago had one autonomous island, Tobago.

 Tunisia – Tunisian Republic
Capital: Tunis
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Turkey – Republic of Türkiye
Capital: Ankara
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Turkmenistan
Capital: Ashgabat
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Tuvalu
Capital: Funafuti
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.

U[edit]


 Uganda – Republic of Uganda
Capital: Kampala
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Ukraine
Capital: Kyiv
Widely recognized UN member state; Ukraine had one autonomous republic, Crimea. Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were under de facto Russian control,[5] and Donetsk Oblast, Kherson Oblast, Luhansk Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast were claimed by Russia beginning in 2022.[6]

 United Arab Emirates
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Widely recognized UN member state; the United Arab Emirates was a federation of seven emirates.

 United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital: London
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (to 31 January 2020). The United Kingdom was composed of four "countries": England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It had sovereignty over the following British overseas territories:

In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:


 United States – United States of America
Capital: Washington, DC
Widely recognized UN member state. The United States was a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It asserted sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas:

It also had sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories, which are sometimes designated for statistical purposes as the United States Minor Outlying Islands:

The United States claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla was disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo was disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States.


 Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay
Capital: Montevideo
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan
Capital: Tashkent
Widely recognized UN member state. Uzbekistan had one autonomous republic, Karakalpakstan.

V[edit]


 Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
Capital: Port Vila
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Vatican City – Vatican City State
Capital: Vatican City
Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City was administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity recognized by a large number of countries and a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly. The Holy See also administered a number of extraterritorial properties in Italy. The Pope was the ex officio head of state of Vatican City.

 Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Capital: Caracas
Widely recognized UN member state. Venezuela was a federation of 23 states, one federal dependency, and one federal district.

 Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Capital: Hanoi
Widely recognized UN member state. Vietnam claimed sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by China and Taiwan) and Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia).

Y[edit]


 Yemen – Republic of Yemen
Capital: Sana'a
Widely recognized UN member state. It faced two civil wars:

Z[edit]


 Zambia – Republic of Zambia
Capital: Lusaka
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe
Capital: Harare
Widely recognized UN member state.

Non-UN members or observers[edit]

Name and capital city Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia
Capital: Sukhumi
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[l] Claimed by Georgia.

 Artsakh – Republic of Artsakh (to 1 January 2024)
Capital: Stepanakert
De facto self-governing entity (to 1 January 2024). It was not recognized by any other state and was claimed by Azerbaijan.

 Cook Islands
Capital: Avarua
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by Japan, Netherlands, and China. The Cook Islands was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.

 Donetsk – Donetsk People's Republic (to 4 October 2022)
Capital: Donetsk
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[m] Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Donetsk Oblast.

Kherson (from 29 September 2022 to 4 October 2022)
Capital: Kherson
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[n] Claimed by Ukraine as the Kherson Oblast.

 Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo
Capital: Pristina
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[o] Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija under UN administration

 Luhansk – Luhansk People's Republic (to 4 October 2022)
Capital: Luhansk
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[p] Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Luhansk Oblast.

 Niue
Capital: Alofi
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China. Niue was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.

 Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Capital: Lefkoşa
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[q] Claimed by Cyprus.

 Sahrawi – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Capital: Tifariti (temporary), El Aaiún (claimed)
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[r] The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which was under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claimed by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Tindouf, Algeria.

 Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland
Capital: Hargeisa
De facto self-governing entity. It was not recognized by any other state and was claimed by Somalia.

 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia
Capital: Tskhinvali
Partially-recognized de facto independent state.[s] Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia.

 Taiwan – Republic of China
Capital: Taipei (seat of government)
Partially-recognized de facto independent state.[c] The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China,[2][3][4] but only administered Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba (collectively known as the "free area"). Territories controlled by the Republic of China were claimed by the People's Republic of China.

 Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Capital: Tiraspol
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[t] Claimed by Moldova.

Zaporozhye (from 29 September 2022 to 4 October 2022)
Capital: Melitopol (temporary), Zaporozhye (claimed)
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[u] Claimed by Ukraine as the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Other entities[edit]

Excluded from the list above are the following noteworthy entities which either were not fully sovereign or did not claim to be independent:

  •  Antarctica, as a whole, had no government and no permanent population. Seven states claimed portions of Antarctica and five of these reciprocally recognised one another's claims.[10] These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.[11]
  • The European Union was a sui generis supranational organisation that had 27 member states (28 members until 31 January 2020). The member states transferred a measure of their legislative, executive, and judicial powers to the institutions of the EU, and as such the EU had some elements of sovereignty, without generally being considered a sovereign state. The European Union did not claim to be a sovereign state and had only limited capacity for relations with other states.
  • The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) was a former proto-state and current insurgent group primarily in Iraq and Syria, among other nations. ISlL used to be considered a quasi-state, but is no longer considered as such.
  • The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was a United Nations observer. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but had no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome and Malta.[12] The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions."[13] Although the order frequently asserted its sovereignty, it did not claim to be a sovereign state. It lacked a defined territory. Since all its members were citizens of other states, almost all of them lived in their native countries, and those who resided in the order's extraterritorial properties in Rome did so only in connection with their official duties, the order lacked the characteristic of having a permanent population.
  • The Tigray Region was recognized as a region of Ethiopia. Despite having been at war with the rest of Ethiopia, it was not commonly considered a sovereign state and was more of an insurgency or proto-state.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The name "Argentine Nation" is also used for the purposes of legislation.
  2. ^ Armenia is not recognized by Pakistan.
  3. ^ a b Both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China claim to be the sole legitimate government of the entirety of China (including Taiwan).[2][3][4] The following states maintain diplomatic relations with the Republic of China instead of the People's Republic of China: Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu, and Vatican City.
  4. ^ Cyprus is not recognized by Turkey or Northern Cyprus.
  5. ^ Also known as "Timor-Leste".
  6. ^ Ireland also had the legal description of "Republic of Ireland", although this is not its constitutional name.
  7. ^ Israel is not recognized by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, Venezuela, or Yemen.
  8. ^ North Korea is not recognized by Taiwan, Estonia, France, Japan, or South Korea.
  9. ^ South Korea is not recognized by North Korea.
  10. ^ Commonly known in English as "Burma".
  11. ^ Palestine is recognized by Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, the Central African Republic, Chile, China, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
  12. ^ Abkhazia is recognized by six UN member states (Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, and Vanuatu), and two non-UN member states (South Ossetia and Transnistria).
  13. ^ Donetsk People's Republic was recognized by three UN member states (Russia (from 21 February 2022), Syria and North Korea) and two non-UN member states (Luhansk People's Republic and South Ossetia).
  14. ^ Kherson was recognized only by Russia.[8]
  15. ^ Kosovo is recognized by Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, the Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Niue, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Korea, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vanuatu, and Yemen.
  16. ^ Luhansk People's Republic was recognized by three UN member states (Russia (from 21 February 2022), Syria and North Korea) and two non-UN member states (Donetsk People's Republic and South Ossetia).
  17. ^ Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey.
  18. ^ the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is recognized by Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Jamaica, Laos, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Suriname, Syria, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
  19. ^ South Ossetia is recognized by five UN member states (Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru), and three non-UN member states (Abkhazia, Transnistria, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic).
  20. ^ Transnistria is recognized by Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
  21. ^ Zaporozhye was recognized only by Russia.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Who will speak for Afghanistan at the United Nations". 24 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b Sarmento, Clara (2009). Eastwards / Westwards: Which Direction for Gender Studies in the 21st Century?. Cambridge Scholars. p. 127. ISBN 9781443808682.
  3. ^ a b Hudson, Christopher (2014). The China Handbook. Routledge. p. 59. ISBN 9781134269662.
  4. ^ a b Rigger, Shelley (2002). Politics in Taiwan: Voting for Reform. Routledge. p. 60. ISBN 9781134692972.
  5. ^ a b "Republic of Crimea". The Territories of the Russian Federation 2018. Europa Territories of the World series. London: Routledge. 2018. p. 180. ISBN 9781351103916. OCLC 1027753558. Note: The territories of the Crimean peninsula, comprising Sevastopol City and the Republic of Crimea, remained internationally recognized as constituting part of Ukraine, following their annexation by Russia in March 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Russia vetoes Security Council resolution condemning attempted annexation of Ukraine regions". UN. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  7. ^ "UNMIK Background". UN. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 29, 2022 No. 686 "On the recognition of the Kherson Oblast"". President of Russia. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 29, 2022 No. 685 "On the recognition of the Zaporozhye Oblast"". President of Russia. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  10. ^ Rogan-Finnemore, Michelle (2005), "What Bioprospecting Means for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean", in Von Tigerstrom, Barbara (ed.), International Law Issues in the South Pacific, Ashgate Publishing, p. 204, ISBN 0-7546-4419-7, Australia, New Zealand, France, Norway and the United Kingdom reciprocally recognize the validity of each other's claims.
  11. ^ "The World Factbook". CIA. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Bilateral relations with countries". Archived from the original on 26 June 2008.
  13. ^ Chapter General of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (12 January 1998). Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, promulgated 27 June 1961, revised by the Extraordinary Chapter General 28–30 April 1997, Article 3 "Sovereignty," Paragraph 1 (PDF). Rome: Tipografia Arte della Stampa. p. 11.