List of sovereign states in the 2010s
This is a list of sovereign states in the 2010s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. It contains 209 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 195 widely recognized sovereign states, 2 associated states, and 12 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto constituents of other powers by the general international community.
Members or observers of the United Nations
Name and capital city | Information on status and recognition of sovereignty | |
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A | ||
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![]() ![]() Capital: Kabul |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Tirana |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Algiers |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() 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. | |
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![]() Capital: Luanda |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2015 and 2016. | |
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![]() Capital: St. John's |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Antigua and Barbuda has two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda. | |
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![]() Capital: Buenos Aires |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2013 and 2014. Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claims the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories. | |
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![]() Capital: Yerevan |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2012 and 2013.[lower-alpha 2] | |
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![]() Capital: Canberra |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2013 and 2014; Commonwealth realm. Australia is a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories:
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![]() Capital: Vienna |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010. EU member. Austria is a federation of nine states. | |
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![]() Capital: Baku |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2012 and 2013. Azerbaijan had one autonomous republic, Nakhchivan. It included the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic had declared independence. | |
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B | ||
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![]() Capital: Nassau |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Manama |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Dhaka |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Bridgetown |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Minsk |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Brussels |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2019. EU member. Belgium is a federation of three communities and three regions. | |
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![]() Capital: Belmopan |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government) |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Thimphu |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2017 and 2018. | |
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![]() Capital: Sarajevo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2011. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a federation of two constituent entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was further divided into ten cantons, and Republika Srpska. | |
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![]() Capital: Gaborone |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Brasília |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2011. Brazil is a federation of 26 states and one federal district. | |
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![]() Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan |
Widely recognized UN member state. Brunei claims part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia). | |
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![]() Capital: Sofia |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Ouagadougou |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Burma ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Bujumbura (to 24 December 2018), Gitega (from 24 December 2018) |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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C | ||
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![]() Capital: Phnom Penh |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Yaoundé |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Ottawa |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Canada is a federation of ten provinces and three territories. | |
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![]() Capital: Praia
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Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Bangui |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: N'Djamena |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2014 and 2015. | |
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![]() Capital: Santiago |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2014 and 2015. Chile has two special territories: Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. | |
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![]() Capital: Beijing |
Widely recognized UN member state[lower-alpha 3] and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The People's Republic of China had 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 claims Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, the Pratas Islands and Itu Aba, all of which were governed by the Republic of China. It also claims 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. | |
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![]() Capital: Bogotá |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2011 and 2012. Colombia administered Serranilla Bank and claims Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States) | |
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![]() Capital: Moroni |
Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros is a federation of three islands autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Comoros also claims sovereignty over the French region of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. Comoros also claims Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and France). | |
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![]() Capital: Kinshasa |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Brazzaville |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: San José |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Côte d'Ivoire ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Zagreb |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (from 1 July 2013). | |
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![]() Capital: Havana |
Widely recognized UN member state. The Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay is under the permanent control of the United States. | |
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![]() Capital: Nicosia |
Widely recognized UN member state.[lower-alpha 4] EU member. The northeastern part of the island is the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey. | |
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![]() Capital: Prague |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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D | ||
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![]() Capital: Copenhagen |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The Kingdom of Denmark also included two autonomous countries: | |
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![]() Capital: Djibouti |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Roseau |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Santo Domingo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2019. | |
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E | ||
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![]() Capital: Dili |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Quito |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Cairo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2016 and 2017. | |
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![]() Capital: San Salvador |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Malabo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018 and 2019. | |
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![]() Capital: Asmara |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Tallinn |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative)
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Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Addis Ababa |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2017 and 2018. Ethiopia is a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities. | |
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F | ||
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![]() Capital: Suva
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Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma. | |
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![]() Capital: Helsinki |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region: | |
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![]() Capital: Paris |
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. EU member. France includes five (four until March 2011) overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte (from 31 March 2011) and Réunion. It also has sovereignty over the following overseas territories:
France also claims Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and the Comoros). | |
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G | ||
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![]() Capital: Libreville |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2011. | |
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![]() Capital: Banjul
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Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Tbilisi |
Widely recognized UN member state. Georgia had two autonomous republics: Adjara and Abkhazia. The latter republic is 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. | |
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![]() Capital: Berlin |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2011 and 2012 and 2019. EU member. Germany is a federation of sixteen states. | |
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![]() Capital: Accra |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Athens |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Greece has sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that is 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. | |
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![]() Capital: St. George's |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada has one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. | |
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![]() Capital: Guatemala City |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2012 and 2013. | |
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![]() Capital: Conakry |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Bissau |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Georgetown |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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H | ||
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![]() Capital: Port-au-Prince |
Widely recognized UN member state. Haiti claims the uninhabited United States possession of Navassa Island. | |
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Holy See ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Tegucigalpa |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Budapest
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Widely recognized UN member state and EU member. | |
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I | ||
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![]() Capital: Reykjavík |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: New Delhi |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2011 and 2012. India is a federation of twenty-nine states and seven union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet is disputed by the People's Republic of China. India administers part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. | |
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![]() Capital: Jakarta |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2019. Indonesia had five special provinces: Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta. | |
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![]() Capital: Tehran |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Baghdad |
Widely recognized UN member state. Iraq is constitutionally designated as a federation of autonomous regions, but only one region (Iraqi Kurdistan) had been established. | |
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![]() Capital: Dublin |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Jerusalem
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Widely recognized UN member state.[lower-alpha 6] Israel occupies East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. These areas were not generally recognized as being part of Israel. | |
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![]() Capital: Rome |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2017. EU member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions: Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. | |
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![]() Capital: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (seat of government) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018 and 2019. | |
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J | ||
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![]() Capital: Kingston |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Tokyo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2016 and 2017. | |
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![]() Capital: Amman |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2014 and 2015. | |
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K | ||
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![]() Capital: Astana (renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2017 and 2018. | |
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![]() Capital: Nairobi |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: South Tarawa |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Pyongyang |
Widely recognized UN member state.[lower-alpha 7] It claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Seoul |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2013 and 2014.[lower-alpha 8] South Korea had one autonomous region: Jeju-do. It claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korean Peninsula. | |
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![]() Capital: Kuwait City |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018 and 2019. | |
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![]() Capital: Bishkek |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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L | ||
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![]() Capital: Vientiane |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Riga |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Beirut |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2011. | |
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![]() Capital: Maseru |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Monrovia |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Tripoli |
Widely recognized UN member state. Control passed due to civil war between 15 February 2011 and de facto 20 October 2011, de jure 23 October 2011. | |
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![]() Capital: Vaduz |
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Liechtenstein is the responsibility of Switzerland. | |
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![]() Capital: Vilnius |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2014 and 2015. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Luxembourg |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2013 and 2014. EU member. | |
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M | ||
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Macedonia ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Antananarivo |
Widely recognized UN member state. Madagascar claims the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island. It also claims Banc du Geyser (disputed by Comoros and France) | |
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![]() ![]() ![]() Capital: Lilongwe |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2015 and 2016. Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia claims part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei). | |
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![]() Capital: Malé |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Bamako |
Widely recognized UN member state. Part of Mali's territory was controlled by the de facto State of Azawad from 6 April 2012 to 12 July 2012. | |
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![]() Capital: Valletta |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Majuro |
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claims the United States territory of Wake Island. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Nouakchott |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Port Louis |
Widely recognized UN member state. Mauritius had one autonomous dependency: Rodrigues. Mauritius also had two other dependencies: Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos. It claims the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island. | |
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![]() Capital: Mexico City |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010. Mexico is a federation of 31 states and one federal district. | |
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![]() Capital: Palikir |
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM is a federation of four states. | |
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![]() Capital: Chişinău |
Widely recognized UN member state. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units: Gagauzia and Transnistria. The latter is home to a de facto independent state. | |
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![]() Capital: Monaco |
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Monaco is the responsibility of France. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Ulaanbaatar |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Podgorica |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Rabat |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2012 and 2013. Morocco claims sovereignty over and controlled most of the disputed Western Sahara, which is home to the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed the Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas. | |
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![]() Capital: Maputo |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Naypyidaw
|
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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N | ||
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![]() Capital: Windhoek |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Yaren (unofficial, seat of parliament) |
Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Nauru is the responsibility of Australia. | |
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![]() Capital: Kathmandu |
Widely recognized UN member state. Nepal is designated as a federation, but its federal units had not yet been created. | |
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![]() Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four (three until October 2010) autonomous countries:
Territory of islands without autonomy (consists of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands):
The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole is a member of the EU, but Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Caribbean Netherlands are not. | |
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![]() Capital: Wellington |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2015 and 2016; 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 claims Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand does not recognize this claim. | |
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![]() Capital: Managua |
Widely recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. Until constitutional reforms in 2014, they were referred to as the North Atlantic Autonomous Region and South Atlantic Autonomous Region. | |
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![]() Capital: Niamey |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Abuja |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010 and 2011 and 2014 and 2015. Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and one federal territory. | |
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![]() Capital: Skopje
|
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Oslo |
Widely recognized UN member state. Norway had two integral overseas areas: Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The latter of area had a special status due to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Norway had sovereignty over the following dependencies:
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O | ||
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![]() Capital: Muscat |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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P | ||
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![]() Capital: Islamabad |
Widely recognized UN member state. Pakistan is a federation of four provinces and four territories. It administers part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. | |
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![]() Capital: Ngerulmud |
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. | |
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![]() Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claims)
|
Partially recognised de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 11] Palestine claims sovereignty over a disputed region consisting of three Israeli-occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. In foreign relations, Palestine was represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was a permanent observer at the United Nations (to 29 November 2012). Permanent observer at the United Nations (since 29 November 2012). The Palestinian National Authority is an interim administrative body that exercised limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Gaza is under the control of Hamas. | |
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![]() Capital: Panama City |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Port Moresby |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Papua New Guinea has one autonomous region: Bougainville. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Asunción |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Lima |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018 and 2019. | |
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![]() Capital: Manila |
Widely recognized UN member state. The Philippines had one autonomous region: Muslim Mindanao (until 2019), Bangsamoro (since 2019). The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claims sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah. Part of the Philippines' territory was controlled by the de facto Bangsamoro Republik from 27 July 2013 to 28 September 2013. | |
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![]() Capital: Warsaw |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2018 and 2019. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Lisbon |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2011 and 2012. EU member. Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal claims the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga. | |
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Q | ||
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![]() Capital: Doha |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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R | ||
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![]() Capital: Bucharest |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Moscow |
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Russia is a federation of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, 9 krais, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs. | |
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![]() Capital: Kigali |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2013 and 2014. | |
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S | ||
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![]() Capital: Basseterre |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation of fourteen parishes within two island. Nevis (which is one of the islands) has autonomy. | |
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![]() Capital: Castries |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Kingstown |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Apia |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: San Marino |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: São Tomé |
Widely recognized UN member state. São Tomé and Príncipe had one autonomous province: Príncipe. | |
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![]() Capital: Riyadh |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Dakar |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2016 and 2017. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Belgrade |
Widely recognized UN member state. Serbia had two autonomous provinces: Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The latter was governed by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo; Kosovo declared independence in 2008,[6] and is a partially recognized de facto independent republic. | |
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![]() Capital: Victoria |
Widely recognized UN member state. The Seychelles claims the British Indian Ocean Territory. | |
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![]() Capital: Freetown |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Singapore |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Bratislava |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
| ||
![]() Capital: Ljubljana |
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Honiara |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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![]() Capital: Mogadishu
|
Widely recognized UN member state. Over the course of the Somali Civil War, several autonomous regional governments were established 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 which at various times had no effective government at all or which were ruled by local clans. In addition, there is one state which has declared and established de facto independence from Somalia: Somaliland. | |
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![]() Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial) |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2011 and 2012 and 2019. | |
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![]() Capital: Juba |
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 14 July 2011). Disputes Abyei with the Republic of the Sudan. South Sudan is a federation of 10 states. | |
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![]() Capital: Madrid |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2015 and 2016. EU member. Spain is 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 is disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga is disputed by Portugal. It claims the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. | |
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![]() Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial) |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Khartoum |
Widely recognized UN member state. Sudan is a federation of 25 states (later 15, then 17, then 18), ten of which formed South Sudan on 9 July 2011. Disputes Abyei with the Republic of the South Sudan | |
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![]() Capital: Paramaribo |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Swaziland ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Stockholm |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2017 and 2018. EU member. | |
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![]() Capital: Bern |
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state. Switzerland is a federation of 26 cantons. | |
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![]() 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. Syrian Arab Republic is widely viewed as the legitimate authority of Syria. | |
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T | ||
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![]() Capital: Dushanbe |
Widely recognized UN member state. Tajikistan had one autonomous province: Gorno-Badakhshan. | |
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![]() Capital: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (seat of government) |
Widely recognized UN member state. Tanzania had one autonomous region: Zanzibar. | |
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![]() ![]() Capital: Bangkok |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Timor-Leste ![]() | ||
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![]() Capital: Lomé |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2012 and 2013. | |
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![]() Capital: Nukuʻalofa |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Port of Spain |
Widely recognized UN member state. Trinidad and Tobago had one autonomous island: Tobago. | |
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![]() Capital: Tunis |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Ankara |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010. | |
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![]() Capital: Ashgabat |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Funafuti |
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. | |
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U | ||
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![]() Capital: Kampala |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2010. | |
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![]() Capital: Kiev |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2016 and 2017. Ukraine has one autonomous republic: Crimea. | |
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![]() Capital: Abu Dhabi |
Widely recognized UN member state. The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates. | |
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![]() Capital: London |
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. EU member. The United Kingdom is composed of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It has sovereignty over the following British overseas territories:
In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) has direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:
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![]() Capital: Washington, D.C. |
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The United States is a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It asserted sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas:
It also asserted sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories: These islands were sometimes designated for statistical purposes as the United States Minor Outlying Islands
The United States claims Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla is disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo is disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States. | |
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![]() Capital: Montevideo |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2016 and 2017. | |
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![]() Capital: Tashkent |
Widely recognized UN member state. Uzbekistan had one autonomous republic: Karakalpakstan. | |
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V | ||
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![]() Capital: Port Vila |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Vatican City |
Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City is administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity recognized by a large number of countries and a Permanent observer at the United Nations. The Holy See also administered a number of extraterritorial properties in Italy. The Pope is the ex officio head of state of Vatican City. | |
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![]() Capital: Caracas |
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2015 and 2016. Venezuela is a federation of 23 states, one federal dependency, and one federal district. | |
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![]() Capital: Hanoi |
Widely recognized UN member state. Vietnam claims sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by China and Taiwan) and Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia). | |
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Y | ||
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![]() Capital: Sana'a |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Z | ||
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![]() Capital: Lusaka |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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![]() Capital: Harare |
Widely recognized UN member state. | |
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Non-UN members or observers
Name and capital city | Information on status and recognition of sovereignty |
---|---|
![]() Capital: Sukhumi |
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. 3 |
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![]() Capital: Stepanakert
|
De facto self-governing entity. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Azerbaijan. |
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![]() Capital: Gao |
De facto self-governing state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Mali.
Debellation by Ansar Dine and MUJAO completed on 12 July 2012.[7] |
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![]() Capital: Davao City (Claimed), Zamboanga City (De facto) |
De facto self-governing state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Philippines.
Bangsamoro Republik dissolves after the Zamboanga City crisis ends in Philippine government victory on 28 September 2013.[8][9] |
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![]() Capital: Avarua |
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by Japan (from 16 June 2011), Netherlands (from 16 August 2011) and China. 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. |
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![]() Capital: Simferopol |
De facto self-governing state. Partially recognized de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 12] |
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![]() Capital: Pristina |
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 13] Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija under UN administration. |
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Nagorno-Karabakh ![]() | |
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![]() Capital: Alofi |
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It had shared citizenship with New Zealand. |
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![]() Capital: Lefkoşa |
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 14] Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus. |
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![]() Capital: Tifariti (temporary), El Aaiún (claimed) |
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 15] The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which is under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claims by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Tindouf, Algeria. |
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![]() Capital: Hargeisa |
De facto self-governing entity. Not recognized by any other state. Claimedby Somalia. |
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![]() Capital: Tskhinvali |
Partially-recognized de facto independent state.[lower-alpha 16] Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia. |
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![]() Capital: Taipei (seat of government) |
Partially-recognized de facto independent state.[lower-alpha 17] The "Republic of China" claims to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, the Pratas Islands and Itu Aba. Claimed by China. |
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![]() Capital: Tiraspol |
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity.[lower-alpha 18] Claimed by Moldova. |
Other entities
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 claims portions of Antarctica and five of these had reciprocally recognised one another's claims.[11] These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.[12] The European Union is a sui generis supranational organisation which had 27 (then 28) member states. The member states had 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 Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a United Nations observer. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but has no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome and Malta.[13] The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions."[14] 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.
See also
- List of sovereign states by year
- List of state leaders in 2010
- List of state leaders in 2011
- List of state leaders in 2012
- List of state leaders in 2013
- List of state leaders in 2014
- List of state leaders in 2015
- List of state leaders in 2016
- List of state leaders in 2017
- List of state leaders in 2018
- List of state leaders in 2019
Notes
- The name "Argentine Nation" is also used for the purposes of legislation.
- Armenia is not recognized by Pakistan.
- The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China do not recognize each other, as both states claims to be the sole legitimate government of China. The following states recognized the ROC instead of the PRC: Belize, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, the Gambia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tuvalu, and Vatican City.
- Cyprus is not recognized by Turkey or Northern Cyprus.
- Also known as "Timor-Leste".
- Israel is not recognized by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chad, Cuba, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, or Yemen.
- North Korea is not recognized by Taiwan, Estonia, France, Japan, or South Korea.
- South Korea is not recognized by North Korea.
- Commonly known in English as "Burma".
- Provisionally referred to by the UN and a number of countries and international organizations as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" until 2019; see Macedonia naming dispute.
- Palestine is recognized by Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda (from 22 September 2011), Argentina (from 6 December 2010), Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize (from 9 September 2011), Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia (from 22 December 2010), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil (from 1 December 2010), Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, the Central African Republic, Chile (from 7 January 2011), China, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica (from 14 September 2011), the Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador (from 24 December 2010), Egypt, El Salvador (from 25 August 2011), Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada (from 25 September 2011), Guatemala (from 9 April 2013), Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana (from 13 January 2011), Haiti (27 September 2013), Holy See (February 2013), Honduras (from 26 August 2011), Hungary, Iceland (from 15 December 2011), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho (from 6 June 2011), Liberia (from July 2011), 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 (from 24 January 2011), the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia (14 September 2015), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (from 29 August 2011), São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname (from 1 February 2011), Swaziland, Sweden (30 October 2014), Syria (from 18 July 2011), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand (from 18 January 2012), Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay (from 15 March 2011), Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Crimea was recognized only by Russia.[10] Claimed by Ukraine.
- Kosovo is recognized by Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra (from 8 June 2011), Antigua and Barbuda (20 May 2015), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh (27 February 2017), Belgium, Belize, Benin (from 18 August 2011), Brunei (25 April 2012), Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi (16 October 2012), Canada, Central African Republic (from 22 July 2011), Chad (1 June 2012), Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands (18 May 2015), Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti (from 8 May 2010), Dominica (11 December 2012), Dominican Republic, Egypt (26 June 2013), El Salvador (29 June 2013), Estonia, Fiji (19 November 2012), Finland, France, Gabon (15 September 2011), the Gambia, Germany, Ghana (23 January 2012), Grenada (25 September 2013), Guinea-Bissau (from 10 January 2011), Guyana (16 March 2013), Haiti (10 February 2012), Honduras (from 3 September 2010), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast (16 September 2011), Japan, Jordan, Kiribati (from 21 October 2010), Kuwait (from 11 October 2011), Latvia, Lesotho (11 February 2014), Liberia, Libya (25 September 2013), Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania (from 12 January 2010), Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger (15 August 2011), Niue (23 June 2015), Norway, Oman (4 February 2011), Palau, Pakistan (24 December 2012), Panama, Papua New Guinea (3 October 2012), Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar (from 7 January 2011), the Republic of China, Saint Kitts and Nevis (28 November 2012), Saint Lucia (19 August 2011), Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore (1 December 2016), Slovenia, the Solomon Islands (13 August 2014), Somalia (from 19 May 2010), South Korea, Suriname (8 July 2016), Swaziland (12 April 2010), Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania (29 May 2013), Thailand (24 September 2013), Timor-Leste (20 September 2012), Togo (11 July 2014), Tonga (15 January 2014), Turkey, Tuvalu (18 November 2010), the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vanuatu (from 28 April 2010), and Yemen (11 June 2013).
- Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey.
- 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.
- Abkhazia is recognized by South Ossetia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, and Vanuatu (from 23 May 2011).
- The Republic of China and the People's Republic of China do not recognize each other, as both states claims to be the sole legitimate government of China. The following states recognized the ROC instead of the PRC: Belize, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, the Gambia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tuvalu, and Vatican City.
- Transnistria is recognized by Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
References
- "Cabo Verde põe fim à tradução da sua designação oficial" [Cabo Verde puts an end to translation of its official designation] (in Portuguese). Panapress. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- "Publications Office – Interinstitutional style guide – Annex A5 – List of countries, territories and currencies". Publications.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- "The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- "LY - Libya - ISO". www.iso.org. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- "The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- "UNMIK Background". UN. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- "Al Qaeda-linked Islamists drive Mali's Tuaregs from last stronghold". France24. AFP. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- "WHO IS AFRAID OF MINDANAO INDEPENDENCE?". 14 August 2013. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- "Zamboanga crisis is over, Palace: Zamboanga crisis is over". ABS-CBN News. Reuters. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- "Executive Order on recognising Republic of Crimea". President of Russia. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- 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.
- CIA – the World Factbook – Antarctica – accessed 19 January 2008}}
- Bilateral relations with countries Archived 26 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 22 December 2009
- 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.