The following is a list providing an overview of sovereign states around the world with information on their status and recognition of their sovereignty.
The 205 listed states can be divided into three categories based on membership within the United Nations System: 193 UN member states,[1]
Compiling a list such as this can be a complicated and controversial process, as there is no definition that is binding on all the members of the community of nations concerning the criteria for statehood. For more information on the criteria used to determine the contents of this list, please see the criteria for inclusion section below. The list is intended to include entities that have been recognised as having de facto status as sovereign states, and inclusion should not be seen as an endorsement of any specific claim to statehood in legal terms.
The dominant customary international law standard of statehood is the declarative theory of statehood, which was codified by the Montevideo Convention of 1933. The Convention defines the state as a person of international law if it "possess[es] the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) a capacity to enter into relations with the other states" so long as it was not "obtained by force whether this consists in the employment of arms, in threatening diplomatic representations, or in any other effective coercive measure".[1]
Debate exists on the degree to which recognition should be included as a criterion of statehood. The declarative theory of statehood argues that statehood is purely objective and recognition of a state by other states is irrelevant. On the other end of the spectrum, the constitutive theory of statehood defines a state as a person under international law only if it is recognised as sovereign by other states. For the purposes of this list, included are all polities that consider themselves sovereign states (through a declaration of independence or some other means) and either:
In some cases, there is a divergence of opinion over the interpretation of the first point, and whether an entity satisfies it is disputed. Unique political entities which fail to meet the classification of a sovereign state are considered proto-states.[2] [3]
On the basis of the above criteria, this list includes the following 205 entities:
The table includes bullets in the right-hand column representing entities that are either not sovereign states or have a close association to another sovereign state. It also includes subnational areas where the sovereignty of the titular state is limited by an international agreement. Taken together, these include:
"Membership within the UN System" column legend"Sovereignty dispute" column legend
| Common and formal names | Membership within the UN System | Sovereignty dispute | Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN member state | NoneThe de facto ruling government, the  Afghanistan, has not been recognised by any state. The United Nations continues to recognise the as the government of Afghanistan.[4] [5] | ||
 Albania – Republic of Albania | UN member state | None | |
 Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria | UN member state | None | |
 Andorra – Principality of Andorra | UN member state | NoneAndorra is a co-principality in which the office of head of state is jointly held ex officio by the French president and the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Urgell,[6] who himself is appointed with approval from the Holy See. | |
 Angola – Republic of Angola | UN member state | None | |
 Antigua and Barbuda | UN member state | NoneAntigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth realm with one autonomous region, Barbuda.[7] | |
 Argentina – Argentine Republic | UN member state | NoneArgentina is a federation of 23 provinces and one autonomous city. | |
 Armenia – Republic of Armenia | UN member state | Not recognised by Pakistan.Armenia is not recognised by Pakistan due to the dispute over Artsakh.[8] [9] [10] | |
 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia | UN member state | NoneAustralia is a Commonwealth realm and a federation of both states and territories. There are six states, three internal territories, six external territories and one claimed Antarctic external territory. The external territories of Australia are: | |
 Austria – Republic of Austria | UN member state | NoneMember of the European Union. Austria is a federation of nine states. | |
 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan | UN member state | NoneAzerbaijan contains one autonomous region, Nakhchivan. | |
 Bahamas – Commonwealth of The Bahamas[11] | UN member state | NoneThe Bahamas is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain | UN member state | None | |
 Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh | UN member state | None | |
 Barbados | UN member state | None | |
 Belarus – Republic of Belarus | UN member state | NoneMany states rescinded their recognition of President Alexander Lukashenko following the disputed 2020 election. Lithuania currently recognises Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Coordination Council as the legitimate government of Belarus.[12] | |
 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Belgium is a federation of three linguistic communities and three regions. | |
 Belize | UN member state | NoneBelize is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Benin – Republic of Benin | UN member state | None | |
 Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan | UN member state | None | |
| – Plurinational State of Bolivia | UN member state | None | |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | UN member state | NoneBosnia and Herzegovina has two constituent entities: and Brčko District, a self-governing administrative district.[13] | |
 Botswana – Republic of Botswana | UN member state | None | |
 Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil | UN member state | NoneBrazil is a federation of 26 states and one federal district. | |
| – Brunei Darussalam | UN member state | None | |
 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Burkina Faso | UN member state | None | |
 Burundi – Republic of Burundi | UN member state | None | |
 Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia | UN member state | None | |
 Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon | UN member state | None | |
 Canada | UN member state | NoneCanada is a Commonwealth realm and a federation of ten provinces and three territories. | |
 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde | UN member state | None | |
 Central African Republic | UN member state | None | |
 Chad – Republic of Chad | UN member state | None | |
 Chile – Republic of Chile | UN member state | NoneChile has one special territory, Easter Island. | |
 China – People's Republic of China | UN member state | Partially unrecognised. China contains five autonomous regions, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Additionally, it has sovereignty over the Special Administrative Regions of:
China claims, but does not control, Taiwan, which is governed by a rival administration (the Republic of China) that claims all of China as its territory. China is not recognised by UN member states and Vatican City, which, with the exception of Bhutan, all recognise the Republic of China (Taiwan) instead. | |
 Colombia – Republic of Colombia | UN member state | None | |
 Comoros – Union of the Comoros | UN member state | NoneComoros is a federation of three islands. | |
| UN member state | None | ||
| UN member state | None | ||
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica | UN member state | None | |
 Croatia – Republic of Croatia | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Cuba – Republic of Cuba | UN member state | None | |
 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus | UN member state | Not recognised by Turkey[14] < | -- and Northern Cyprus -->Member of the EU. The northeastern part of the island is the de facto state of Northern Cyprus. Cyprus is not recognised by Turkey due to the Cyprus dispute, with Turkey recognising Northern Cyprus. |
 Czech Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
| – Kingdom of Denmark | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. The Kingdom of Denmark includes 2 self-governing territories:
The metropolitan territory of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland form the three constituent countries of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Denmark as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law (in most cases) does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. See Greenland and the European Union, and Faroe Islands and the European Union for more information.[15] [16] | |
 Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti | UN member state | None | |
 Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica | UN member state | None | |
 Dominican Republic | UN member state | None | |
| – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste | UN member state | None | |
 Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador | UN member state | None | |
 Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt | UN member state | None | |
 El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador | UN member state | None | |
 Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea | UN member state | None | |
 Eritrea – State of Eritrea | UN member state | None | |
 Estonia – Republic of Estonia | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
| – Kingdom of Eswatini | UN member state | None | |
 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia | UN member state | NoneEthiopia is a federation of eleven regions and two chartered cities. | |
 Fiji – Republic of Fiji | UN member state | NoneFiji contains one autonomous region, Rotuma.[17] [18] | |
 Finland – Republic of Finland | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU.
| |
 France – French Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. France contains five overseas regions/departments; French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion. France also includes the overseas territories of: | |
 Gabon – Gabonese Republic | UN member state | None | |
 Gambia – Republic of The Gambia[19] | UN member state | None | |
| UN member state | NoneGeorgia contains two autonomous republics, Adjara and Abkhazia. In Abkhazia and South Ossetia, de facto states have been formed. | ||
 Germany – Federal Republic of Germany | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Germany is a federation of 16 states. | |
 Ghana – Republic of Ghana | UN member state | None | |
 Greece – Hellenic Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Greece contains one autonomous area, Mount Athos.[20] | |
 Grenada | UN member state | NoneGrenada is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala | UN member state | None | |
 Guinea – Republic of Guinea | UN member state | None | |
 Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau | UN member state | None | |
 Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana | UN member state | None | |
 Haiti – Republic of Haiti | UN member state | None | |
 Honduras – Republic of Honduras | UN member state | None | |
 Hungary | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Iceland | UN member state | None | |
 India – Republic of India | UN member state | NoneIndia is a federation of 28 states and eight union territories. | |
 Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia | UN member state | NoneIndonesia has nine autonomous provinces, Aceh, Jakarta, Central Papua, Highland Papua, Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta. | |
| – Islamic Republic of Iran | UN member state | None | |
 Iraq – Republic of Iraq | UN member state | NoneIraq is a federation[21] of 19 governorates, four of which make up the autonomous Kurdistan Region. | |
 Ireland | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Israel – State of Israel | UN member state | Partially unrecognisedIsrael exerts strong control over the territory claimed by Palestine. It has annexed East Jerusalem,[22] an act not recognised by the international community.[23] Israel has varying levels of control over the rest of the West Bank, and although it ended its permanent civilian or military presence in the Gaza Strip, it is still considered to be the occupying power under international law.[24] [25] [26] [27] Israel is not recognised as a state by 28 UN members and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Palestine Liberation Organization, recognised by a majority of UN member states as the representative of the Palestinian people, recognised Israel in 1993. | |
 Italy – Italian Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Italy has 5 autonomous regions, Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. | |
| – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire | UN member state | None | |
 Jamaica | UN member state | NoneJamaica is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Japan | UN member state | None | |
 Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | UN member state | None | |
 Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan | UN member state | None | |
 Kenya – Republic of Kenya | UN member state | None | |
 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati | UN member state | None | |
 Kuwait – State of Kuwait | UN member state | None | |
 Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic | UN member state | None | |
| – Lao People's Democratic Republic | UN member state | None | |
 Latvia – Republic of Latvia | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon | UN member state | None | |
 Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho | UN member state | None | |
 Liberia – Republic of Liberia | UN member state | None | |
 Libya – State of Libya | UN member state | None | |
 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein | UN member state | None | |
 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar | UN member state | None | |
 Malawi – Republic of Malawi | UN member state | None | |
 Malaysia | UN member state | NoneMalaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories. | |
 Maldives – Republic of Maldives | UN member state | None | |
 Mali – Republic of Mali | UN member state | None | |
 Malta – Republic of Malta | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands | UN member state | NoneUnder Compact of Free Association with the United States. | |
 Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania | UN member state | None | |
 Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius | UN member state | NoneMauritius has an autonomous island, Rodrigues. | |
 Mexico – United Mexican States | UN member state | NoneMexico is a federation of 31 states and one autonomous city. | |
| UN member state | NoneUnder Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia is a federation of four states. | ||
| – Republic of Moldova | UN member state | NoneMoldova has the autonomous regions of Gagauzia and the Left Bank of the Dniester. The latter and a city Bender (Tighina), is under the de facto control of Transnistria. | |
 Monaco – Principality of Monaco | UN member state | None | |
 Mongolia | UN member state | None | |
 Montenegro | UN member state | None | |
 Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco | UN member state | NonePart of the Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara is controlled by the partially recognised Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. | |
 Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique | UN member state | None | |
 Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar | UN member state | NoneWa State is a de facto autonomous state within Myanmar. The United Nations has not recognised the de facto ruling government of Myanmar, the State Administration Council. | |
 Namibia – Republic of Namibia | UN member state | None | |
 Nauru – Republic of Nauru | UN member state | None | |
 Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal | UN member state | NoneNepal is a federation composed of 7 provinces. | |
| – Kingdom of the Netherlands | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes four areas with substantial autonomy:
The Metropolitan Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten form the four constituent countries of the Kingdom. Three overseas parts of the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius) are special municipalities of the metropolitan Netherlands. The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law only wholly applies to parts within Europe. | |
 New Zealand | UN member state | NoneNew Zealand is a Commonwealth realm, and has one dependent territory and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory:
The New Zealand Government acts for the entire Realm of New Zealand in all international contexts, which has responsibilities for (but no rights of control over) two freely associated states: The Cook Islands and Niue have diplomatic relations with and UN members respectively.[28] [29] They have full treaty-making capacity in the UN,[30] and are members of some UN specialized agencies. | |
 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua | UN member state | NoneNicaragua contains two autonomous regions, Atlántico Sur and Atlántico Norte. | |
 Niger – Republic of the Niger | UN member state | None | |
 Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria | UN member state | NoneNigeria is a federation of 36 states and one federal territory. | |
| – Democratic People's Republic of Korea | UN member state | North Korea is not recognised by one UN member, South Korea, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.[31] | |
| – Republic of North Macedonia | UN member state | None | |
 Norway – Kingdom of Norway | UN member state | NoneNorway has two unincorporated areas in Europe:
Norway has one dependent territory and two claimed Antarctic dependent territories in the Southern Hemisphere: | |
 Oman – Sultanate of Oman | UN member state | None | |
 Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan | UN member state | NonePakistan is a federation of four provinces and one capital territory. Pakistan exercises control over certain portions of Kashmir, but has not officially annexed any of it,[32] [33] instead regarding it as a disputed territory.[34] [35] The portions that it controls are divided into two territories, administered separately from Pakistan proper: Azad Kashmir describes itself as a "self-governing state under Pakistani control", while Gilgit-Baltistan is described in its governance order as a group of "areas" with self-government.[36] [37] [38] These territories are not usually regarded as sovereign, as they do not fulfil the criteria set out by the declarative theory of statehood (for example, their current laws do not allow them to engage independently in relations with other states). Several state functions of these territories (such as foreign affairs and defense) are performed by Pakistan.[39] [40] | |
 Palau – Republic of Palau | UN member state | NoneUnder Compact of Free Association with the United States. | |
| – State of Palestine | UN General Assembly observer state; member of two UN specialized agencies< | -- -- it appears that the convention on this page is to keep details and citations to the last column, which is where the details and citations for this claim can be found --> | Partially unrecognised.The State of Palestine, declared in 1988, is not recognised as a state by Israel but has received diplomatic recognition from states.[41] The proclaimed state has no agreed territorial borders, or effective control over much of the territory that it proclaimed.[42] The Palestinian National Authority is an interim administrative body formed as a result of the Oslo Accords that exercises limited autonomous jurisdiction within the Palestinian territories. In foreign relations, Palestine is represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization. The State of Palestine is a member state of UNESCO,[43] UNIDO and other international organizations.[44] |
 Panama – Republic of Panama | UN member state | None | |
 Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea | UN member state | NonePapua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm with one autonomous region, Bougainville. | |
 Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay | UN member state | None | |
 Peru – Republic of Peru | UN member state | None | |
 Philippines – Republic of the Philippines | UN member state | NoneThe Philippines contains one autonomous region, Bangsamoro. | |
 Poland – Republic of Poland | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Portugal – Portuguese Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Portugal contains two autonomous regions, the Azores and Madeira. | |
 Qatar – State of Qatar | UN member state | None | |
 Romania | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
| – Russian Federation | UN member state | NoneRussia is a federation of 83 internationally recognised federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, autonomous okrugs, federal cities, and an autonomous oblast). Several of the federal subjects are ethnic republics. | |
 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda | UN member state | None | |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis | UN member state | NoneSaint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth realm and is a federation of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis. | |
 Saint Lucia | UN member state | NoneSaint Lucia is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | UN member state | NoneSaint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Samoa – Independent State of Samoa | UN member state | None | |
 San Marino – Republic of San Marino | UN member state | None | |
| – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe | UN member state | NoneSão Tomé and Príncipe contains one autonomous province, Príncipe. | |
 Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | UN member state | None | |
 Senegal – Republic of Senegal | UN member state | None | |
 Serbia – Republic of Serbia | UN member state | NoneSerbia contains two autonomous regions, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The latter is under the de facto control of Kosovo. | |
 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles | UN member state | None | |
 Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone | UN member state | None | |
 Singapore – Republic of Singapore | UN member state | None | |
 Slovakia – Slovak Republic | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Solomon Islands | UN member state | NoneSolomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia | UN member state | NoneSomalia is a federation of six states. Two, Puntland and Galmudug, have self-declared autonomy, while one, Somaliland, is de facto independent. | |
 South Africa – Republic of South Africa | UN member state | None | |
| – Republic of Korea | UN member state | South Korea has one autonomous region, Jeju Province.[45] South Korea is not recognised by North Korea, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. | |
| – Republic of South Sudan | UN member state | NoneSouth Sudan is a federation of 10 states and three administrative areas.
| |
 Spain – Kingdom of Spain | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two special autonomous cities. | |
 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | UN member state | None | |
 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan | UN member state | NoneSudan is a federation of 18 states.
| |
 Suriname – Republic of Suriname | UN member state | None | |
 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden | UN member state | NoneMember of the EU. | |
 Switzerland – Swiss Confederation | UN member state | NoneSwitzerland is a federation of 26 cantons. | |
| – Syrian Arab Republic | UN member state | NoneThe Syrian National Coalition, which is recognised as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people by 20 UN members, has established an interim government to rule rebel controlled territory during the Syrian civil war.Syria has one self-declared autonomous region: Rojava. | |
 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan | UN member state | NoneTajikistan contains one autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province. | |
| – United Republic of Tanzania | UN member state | NoneTanzania contains one autonomous region, Zanzibar. | |
 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand | UN member state | None | |
 Togo – Togolese Republic | UN member state | None | |
 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga | UN member state | None | |
 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago | UN member state | NoneTrinidad and Tobago contains one autonomous region, Tobago. | |
 Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia | UN member state | None | |
 Turkey – Republic of Türkiye | UN member state | None | |
 Turkmenistan | UN member state | None | |
 Tuvalu | UN member state | NoneTuvalu is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Uganda – Republic of Uganda | UN member state | None | |
 Ukraine | UN member state | NoneUkraine contains one autonomous region, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is under the control of Russia. Seven other areas of Ukraine are under full or partial Russian control, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia oblasts and Sevastopol. | |
 United Arab Emirates | UN member state | NoneThe United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates. | |
 United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | UN member state | NoneThe United Kingdom is a Commonwealth realm consisting of four constituent countries; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom has the following 13 overseas territories and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory:
The British monarch also has direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown Dependencies: | |
 United States – United States of America | UN member state | NoneThe United States is a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. Additionally, the Federal government of the United States has sovereignty over 13 unincorporated territories. Of these territories, the following five are inhabited possessions:
It also has sovereignty over several uninhabited territories:
It also disputes sovereignty over the following two territories: Three sovereign states have become associated states of the United States under the Compact of Free Association:
| |
 Uruguay – Oriental Republic of Uruguay | UN member state | None | |
 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan | UN member state | NoneUzbekistan contains one autonomous region, Karakalpakstan. | |
 Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu | UN member state | None | |
| – Vatican City State | UN General Assembly observer state under the designation of "Holy See"; member of three UN specialized agencies | NoneAdministered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity with diplomatic relations to . This figure consists of UN member states, the Cook Islands, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the State of Palestine.[48] In addition, the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Holy See is a member of three UN specialized agencies (ITU, UPU, and WIPO) and the IAEA, as well as being a permanent observer of the UN (in the category of "Non-member State")[49] and multiple other UN System organizations. The Vatican City is governed by officials appointed by the Pope, who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome and ex officio sovereign of Vatican City. | |
| – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | UN member state | NoneVenezuela is a federation of 23 states, one capital district, and federal dependencies. | |
| – Socialist Republic of Vietnam | UN member state | None | |
 Yemen – Republic of Yemen | UN member state | None | |
 Zambia – Republic of Zambia | UN member state | None | |
 Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe | UN member state | None |
"Membership within the UN System" column legend"Sovereignty dispute" column legend
| Common and formal names | Membership within the UN System | Sovereignty dispute | Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty |
|---|---|---|---|
| – Republic of Abkhazia | No membership | Recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, South Ossetia, and Transnistria.[50] Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. | |
 Cook Islands | Member of eight UN specialized agencies | None (See political status)A state in free association with New Zealand, and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship. | |
| – Republic of Kosovo | Member of two UN specialized agencies | Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo was placed under the administration of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in 1999.[51] Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and it has and the Republic of China, while 18 of those states have recognised Kosovo only to later withdraw their recognition.[52] Serbia continues to maintain its sovereignty claim over Kosovo. Other UN member states and non UN member states continue to recognise Serbian sovereignty or have taken no position on the question. Kosovo is a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. The Republic of Kosovo has de facto control over most of the territory, with limited control in North Kosovo. | |
 Niue | Member of five UN specialized agencies | None (See political status)A state in free association with New Zealand, and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship. | |
| – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | No membership | Recognised only by Turkey. Under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", it is an observer state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Economic Cooperation Organization. Northern Cyprus is claimed in whole by the Republic of Cyprus. | |
| No membership | Recognised at some stage by, of which have since withdrawn or frozen their recognition. It is a founding member of the African Union and the Asian–African Strategic Partnership formed at the 2005 Asian–African Conference. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, are claimed in whole by Morocco as part of its Southern Provinces. In turn, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the part of Western Sahara to the west of the Moroccan Wall controlled by Morocco. Its government resides in exile in Tindouf, Algeria. | ||
| – Republic of Somaliland | No membership | A de facto independent state,[53] [54] [55] [56] [57] not formally diplomatically recognised by any other state; claimed in whole by the Federal Republic of Somalia.[58] | |
| – Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania | No membership | A de facto independent state,[59] recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, Abkhazia, and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Provisional Administration of South Ossetia.[60] | |
| – Republic of China | Was a UN member state until 1971, now no membership | Partially unrecognised. A state competing (nominally) for recognition with the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the government of China since 1949. The Republic of China (ROC) controls the island of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, and Pratas Island, as well as Taiping Island and Zhongzhou Reef of the Spratly Islands, and has not renounced claims over its annexed territories on the mainland.[61] The ROC is recognised by UN member states as well as Vatican City, none of which recognise the PRC. Additionally, one UN member (Bhutan) has refrained from recognising either the ROC or the PRC. In addition to these relations, the ROC also maintains unofficial relations[62] with 58 UN member states, one self-declared state (Somaliland), three territories (Guam, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the European Union via its representative offices and consulates under the One China principle. Taiwan has the 31st-largest diplomatic network in the world with 110 offices.[63] The territory of the ROC is claimed in whole by the PRC. The ROC participates in international organizations under a variety of pseudonyms, most commonly "Chinese Taipei" and in the WTO it has full membership under the designation of "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu". The ROC was a founding member of the UN and enjoyed membership from 1945 to 1971, with veto power in the UN Security Council. See China and the United Nations. | |
| – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic | No membership | A de facto independent state, recognised only by Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Claimed in whole by Moldova.[64] |
]
.
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Norfolk Island
Hong Kong
Macao
Faroe Islands
Greenland
French Polynesia
New Caledonia
Aruba
Netherlands
Tokelau
Anguilla
Bermuda
British Indian Ocean Territory
Cayman Islands
Gibraltar
Montserrat
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico