SafekipediaA list of sovereign states is a way to organize and understand the different countries around the world. It shows which places are recognized as their own independent nations, able to make their own decisions and control their own land and people. There are 205 sovereign states listed, and they can be grouped into three main categories based on their membership in the United Nations System. These groups are 193 UN member states, two UN General Assembly non-member observer states, and ten other states.
Some states have clear and undisputed sovereignty, meaning everyone agrees they are independent countries. Others have disputed sovereignty, meaning there are disagreements about whether they should be considered fully independent. A few have a special political status, often linked to their relationship with another country.
Making this list can be tricky because there is no single rule that every country agrees on for what makes a sovereign state. The list tries to include places that are widely seen as acting like independent countries, but being on the list doesn’t mean everyone agrees they are fully sovereign in legal terms. This helps us understand the complex world of international relations and how different countries interact with each other.
Criteria for inclusion
The main rule for deciding if a country is a true sovereign state comes from a special agreement made in 1933, called the Montevideo Convention. To be a state, a place needs four things: people living there, a clear area of land, a government, and the ability to make agreements with other countries.
Some people argue whether other countries need to say a place is a real country, too. For this list, we include any place that says it is a sovereign state and either meets the four rules above or is recognized by at least one United Nations member state.
This list has 205 places, including 204 that are recognized by at least one UN member state, and one place, Transnistria, that meets the four rules but is only recognized by countries not in the United Nations. The list also mentions areas that are not fully independent countries, such as areas that work closely with another country or have special agreements about their land.
List of states
There are 205 sovereign states in the world. Most of these are members of the United Nations (UN), with 193 being UN member states. Additionally, there are two UN General Assembly non-member observer states.
Some states have special political statuses or disputed sovereignty. For example, there are ten states that are not UN members but are still recognized in other ways. These states may have different relationships with larger countries or international organizations.
| Common and formal names | Membership within the UN System | Sovereignty dispute | Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A |  Afghanistan – Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan | A UN member state | A None | The ruling Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, in power since 2021, has not been recognised by the United Nations or any other state except Russia. The defunct  Islamic Republic of Afghanistan remains the recognised government. |
 Albania – Republic of Albania | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Andorra – Principality of Andorra | A UN member state | A None | Andorra is a co-principality in which the office of head of state is jointly held ex officio by the French president and the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Urgell, who himself is appointed with approval from the Holy See. | |
 Angola – Republic of Angola | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Antigua and Barbuda | A UN member state | A None | Antigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth realm with one autonomous region, Barbuda. | |
 Argentina – Argentine Republic | A UN member state | A None | Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and one autonomous city. | |
 Armenia – Republic of Armenia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Australia – Commonwealth of Australia | A UN member state | A None | Australia is a Commonwealth realm and a federation of both states and territories. There are six states, three internal territories, six external territories and one claimed Antarctic external territory. The external territories of Australia are: | |
 Austria – Republic of Austria | A UN member state | A None | Member of the European Union. Austria is a federation of nine states. | |
 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan | A UN member state | A None | Azerbaijan contains one autonomous region, Nakhchivan. | |
| B |  Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas | A UN member state | A None | The Bahamas is a Commonwealth realm. |
 Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Barbados | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Belarus – Republic of Belarus | A UN member state | A None | Many states rescinded their recognition of President Alexander Lukashenko following the disputed 2020 election. Lithuania currently recognises Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Coordination Council as the legitimate government of Belarus. | |
 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Belgium is a federation of three linguistic communities and three regions. | |
 Belize | A UN member state | A None | Belize is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Benin – Republic of Benin | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | A UN member state | A None | Bosnia and Herzegovina has two constituent entities: and Brčko District, a self-governing administrative district. | |
 Botswana – Republic of Botswana | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil | A UN member state | A None | Brazil is a federation of 26 states and one federal district. | |
 Brunei – Brunei Darussalam | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Burkina Faso | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Burundi – Republic of Burundi | A UN member state | A None | ||
| C |  Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia | A UN member state | A None | |
 Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Canada | A UN member state | A None | Canada is a Commonwealth realm and a federation of 10 provinces and three territories. | |
 Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Central African Republic | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Chad – Republic of Chad | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Chile – Republic of Chile | A UN member state | A None | Chile has one special territory, Easter Island. | |
 China – People's Republic of China | A UN member state | Partially unrecognised. BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan | China contains five autonomous regions, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Additionally, it has sovereignty over two Special Administrative Regions: China claims, but does not control, Taiwan, which is governed by a rival administration (the Republic of China) that claims all of China as its territory. China is not recognised by 11 UN member states and Vatican City, which all recognise the Republic of China (Taiwan) instead. | |
 Colombia – Republic of Colombia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Comoros – Union of the Comoros | A UN member state | A None | Comoros is a federation of three islands. | |
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Congo, Republic of the | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Croatia – Republic of Croatia | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Cuba – Republic of Cuba | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus | A UN member state | Not recognised by Turkey | Member of the EU. The northeastern part of the island is the de facto state of Northern Cyprus. Cyprus is not recognised by Turkey due to the Cyprus problem, with Turkey recognising Northern Cyprus. | |
 Czech Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
| D |  Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. The Kingdom of Denmark includes two self-governing territories: The metropolitan territory of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland form the three constituent countries of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Denmark as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law (in most cases) does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. See Greenland and the European Union, and Faroe Islands and the European Union. |
 Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Dominican Republic | A UN member state | A None | ||
| E |  Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador | A UN member state | A None | |
 Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt | A UN member state | A None | ||
 El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Eritrea – State of Eritrea | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Estonia – Republic of Estonia | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Eswatini – Kingdom of Eswatini | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia | A UN member state | A None | Ethiopia is a federation of 12 regions and two chartered cities. | |
| F |  Fiji – Republic of Fiji | A UN member state | A None | Fiji contains one autonomous region, Rotuma. |
 Finland – Republic of Finland | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Åland is a neutral and demilitarized autonomous region of Finland. | |
 France – French Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. France contains five overseas regions/departments; French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion. France also includes eight overseas territories: | |
| G |  Gabon – Gabonese Republic | A UN member state | A None | |
 Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Georgia | A UN member state | A None | Georgia contains two autonomous republics, Adjara and Abkhazia. In Abkhazia and South Ossetia, de facto states have been formed. | |
 Germany – Federal Republic of Germany | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Germany is a federation of 16 states. | |
 Ghana – Republic of Ghana | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Greece – Hellenic Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Greece contains one autonomous area, Mount Athos. | |
 Grenada | A UN member state | A None | Grenada is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Guinea – Republic of Guinea | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana | A UN member state | A None | ||
| H |  Haiti – Republic of Haiti | A UN member state | A None | |
 Honduras – Republic of Honduras | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Hungary | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
| I |  Iceland | A UN member state | A None | |
 India – Republic of India | A UN member state | A None | India is a federation of 28 states and eight union territories. | |
 Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia | A UN member state | A None | Indonesia has nine autonomous provinces: Aceh, Jakarta, Central Papua, Highland Papua, Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta. | |
 Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Iraq – Republic of Iraq | A UN member state | A None | Iraq is a federation of 19 governorates, four of which make up the autonomous Kurdistan Region. | |
 Ireland | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Israel – State of Israel | A UN member state | Partially unrecognised | Israel exerts strong control over the territory claimed by Palestine. It has annexed East Jerusalem, an act not recognised by the international community. Israel has varying levels of control over the rest of the West Bank, and although it ended its permanent civilian or military presence in the Gaza Strip, it is still considered to be the occupying power under international law. Israel is not recognised as a state by 28 UN members and the Sahrawi Republic. The Palestine Liberation Organization, recognised by a majority of UN member states as the representative of the Palestinian people, recognised Israel in 1993. | |
 Italy – Italian Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Italy has five autonomous regions: Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. | |
 Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire | A UN member state | A None | ||
| J |  Jamaica | A UN member state | A None | Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm. |
 Japan | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | A UN member state | A None | ||
| K |  Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan | A UN member state | A None | |
 Kenya – Republic of Kenya | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Kuwait – State of Kuwait | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic | A UN member state | A None | ||
| L |  Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic | A UN member state | A None | |
 Latvia – Republic of Latvia | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Liberia – Republic of Liberia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Libya – State of Libya | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
| M |  Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar | A UN member state | A None | |
 Malawi – Republic of Malawi | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Malaysia | A UN member state | A None | Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories. | |
 Maldives – Republic of Maldives | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Mali – Republic of Mali | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Malta – Republic of Malta | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands | A UN member state | A None | Under Compact of Free Association with the United States. | |
 Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius | A UN member state | A None | Mauritius has an autonomous island, Rodrigues. | |
 Mexico – United Mexican States | A UN member state | A None | Mexico is a federation of 31 states and one autonomous city. | |
 Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia | A UN member state | A None | Under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia is a federation of four states. | |
 Moldova – Republic of Moldova | A UN member state | A None | Moldova has two autonomous territorial units, Gagauzia and the Left Bank of the Dniester. The latter and a city, Bender (Tighina), are under the de facto control of Transnistria. | |
 Monaco – Principality of Monaco | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Mongolia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Montenegro | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco | A UN member state | A None | Part of the Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara is controlled by the partially recognised Sahrawi Republic. | |
 Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar | A UN member state | A None | Wa State is a de facto autonomous state within Myanmar. The United Nations has not recognised the de facto ruling government of Myanmar, the State Administration Council. | |
| N |  Namibia – Republic of Namibia | A UN member state | A None | |
 Nauru – Republic of Nauru | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal | A UN member state | A None | Nepal is a federation composed of seven provinces. | |
 Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes four areas with substantial autonomy: The Metropolitan Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten form the four constituent countries of the Kingdom. Three overseas parts of the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius) are special municipalities of the metropolitan Netherlands. The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole is a member of the EU, but EU law only wholly applies to parts within Europe. | |
 New Zealand | A UN member state | A None | New Zealand is a Commonwealth realm, and has one dependent territory and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory: The New Zealand Government acts for the entire Realm of New Zealand in all international contexts, which has responsibilities for (but no rights of control over) two freely associated states: The Cook Islands and Niue have diplomatic relations with 63 and 25 UN members respectively. They have full treaty-making capacity in the UN, and are members of some UN specialized agencies. | |
 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua | A UN member state | A None | Nicaragua contains two autonomous regions, North Caribbean Coast and South Caribbean Coast. | |
 Niger – Republic of the Niger | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria | A UN member state | A None | Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and one federal territory. | |
 North Korea – Democratic People's Republic of Korea | A UN member state | BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan | North Korea is not recognised by 2 UN members, Japan, and South Korea, which the latter claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. | |
 North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Norway – Kingdom of Norway | A UN member state | A None | Norway has two unincorporated areas in Europe: Svalbard is an integral part of Norway, but has a special status due to the Svalbard Treaty. Jan Mayen is an uninhabited island that is an integral part of Norway, although unincorporated. Norway has one dependent territory and two claimed Antarctic dependent territories in the Southern Hemisphere: | |
| O |  Oman – Sultanate of Oman | A UN member state | A None | |
| P |  Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan | A UN member state | A None | Pakistan is a federation of four provinces and one capital territory. Pakistan exercises control over certain portions of Kashmir, but has not officially annexed any of it, instead regarding it as a disputed territory. The portions that it controls are divided into two territories, administered separately from Pakistan proper: Azad Kashmir describes itself as a "self-governing state under Pakistani control", while Gilgit-Baltistan is described in its governance order as a group of "areas" with self-government. These territories are not usually regarded as sovereign, as they do not fulfil the criteria set out by the declarative theory of statehood (for example, their current laws do not allow them to engage independently in relations with other states). Several state functions of these territories (such as foreign affairs and defense) are performed by Pakistan. |
 Palau – Republic of Palau | A UN member state | A None | Under Compact of Free Association with the United States. | |
 Palestine – State of Palestine | A UN General Assembly observer state; member of two UN specialized agencies | Partially unrecognised. Occupied by Israel. | The State of Palestine, declared in 1988, is not recognised as a state by Israel but has received diplomatic recognition from 157 states. The proclaimed state has no agreed territorial borders, or effective control over much of the territory that it proclaimed. The Palestinian Authority is an interim administrative body formed as a result of the Oslo Accords that exercises limited autonomous jurisdiction within Palestine. In foreign relations, Palestine is represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization. The State of Palestine is a member state of UNESCO, UNIDO and other international organizations. | |
 Panama – Republic of Panama | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea | A UN member state | A None | Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm with one autonomous region, Bougainville. | |
 Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Peru – Republic of Peru | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Philippines – Republic of the Philippines | A UN member state | A None | The Philippines contains one autonomous region, Bangsamoro. | |
 Poland – Republic of Poland | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Portugal – Portuguese Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Portugal contains two autonomous regions, the Azores and Madeira. | |
| Q |  Qatar – State of Qatar | A UN member state | A None | |
| R |  Romania | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. |
 Russia – Russian Federation | A UN member state | A None | Russia is a federation of 83 internationally recognised federal subjects (republics, oblasts, krais, autonomous okrugs, federal cities, and an autonomous oblast). Several of the federal subjects are ethnic republics. | |
 Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda | A UN member state | A None | ||
| S |  Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis | A UN member state | A None | Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Commonwealth realm and is a federation of two islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. |
 Saint Lucia | A UN member state | A None | Saint Lucia is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | A UN member state | A None | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Samoa – Independent State of Samoa | A UN member state | A None | ||
 San Marino – Republic of San Marino | A UN member state | A None | ||
 São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe | A UN member state | A None | São Tomé and Príncipe contains one autonomous province, Príncipe. | |
 Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Senegal – Republic of Senegal | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Serbia – Republic of Serbia | A UN member state | A None | Serbia contains two autonomous provinces, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The latter is under the de facto control of Kosovo. | |
 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Singapore – Republic of Singapore | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Slovakia – Slovak Republic | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Solomon Islands | A UN member state | A None | Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm. | |
 Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia | A UN member state | A None | Somalia is a federation of six states. Two, Puntland and Galmudug, have self-declared autonomy, while one, Somaliland, is de facto independent. | |
 South Africa – Republic of South Africa | A UN member state | A None | ||
 South Korea – Republic of Korea | A UN member state | BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan | South Korea has one autonomous region, Jeju Province. South Korea is not recognised by North Korea, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. | |
 South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan | A UN member state | A None | South Sudan is a federation of 10 states and three administrative areas. The Abyei Area is a zone with "special administrative status" established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. It is de jure a condominium of South Sudan and Sudan, but de facto administered by two competing administrations and the United Nations. | |
 Spain – Kingdom of Spain | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. | |
 Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan | A UN member state | A None | Sudan is a federation of 18 states. The Abyei Area is a zone with "special administrative status" established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. It is de jure a condominium of South Sudan and Sudan, but de facto administered by two competing administrations and the United Nations. | |
 Suriname – Republic of Suriname | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden | A UN member state | A None | Member of the EU. | |
 Switzerland – Swiss Confederation | A UN member state | A None | Switzerland is a federation of 26 cantons. | |
 Syria – Syrian Arab Republic | A UN member state | A None | Syria has two self-declared autonomous regions, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and Supreme Legal Committee in Suwayda. | |
| T |  Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan | A UN member state | A None | Tajikistan contains one autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan. |
 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania | A UN member state | A None | Tanzania contains one autonomous region, Zanzibar. | |
 Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Timor-Leste – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Togo – Togolese Republic | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago | A UN member state | A None | Trinidad and Tobago contains one autonomous region, Tobago. | |
 Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Turkey – Republic of Türkiye | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Turkmenistan | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Tuvalu | A UN member state | A None | Tuvalu is a Commonwealth realm. | |
| U |  Uganda – Republic of Uganda | A UN member state | A None | |
 Ukraine | A UN member state | A None | Ukraine contains one autonomous region, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is under the control of Russia. Nine other areas of Ukraine are under full or partial Russian control, including Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia oblasts and Sevastopol. | |
 United Arab Emirates | A UN member state | A None | The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates. | |
 United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | A UN member state | A None | The United Kingdom is a Commonwealth realm consisting of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom has the following 13 overseas territories and one claimed Antarctic dependent territory: The British monarch also has direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown Dependencies: | |
 United States – United States of America | A UN member state | A None | The United States is a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory (Palmyra Atoll). Additionally, the federal government of the United States has sovereignty over 13 unincorporated territories. Of these unincorporated territories, five are inhabited possessions: The United States also has sovereignty over eight uninhabited territories: The United States disputes sovereignty over two territories: Three sovereign states have become associated states of the United States under the Compact of Free Association: | |
 Uruguay – Oriental Republic of Uruguay | A UN member state | A None | ||
 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan | A UN member state | A None | Uzbekistan contains one autonomous region, Karakalpakstan. | |
| V |  Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu | A UN member state | A None | |
 Vatican City – Vatican City State | A UN General Assembly observer state under the designation of "Holy See"; member of three UN specialized agencies | A None | Administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity with diplomatic relations to 183 states (including 180 UN member states, the Cook Islands, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Palestine). In addition, the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Holy See is a member of three UN specialized agencies (ITU, UPU, and WIPO) and the IAEA, as well as being a permanent observer of the UN (in the category of "Non-member State") and multiple other UN System organizations. The Vatican City is governed by officials appointed by the Pope, who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome and ex officio sovereign of Vatican City. | |
 Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | A UN member state | A None | Venezuela is a federation of 23 states, one capital district, and federal dependencies. | |
 Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam | A UN member state | A None | ||
| Y |  Yemen – Republic of Yemen | A UN member state | A None | |
| Z |  Zambia – Republic of Zambia | A UN member state | A None | |
 Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe | A UN member state | A None |
| Common and formal names | Membership within the UN System | Sovereignty dispute | Further information on status and recognition of sovereignty |
|---|---|---|---|
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia | D No membership | Claimed by Georgia. Occupied by Russia. | Recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. |
 Cook Islands | D Member of eight UN specialized agencies | A None (See political status) | A state in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with at least 65 UN member states and 3 other states and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty-making capacity. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship. |
 Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo | D Member of two UN specialized agencies | BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan | Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo was placed under the administration of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in 1999. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and it has received diplomatic recognition from 118 UN member states, the Cook Islands, Niue, and the Republic of China (Taiwan), while 8 of those states have recognised Kosovo only to later withdraw their recognition. Serbia continues to maintain its sovereignty claim over Kosovo. Other UN member states and non UN member states continue to recognise Serbian sovereignty or have taken no position on the question. Kosovo is a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. The Republic of Kosovo has de facto control over most of the territory, with limited control in North Kosovo. |
 Niue | D Member of five UN specialized agencies | A None (See political status) | A state in free association with New Zealand, Niue maintains diplomatic relations with at least 28 UN member states and 2 other states and is recognized as a sovereign state by a number of them. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty-making capacity. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship. |
 Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | D No membership | Claimed by Cyprus. Occupied by Turkey. | Recognised only by Turkey. Under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", it is an observer state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Economic Cooperation Organization. Northern Cyprus is claimed in whole by the Republic of Cyprus. |
 Sahrawi Republic – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | D No membership | Claimed and occupied by Morocco. | The Polisario Front, which administers the Sahrawi Republic, is recognized by the UN as the legitimate representative of the people of Western Sahara. Recognised at some stage by 84 UN member states, 38 of which have since withdrawn or frozen their recognition. It is a founding member of the African Union, an international organization with permanent observer status at the UN General Assembly. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, are claimed in whole by Morocco. In turn, the Sahrawi Republic claims the Moroccan-occupied part of Western Sahara to the west of the Moroccan sand wall. Its government resides in exile in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria. |
 Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland | D No membership | BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan | A de facto independent state recognised by Israel. Claimed in whole by the Federal Republic of Somalia. |
 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania | D No membership | Claimed by Georgia. Occupied by Russia. | A de facto independent state, recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, Syria, Venezuela, Abkhazia, and Transnistria. Claimed in whole by Georgia through the Administration of South Ossetia. |
 Taiwan – Republic of China | D UN member state until 1971, now no membership | Partially unrecognised. BClaimed by AfghanistanClaimed by GeorgiaClaimed by North Korea Claimed by Serbia Claimed by Somalia Claimed by the People's Republic of China Claimed by the Republic of China Claimed by South Korea Claimed by Azerbaijan Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus Disputed by Israel Claimed by Indonesia Claimed by the Marshall Islands Claimed by Mauritius Claimed by Morocco Claimed by Moldova Claimed by Mali Claimed by Spain Claimed by Argentina Claimed by Ukraine Claimed by Pakistan. | 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 islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, and Pratas Island, as well as Taiping Island and Zhongzhou Reef of the Spratly Islands, and has not renounced claims over its annexed territories on the mainland. The ROC is recognised by 11 UN member states and Vatican City, none of which recognise the PRC. In addition to these relations, the ROC also maintains unofficial relations with 58 UN member states, one self-declared state (Somaliland), three territories (Guam, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the European Union via its representative offices and consulates under the One China principle. Taiwan has the 31st-largest diplomatic network in the world with 110 offices. The territory of the ROC is claimed in whole by the PRC. The ROC participates in international organizations under a variety of pseudonyms, most commonly "Chinese Taipei". In the WTO, the ROC has full membership under the designation of "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu". The ROC was a founding member of the UN and enjoyed membership from 1945 to 1971, with veto power in the UN Security Council. See China and the United Nations. |
 Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic | D No membership | Claimed by Moldova. Occupied by Russia. | A de facto independent state, recognised only by Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Claimed in whole by Moldova. |
Images
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on List of sovereign states, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.