List of sovereign states in the 2020s

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

Members or observers of the United Nations

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
A
→ Afghanistan Capital: Kabul Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (to 15 August 2021) Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (from 15 August 2021)	Widely-recognized UN member state. The United Nations continued to recognize the exiled government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as the de jure legitimate government (from 15 August 2021).
Albania – Republic of Albania Capital: Tirana	Widely recognized UN member state.
Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Capital: Algiers	Widely recognized UN member state.
Andorra – Principality of Andorra Capital: Andorra la Vella	Widely recognized UN member state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.
Angola – Republic of Angola Capital: Luanda	Widely recognized UN member state.
Antigua and Barbuda Capital: St. John's	Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Antigua and Barbuda had two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda.
Argentina – Argentine Republic Capital: Buenos Aires	Widely recognized UN member state. Argentina was a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claimed the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories.
Armenia – Republic of Armenia Capital: Yerevan	Widely recognized UN member state.
Australia – Commonwealth of Australia Capital: Canberra	Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island
Austria – Republic of Austria Capital: Vienna	Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Austria was a federation of nine states.
Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan Capital: Baku	Widely recognized UN member state. Azerbaijan had one autonomous republic, Nakhchivan. It included the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic had declared independence (to 1 January 2024).
B
The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas Capital: Nassau	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain Capital: Manama	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka	Widely recognized UN member state.
Barbados Capital: Bridgetown	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm until 30 November 2021, when it became a republic.
Belarus – Republic of Belarus Capital: Minsk	Widely recognized UN member state.
Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium Capital: Brussels	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Belgium was a federation of three communities and three regions.
Belize Capital: Belmopan	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Benin – Republic of Benin Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan Capital: Thimphu	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Capital: Sarajevo	Widely recognized UN member state. Bosnia and Herzegovina was a federation of two constituent entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was itself a federation of ten cantons, and Republika Srpska.
Botswana – Republic of Botswana Capital: Gaborone	Widely recognized UN member state.
Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil Capital: Brasília	Widely recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 26 states and one federal district.
Brunei – Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan	Widely recognized UN member state. Brunei claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria Capital: Sofia	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Burkina Faso Capital: Ouagadougou	Widely recognized UN member state.
Burma → Myanmar
Burundi – Republic of Burundi Capital: Gitega	Widely recognized UN member state.
C
Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia Capital: Phnom Penh	Widely recognized UN member state.
Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon Capital: Yaoundé	Widely recognized UN member state.
Canada Capital: Ottawa	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm; Canada was a federation of ten provinces and three territories.
Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde Capital: Praia	Widely recognized UN member state.
Central African Republic Capital: Bangui	Widely recognized UN member state.
Chad – Republic of Chad Capital: N'Djamena	Widely recognized UN member state.
Chile – Republic of Chile Capital: Santiago	Widely recognized UN member state; Chile had two special territories, Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, although it was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
China – People's Republic of China Capital: Beijing	Widely recognized UN member state. The People's Republic of China had 22 provinces, four direct controlled municipalities and five autonomous regions: Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet. Additionally, it had sovereignty over two special administrative regions: Hong Kong Macau The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, all of which were governed by the Republic of China. It also claimed the Paracel Islands (disputed by the Republic of China and Vietnam), the Spratly Islands (disputed by the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei), and South Tibet (controlled by India). The People's Republic of China administered Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract, which were within the disputed region of Kashmir.
Colombia – Republic of Colombia Capital: Bogotá	Widely recognized UN member state; Colombia administered Serranilla Bank and claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States).
Comoros – Union of the Comoros Capital: Moroni	Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros was a federation of three islands autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Comoros also claimed sovereignty over the French region of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. Comoros also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and France).
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Capital: Kinshasa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Congo, Republic of the Capital: Brazzaville	Widely recognized UN member state.
Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San José	Widely recognized UN member state.
Côte d'Ivoire → Ivory Coast
Croatia – Republic of Croatia Capital: Zagreb	Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member.
Cuba – Republic of Cuba Capital: Havana	Widely recognized UN member state. The Cuban region of Guantánamo Bay was under the control of the United States.
Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus Capital: Nicosia	Widely recognized UN member state; EU member. The northeastern part of the island was the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, which was recognized only by Turkey.
Czech Republic Capital: Prague	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
D
Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark Capital: Copenhagen	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The Kingdom of Denmark also included two autonomous countries: Greenland Faroe Islands
Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti Capital: Djibouti	Widely recognized UN member state.
Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica Capital: Roseau	Widely recognized UN member state.
Dominican Republic Capital: Santo Domingo	Widely recognized UN member state.
E
East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Capital: Dili	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador Capital: Quito	Widely recognized UN member state.
Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt Capital: Cairo	Widely recognized UN member state.
El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador Capital: San Salvador	Widely recognized UN member state.
Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Eritrea – State of Eritrea Capital: Asmara	Widely recognized UN member state.
Estonia – Republic of Estonia Capital: Tallinn	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Eswatini – Kingdom of Eswatini Capital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa	Widely recognized UN member state. Ethiopia was a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.
F
Fiji – Republic of Fiji Capital: Suva	Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.
Finland – Republic of Finland Capital: Helsinki	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region: Åland
→ France – French Republic Capital: Paris	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. France included five overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion. It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: Clipperton Island French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands (including a claim to Adélie Land which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) New Caledonia Saint-Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon French Southern and Antarctic Lands (district of Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean): Bassas da India (disputed by Madagascar) Europa Island (disputed by Madagascar) Glorioso Islands (disputed by Madagascar and Comoros) Juan de Nova Island (disputed by Madagascar) Tromelin Island (disputed by Mauritius) Wallis and Futuna France also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and the Comoros).
G
Gabon – Gabonese Republic Capital: Libreville	Widely recognized UN member state.
The Gambia – Republic of the Gambia Capital: Banjul	Widely recognized UN member state.
Georgia Capital: Tbilisi	Widely recognized UN member state. Georgia had two autonomous regions, Adjara and Abkhazia; the latter was home to a de facto independent state. Georgia also included the disputed region of South Ossetia, where a partially-recognized breakaway republic had declared independence.
Germany – Federal Republic of Germany Capital: Berlin	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Germany was a federation of sixteen states.
Ghana – Republic of Ghana Capital: Accra	Widely recognized UN member state.
Greece – Hellenic Republic Capital: Athens	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Greece had sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that was jointly governed by the multi-national "Holy Community" on the mountain and the Civil Governor appointed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spiritually under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Grenada Capital: St. George's	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada had one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guinea – Republic of Guinea Capital: Conakry	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau Capital: Bissau	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana Capital: Georgetown	Widely recognized UN member state.
H
Haiti – Republic of Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince	Widely recognized UN member state. Haiti claimed the uninhabited U.S. possession of Navassa Island.
Holy See → Vatican City
→ Honduras – Republic of Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Hungary Capital: Budapest	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
I
Iceland – Republic of Iceland Capital: Reykjavík	Widely recognized UN member state.
India – Republic of India Capital: New Delhi	Widely recognized UN member state. India was a federation of twenty-eight states and nine union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet was disputed by China. India administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia Capital: Jakarta	Widely recognized UN member state. Indonesia had five special provinces: Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta.
Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran Capital: Tehran	Widely recognized UN member state.
Iraq – Republic of Iraq Capital: Baghdad	Widely recognized UN member state. Iraq was constitutionally designated as a federation of autonomous regions, but only one region (Iraqi Kurdistan) had been established.
Ireland Capital: Dublin	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Israel – State of Israel Capital: Jerusalem	Widely recognized UN member state. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. These areas were not generally recognized as being part of Israel.
Italy – Italian Republic Capital: Rome	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions, Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire Capital: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state.
J
Jamaica Capital: Kingston	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Japan Capital: Tokyo	Widely recognized UN member state. Its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by North Korea and South Korea. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands was disputed by Russia.
Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Capital: Amman	Widely recognized UN member state.
K
Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan Capital: Nur-Sultan (renamed Astana in 2022)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Kenya – Republic of Kenya Capital: Nairobi	Widely recognized UN member state.
Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati Capital: South Tarawa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea Capital: Pyongyang	Widely recognized UN member state. It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by South Korea and Japan.
Korea, South – Republic of Korea Capital: Seoul	Widely recognized UN member state. South Korea had one autonomous region, Jeju. It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks was disputed by North Korea and Japan.
Kuwait – State of Kuwait Capital: Kuwait City	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic Capital: Bishkek	Widely-recognized UN member state.
L
Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic Capital: Vientiane	Widely recognized UN member state.
Latvia – Republic of Latvia Capital: Riga	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Lebanon – Lebanese Republic Capital: Beirut	Widely recognized UN member state.
Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho Capital: Maseru	Widely recognized UN member state.
Liberia – Republic of Liberia Capital: Monrovia	Widely recognized UN member state.
Libya – State of Libya Capital: Tripoli, Libya	Widely recognized UN member state.
Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein Capital: Vaduz	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Liechtenstein was the responsibility of Switzerland.
Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania Capital: Vilnius	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Capital: Luxembourg	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
M
Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar Capital: Antananarivo	Widely recognized UN member state. Madagascar claimed the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island. It also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Comoros and France).
Malawi – Republic of Malawi Capital: Lilongwe	Widely recognized UN member state.
Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative)	Widely recognized UN member state. Malaysia was a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei).
Maldives – Republic of Maldives Capital: Malé	Widely recognized UN member state.
Mali – Republic of Mali Capital: Bamako	Widely recognized UN member state.
Malta – Republic of Malta Capital: Valletta	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands Capital: Majuro	Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claimed the United States territory of Wake Island.
Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania Capital: Nouakchott	Widely recognized UN member state.
Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius Capital: Port Louis	Widely recognized UN member state. Mauritius had one autonomous dependency, Rodrigues, and two other dependencies, Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos. It claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island.
Mexico – United Mexican States Capital: Mexico City	Widely recognized UN member state. Mexico was a federation of 31 states and one federal district.
Federated States of Micronesia Capital: Palikir	Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM was a federation of four states.
Moldova – Republic of Moldova Capital: Chişinău	Widely recognized UN member state. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units, Gagauzia and Transnistria; the latter was controlled by a de facto independent state.
Monaco – Principality of Monaco Capital: Monaco	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Monaco was the responsibility of France.
Mongolia Capital: Ulaanbaatar	Widely recognized UN member state.
Montenegro Capital: Podgorica	Widely recognized UN member state.
Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco Capital: Rabat	Widely recognized UN member state. Morocco claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was disputed and partially controlled by the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas.
Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique Capital: Maputo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar Capital: Naypyidaw	Widely recognized UN member state.
N
Namibia – Republic of Namibia Capital: Windhoek	Widely recognized UN member state.
Nauru – Republic of Nauru Capital: Yaren (unofficial, seat of parliament)	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Nauru was the responsibility of Australia.
Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Capital: Kathmandu	Widely recognized UN member state. Nepal was a federation of seven provinces.
Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consisted of four autonomous countries: Aruba Netherlands Curaçao Sint Maarten It also had sovereignty over one non-autonomous region (consisting of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands): Caribbean Netherlands The Kingdom of the Netherlands, excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, was a member of the EU.
New Zealand Capital: Wellington	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had responsibilities for the two free associated states of: Cook Islands Niue It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories: Ross Dependency (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Tokelau The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (an unincorporated territory of the United States). New Zealand did not recognize this claim.
Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua Capital: Managua	Widely recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region.
Niger – Republic of Niger Capital: Niamey	Widely recognized UN member state.
Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria Capital: Abuja	Widely recognized UN member state. Nigeria was a federation of 36 states and one federal territory.
North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia Capital: Skopje	Widely recognized UN member state.
Norway – Kingdom of Norway Capital: Oslo	Widely recognized UN member state. Norway had two integral overseas areas: Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The latter had a special status due to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Norway had sovereignty over the following dependencies: Bouvet Island Peter I Island (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Queen Maud Land (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
O
Oman – Sultanate of Oman Capital: Muscat	Widely recognized UN member state.
P
Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan Capital: Islamabad	Widely recognized UN member state. Pakistan was a federation of four provinces and four territories. It administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Palau – Republic of Palau Capital: Ngerulmud	Widely recognized UN member state under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.
Palestine – State of Palestine Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claims)	Partially-recognised de facto self-governing entity. Palestine claimed sovereignty over a disputed region consisting of three Israeli-occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Palestine was a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly. The Palestinian National Authority was an interim administrative body that exercised limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Gaza was under the control of Hamas.
Panama – Republic of Panama Capital: Panama City	Widely recognized UN member state.
Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea Capital: Port Moresby	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Papua New Guinea had one autonomous region, Bougainville.
Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay Capital: Asunción	Widely recognized UN member state.
Peru – Republic of Peru Capital: Lima	Widely recognized UN member state.
Philippines – Republic of the Philippines Capital: Manila	Widely recognized UN member state. The Philippines had one autonomous region, Bangsamoro. The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claimed sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah.
Poland – Republic of Poland Capital: Warsaw	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Portugal – Portuguese Republic Capital: Lisbon	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal claimed the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga.
Q
Qatar – State of Qatar Capital: Doha	Widely recognized UN member state.
R
Romania Capital: Bucharest	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Russia – Russian Federation Capital: Moscow	Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Russia was a federation of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, 9 krais, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands was disputed by Japan and its claim over Crimea, Donetsk Oblast, Kherson Oblast, Luhansk Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast was disputed by Ukraine.
Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda Capital: Kigali	Widely recognized UN member state.
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Capital: Basseterre	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis was a federation of fourteen parishes on two islands. It had one autonomous island, Nevis.
Saint Lucia Capital: Castries	Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Capital: Kingstown	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Samoa – Independent State of Samoa Capital: Apia	Widely recognized UN member state.
San Marino – Republic of San Marino Capital: San Marino	Widely recognized UN member state.
São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe Capital: São Tomé	Widely recognized UN member state; São Tomé and Príncipe had one autonomous province, Príncipe.
Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh	Widely recognized UN member state.
Senegal – Republic of Senegal Capital: Dakar	Widely recognized UN member state.
Serbia – Republic of Serbia Capital: Belgrade	Widely recognized UN member state. Serbia claimed two autonomous provinces, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija, with the latter controlled by a partially-recognized de facto independent state.
Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles Capital: Victoria	Widely recognized UN member state. The Seychelles claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone Capital: Freetown	Widely recognized UN member state.
Singapore – Republic of Singapore Capital: Singapore	Widely recognized UN member state.
Slovakia – Slovak Republic Capital: Bratislava	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Solomon Islands Capital: Honiara	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia Capital: Mogadishu	Widely recognized UN member state. Several autonomous regional governments existed in the de jure territory of Somalia. Although these states did not claim independence from Somalia, they were de facto self-governing: Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a al-Shabaab Galmudug Himan and Heeb Jubaland/Azania Puntland There were also areas of the country that at various times had no effective government at all, or which were ruled by local clans. In addition, one state, Somaliland, had declared and established de facto independence from Somalia.
South Africa – Republic of South Africa Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan Capital: Juba	Widely recognized UN member state. South Sudan was a federation of 10 states. It disputed Abyei with Sudan.
Spain – Kingdom of Spain Capital: Madrid	Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Spain was divided into seventeen autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Its sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla and Peñón de Alhucemas was disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga was disputed by Portugal. It claimed the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.
Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Sudan – Republic of the Sudan Capital: Khartoum	Widely recognized UN member state; Sudan was a federation of 18 states. Sovereignty over Abyei was disputed with South Sudan.
Suriname – Republic of Suriname Capital: Paramaribo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Swaziland → Eswatini
Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden Capital: Stockholm	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Switzerland – Swiss Confederation Capital: Bern	Widely recognized UN member state. Switzerland was a federation of 26 cantons.
Syria – Syrian Arab Republic Capital: Damascus	Widely recognized UN member state. Syria included the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Israel. It disputed the Turkish sovereignty over Hatay Province. The government of the Syrian Arab Republic was widely viewed as the legitimate authority of Syria, though control of its territory transferred between multiple groups during the Syrian civil war.
T
Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan Capital: Dushanbe	Widely recognized UN member state; Tajikistan had one autonomous province, Gorno-Badakhshan.
Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania Capital: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state; Tanzania had one autonomous region, Zanzibar.
Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand Capital: Bangkok	Widely recognized UN member state.
Timor-Leste → East Timor
Togo – Togolese Republic Capital: Lomé	Widely recognized UN member state.
Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga Capital: Nuku'alofa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Capital: Port of Spain	Widely recognized UN member state; Trinidad and Tobago had one autonomous island, Tobago.
Tunisia – Tunisian Republic Capital: Tunis	Widely recognized UN member state.
Turkey – Republic of Türkiye Capital: Ankara	Widely recognized UN member state.
Turkmenistan Capital: Ashgabat	Widely recognized UN member state.
Tuvalu Capital: Funafuti	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
U
Uganda – Republic of Uganda Capital: Kampala	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ukraine Capital: Kyiv	Widely recognized UN member state; Ukraine had one autonomous republic, Crimea. Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were under de facto Russian control, and Donetsk Oblast, Kherson Oblast, Luhansk Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast were claimed by Russia beginning in 2022.
United Arab Emirates Capital: Abu Dhabi	Widely recognized UN member state; the United Arab Emirates was a federation of seven emirates.
United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Capital: London	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (to 31 January 2020). The United Kingdom was composed of four "countries": England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It had sovereignty over the following British overseas territories: Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) British Indian Ocean Territory (disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles) British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands (disputed by Argentina) Gibraltar (disputed by Spain) Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (disputed by Argentina) Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Turks and Caicos Islands In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies: Guernsey, with two dependencies: Alderney Sark Isle of Man Jersey
United States – United States of America Capital: Washington, DC	Widely recognized UN member state. The United States was a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It asserted sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas: American Samoa (including Swains Island, which was disputed by Tokelau) Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands It also had sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories, which are sometimes designated for statistical purposes as the United States Minor Outlying Islands: Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island (claims by Haiti) Wake Island (claims by the Marshall Islands) The United States claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla was disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo was disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States.
Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay Capital: Montevideo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan Capital: Tashkent	Widely recognized UN member state. Uzbekistan had one autonomous republic, Karakalpakstan.
V
Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu Capital: Port Vila	Widely recognized UN member state.
Vatican City – Vatican City State Capital: Vatican City	Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City was administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity recognized by a large number of countries and a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly. The Holy See also administered a number of extraterritorial properties in Italy. The Pope was the ex officio head of state of Vatican City.
Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Capital: Caracas	Widely recognized UN member state. Venezuela was a federation of 23 states, one federal dependency, and one federal district.
Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam Capital: Hanoi	Widely recognized UN member state. Vietnam claimed sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by China and Taiwan) and Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
Y
Yemen – Republic of Yemen Capital: Sana'a	Widely recognized UN member state. It faced two civil wars: The Islamist, Iranian-backed Houthi movement The socialist, UAE-backed Southern Movement
Z
Zambia – Republic of Zambia Capital: Lusaka	Widely recognized UN member state.
Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe Capital: Harare	Widely recognized UN member state.

Non-UN members or observers

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia Capital: Sukhumi	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Georgia.
Artsakh – Republic of Artsakh (to 1 January 2024) Capital: Stepanakert	De facto self-governing entity (to 1 January 2024). It was not recognized by any other state and was claimed by Azerbaijan.
Cook Islands Capital: Avarua	A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by Japan, Netherlands, and China. The Cook Islands was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.
Donetsk – Donetsk People's Republic (to 4 October 2022) Capital: Donetsk	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Donetsk Oblast.
Kherson (from 29 September 2022 to 4 October 2022) Capital: Kherson	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as the Kherson Oblast.
Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo Capital: Pristina	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija under UN administration
Luhansk – Luhansk People's Republic (to 4 October 2022) Capital: Luhansk	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Luhansk Oblast.
Niue Capital: Alofi	A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China. Niue was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.
Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Capital: Lefkoşa	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Cyprus.
Sahrawi – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Capital: Tifariti (temporary), El Aaiún (claimed)	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which was under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claimed by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Tindouf, Algeria.
Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland Capital: Hargeisa	De facto self-governing entity. It was not recognized by any other state and was claimed by Somalia.
South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia Capital: Tskhinvali	Partially-recognized de facto independent state. Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia.
Taiwan – Republic of China Capital: Taipei (seat of government)	Partially-recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba (collectively known as the "free area"). Territories controlled by the Republic of China were claimed by the People's Republic of China.
Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Capital: Tiraspol	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Moldova.
Zaporozhye (from 29 September 2022 to 4 October 2022) Capital: Melitopol (temporary), Zaporozhye (claimed)	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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

See also

• List of sovereign states by year
• List of state leaders in 2020
• List of state leaders in 2021
• List of state leaders in 2022
• List of state leaders in 2023