List of sovereign states in the 1990s (Redirected from List of sovereign states in 1998)

This is a list of sovereign states in the 1990s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1999. It contains 241 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 197 widely recognized sovereign states, 28 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto dependencies of other powers by the general international community, 2 associated states, 14 states which were initially unrecognized but then gained full recognition later in the decade, and 1 state which was initially widely recognized but then lost full recognition later in the decade.[clarification needed]

Members or observers of the United Nations

Name and capital city Information on status and recognition of sovereignty

A


Afghanistan
Capital: Kabul (to 26 September 1996), Mazar-i-Sharif (from 26 September 1996 to 25 May 1997), Taloqan (from 25 May 1997)
Widely recognized UN member state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Afghanistan and recognized as such by the UN, but only controlled a small portion of the country after 26 September 1996.

 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 independent state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. UN member state (from 28 July 1993). The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.

 Angola
Capital: Luanda
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Antigua and Barbuda
Capital: St. John's
Widely recognized UN member state; 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 22 provinces, two federal territories, and one federal territory. 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 (from 23 September 1991)
Capital: Yerevan
De facto independent state; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized (from 26 December 1991). UN member state (from 2 March 1992).

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

 Austria – Republic of Austria
Capital: Vienna
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (from 1 January 1995). Austria was a federation of nine states.

 Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan (from 30 August 1991)
Capital: Baku
De facto independent state; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized state from 26 December 1991; UN member state from 2 March 1992. Azerbaijan had one autonomous republic, Nakhchivan. It included the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic declared independence on 6 January 1992.

B


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

Bahrain – State 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.

 Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
Capital: Brussels
Widely recognized UN member state. EEC member to 1 November 1993; EU member from 1 November 1993. Belgium was a federation of three communities and three regions.

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

 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. Bhutan was officially guided by India in its foreign affairs, but effectively pursued an independent foreign policy.

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

 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Capital: Sarajevo
De facto independent state. Claimed by Yugoslavia (to 28 April 1992). Widely recognized (from 7 April 1992). UN member state (from 22 May 1992). Much of the de jure territory of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the under control of the following self-declared entities which, although they did not claim independence, were effectively self-governing:

In addition, there were three states which had declared and established de facto independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina: Republika Srpska (from 7 April 1992 to 14 December 1995) and Republic of Western Bosnia (from 26 July 1995 to 7 August 1995). After the Dayton Accords, 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. There was also a neutral Brčko District (from 5 March 1999).


 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 – State 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
Capital: Sofia
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Burkina Faso
Capital: Ouagadougou
Widely recognized UN member state.

Burma → Myanmar

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

Byelorussia / Belarus
Capital: Minsk
Widely recognized UN member state. De facto independent state that was nominally a constituent state of the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991; widely recognized from 26 December 1991.

C


Cambodia → Kampuchea

 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 Cape 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; it had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory which 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 five autonomous regions: Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet. Additionally, it had sovereignty over two special administrative regions:

The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, 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 Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States)

 Comoros – Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Capital: Moroni
Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros was a federation of three islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Anjouan was a de facto independent state from 3 August 1997. Mohéli was a de facto independent state from 11 August 1997 to 1998. Comoros claimed sovereignty over the French overseas territories of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. It also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and France).

Congo / Congo, Republic of the
Capital: Brazzaville
  • People's Republic of the Congo (to 10 June 1991)
  • Republic of the Congo (from 10 June 1991)
Widely recognized UN member state.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the → Zaire

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

Côte d'Ivoire → Ivory Coast

 Croatia – Republic of Croatia (from 25 June 1991)
Capital: Zagreb
De facto independent state. Claimed by Yugoslavia (to 28 April 1992). Widely recognized (from 15 January 1992). UN member state (from 22 May 1992). Croatia contained the following self-declared entities, all of which claimed to be part of Yugoslavia. Although they did not explicitly claim independence, they were de facto self-governing:

On 15 January 1996, the last of these entities came under the administration of the United Nations Transitional Authority for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium. It was reintegrated into Croatia on 15 January 1998.


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

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

 Czech Republic (from 1 January 1993)
Capital: Prague
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 19 January 1993).

Czechoslovakia
Capital: Prague
Widely recognized UN member state. Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics.

D


 Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
Capital: Copenhagen
Widely recognized UN member state; EEC member to 1 November 1993. EU member (from 1 November 1993). The Danish Realm also included two of its constituent states:

 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


 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 (from 24 May 1993)
Capital: Asmara
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 28 May 1993).

 Estonia – Republic of Estonia (from 20 August 1991)
Capital: Tallinn
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 6 September 1991. Widely recognized state from 6 September 1991; UN member state from 17 September 1991.

 Ethiopia
Capital: Addis Ababa
Widely recognized UN member state. The province of Eritrea was under the control of a self-governing provisional government from 29 May 1991 to 23 May 1993. After 1995, Ethiopia was a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.

F


 Fiji
Capital: Suva
  • Republic of Fiji (to 25 July 1990)
  • Sovereign Democratic Republic of Fiji (from 25 July 1990 to 27 July 1998)
  • Republic of the Fiji Islands (from 27 July 1998)
Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.

 Finland – Republic of Finland
Capital: Helsinki
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (from 1 January 1995). Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region:

 France – French Republic
Capital: Paris
Widely recognized UN member state. EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993). France included four overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories:

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
  • Republic of Georgia (from 9 April 1991 to 24 August 1995)
  • Georgia (from 24 August 1995)
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union until 26 December 1991. Widely recognized sovereign state from 26 December 1991; UN member state from 31 July 1992. Georgia had two autonomous republics: Adjara and Abkhazia. The latter republic was effectively self-governing from 30 September 1993 to 12 October 1999. After 12 October 1999, it was home to a de facto independent state. Georgia also included the disputed region of South Ossetia, where an unrecognized recognized breakaway republic declared independence on 29 May 1992.

 Germany, East – German Democratic Republic (to 2 October 1990)
Capital: East Berlin (disputed)
Widely recognized UN member state.

Germany, West / Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
Capital: Bonn (to 20 June 1991, seat of government to 1999), Berlin (official, from 20 June 1991)
Widely recognized UN member state. EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993). 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; EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993). 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 came 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 and it was 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 United States possession of Navassa Island.

Holy See → Vatican City

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

 Hungary – Republic of Hungary
Capital: Budapest
Widely recognized UN member state.

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-five states and seven union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet was disputed by China; India administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

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

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

 Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
  • Iraqi Republic (until 6 January 1992)
  • Republic of Iraq (from 6 January 1992)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Ireland
Capital: Dublin
Widely recognized UN member state; EEC member to 1 November 1993. EU member from 1 November 1993.

 Israel – State of Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
Widely recognized UN member state. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip the Golan Heights, the Israeli Security Zone in Southern Lebanon, 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; EEC member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions and they were the 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. Japan claimed the Liancourt Rocks, which were controlled by South Korea.

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

K


Kampuchea / Cambodia
Capital: Phnom Penh
Widely recognized UN member state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Cambodia, despite being in exile until 15 March 1992.

 Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan (from 16 December 1991)
Capital: Alma-Ata (to 10 December 1997, renamed Almaty in 1993), Aqmola (from 10 December 1997, renamed Astana in 1998)
De facto independent state; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized state from 26 December 1991; UN member state from 2 March 1992.

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

 Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
Capital: South Tarawa
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 14 September 1999).

 Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Capital: Pyongyang
Widely recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN (to 17 September 1991). UN member state (from 17 September 1991). Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.

 Korea, South – Republic of Korea
Capital: Seoul
Widely recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN (to 17 September 1991). UN member state (from 17 September 1991). Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea. South Korea controlled the Liancourt Rocks, which were claimed by Japan.

 Kuwait – State of Kuwait (to 8 August 1990, from 27 February 1991)
Capital: Kuwait City
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Kyrgyzstan
Capital: Bishkek
  • Republic of Kyrgyzstan (from 31 August 1991 to 5 May 1993)
  • Kyrgyz Republic (from 5 May 1993)
De facto independent state; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized state from 26 December 1991; UN member state from 2 March 1992.

L


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

 Latvia – Republic of Latvia (from 21 August 1991)
Capital: Riga
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 6 September 1991; widely recognized state from 6 September 1991 and UN member state from 17 September 1991.

 Lebanon – Lebanese Republic
Capital: Beirut
Widely recognized UN member state. Lebanon was occupied by Syria. Some of Southern Lebanon was occupied by Israel.

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

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

Libya – Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Capital: Tripoli, Libya
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
Capital: Vaduz
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 18 September 1990). The defense of Liechtenstein was the responsibility of Switzerland.

 Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania (from 11 March 1990)
Capital: Vilnius
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 6 September 1991. Widely recognized state from 6 September 1991; UN member state from 17 September 1991.

 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Capital: Luxembourg
Widely recognized UN member state. EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993).

M


Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia (from 8 September 1991)
Capital: Skopje
De facto independent state claimed by Yugoslavia to 28 April 1992. Widely recognized UN member state from 8 April 1993.

 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, from 1999)
Widely recognized UN member state. Malaysia was a federation of thirteen states and two federal territories. Malaysia claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, 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.

 Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
Capital: Majuro
Widely recognized state under a Compact of Free Association with the United States; UN member state (from 17 September 1991). The Marshall Islands claimed the United States territory of Wake Island.

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

 Mauritius
Capital: Port Louis
Widely recognized UN member state. Commonwealth realm (to 12 March 1992). Mauritius had three dependencies: Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos and Rodrigues. 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.

 Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
Capital: Palikir
Widely recognized state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. UN member state (from 17 September 1991). The FSM was a federation of four states.

Moldova – Republic of Moldova (from 27 August 1991)
Capital: Chișinău
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991; widely recognized state from 26 December 1991 and UN member state from 2 March 1992. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units and they were Gagauzia and Transnistria. Both units (only Transnistria after 14 January 1995) were home to de facto independent statelets.

 Monaco – Principality of Monaco
Capital: Monaco
Widely recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN (to 28 May 1993). UN member state (from 28 May 1993). The defense of Monaco was the responsibility of France.

 Mongolia
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Widely recognized UN member state.

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

 Mozambique
Capital: Maputo
Widely recognized UN member state.

Myanmar – Union of Myanmar
Capital: Yangon
Widely recognized UN member state.

N


 Namibia – Republic of Namibia (from 21 March 1990)
Capital: Windhoek
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 23 April 1990).

 Nauru – Republic of Nauru
Capital: Yaren (unofficial)
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 14 September 1999). The defense of Nauru was the responsibility of Australia.

Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal
Capital: Kathmandu
Widely recognized UN member state.

 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 three autonomous countries:

The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole was a member of the EEC (to 1 November 1993) and the EU (from 1 November 1993), but Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles were not.


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

It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories:

The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand did not recognize this claim.


 Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
Capital: Managua
Widely recognized UN member state.

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

 Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
Capital: Lagos (to 12 December 1991), Abuja (from 12 December 1991)
Widely recognized UN member state. Nigeria was a federation of 36 states and one federal territory.

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

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 Northern Areas.

 Palau – Republic of Palau (from 1 October 1994)
Capital: Koror
Widely recognized state under Compact of Free Association with the United States; UN member state from 15 December 1994.

 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.

 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: Muslim Mindanao. 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 the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah.

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

 Portugal – Portuguese Republic
Capital: Lisbon
Widely recognized UN member state. EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993). Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal had one Chinese territory which it administered as a dependency:
  • Macau (to 19 December 1999)

Portugal claimed sovereignty over the former colony of Portuguese Timor (which had been annexed by Indonesia) until 25 October 1999. It also 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.

 Russia – Russian Federation (from 26 December 1991)
Capital: Moscow
Widely recognized UN member state from 26 December 1991. Russia was a federation of 21 republics, 49 oblasts, 6 krais, 2 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 10 autonomous okrugs. One of those republics, Tatarstan, declared state sovereignty on 6 November 1992 and was effectively self-governing until 15 February 1994.

 Rwanda – Rwandese Republic
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 within two islands. Nevis (which was one of the islands) had autonomy.

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

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

Samoa → Western Samoa

 San Marino – Republic of San Marino
Capital: San Marino
Widely recognized independent state; UN member state from 2 March 1992.

 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 and it was Príncipe (from 29 April 1995).

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

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

 Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
Capital: Victoria
Widely recognized UN member state; the Seychelles claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territories of Tromelin Island and the Glorioso Islands.

 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 (from 1 January 1993)
Capital: Bratislava
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 19 January 1993).

 Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia (from 25 June 1991)
Capital: Ljubljana
De facto independent state claimed by Yugoslavia (to 28 April 1992). Widely recognized (from 15 January 1992); UN member state (from 22 May 1992).

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

 Somalia
Capital: Mogadishu
  • Somali Democratic Republic (to 26 January 1991)
  • Somali Republic (from 26 January 1991 to 18 November 1991)
  • Somalia (from 18 November 1991)
Widely recognized UN member state. Somalia's internationally recognized government did not exercise full control over the country from 26 January 1991 to 18 November 1991. After 18 November 1991, Somalia did not have any recognized central government. Many areas of the country had no effective government at all or were ruled by local clans. During this period, Somalia included one state which was de facto self-governing (although it did not claim independence from Somalia):
  • Jubaland (from 3 September 1998 to 11 June 1999)

In addition, there were two states which had declared and established de facto independence from Somalia: Puntland (from 1 August 1998), and Somaliland (from 18 May 1991).


 South Africa – Republic of South Africa
Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
Widely recognized UN member state. South Africa had six autonomous "bantustans": Gazankulu, KaNgwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, Lebowa, and QwaQwa. There were also four bantustans which were nominally independent: Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, and Venda. All ten bantustans were formally abolished when a new constitution took effect on 27 April 1994. South Africa administered one League of Nations mandate:

 Soviet Union – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (to 26 December 1991)
Capital: Moscow
Widely recognized UN member state. The Soviet Union was a federation of 15 republics, two of which (Byelorussia and Ukraine) were UN members in their own right.

 Spain – Kingdom of Spain
Capital: Madrid
Widely recognized UN member state; EEC member (to 1 November 1993). EU member (from 1 November 1993); 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
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
Capital: Khartoum
Widely recognized UN member state. After 1991, Sudan was a federation of 30 states.

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

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

 Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
Capital: Stockholm
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (from 1 January 1995).

  Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
Capital: Bern
Widely recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN. 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.

T


 Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan (from 9 September 1991)
Capital: Dushanbe
De facto independent state; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized (from 26 December 1991). UN member state (from 2 March 1992). Tajikistan had one autonomous province: Gorno-Badakhshan.

 Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
Capital: Dar es Salaam (to February 1996, seat of government from February 1996), Dodoma (official, from February 1996)
Widely recognized UN member state; Tanzania had one autonomous region and it was Zanzibar.

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

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

 Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
Capital: Nukuʻalofa
Widely recognized independent state; UN member state (from 14 September 1999).

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

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

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

 Turkmenistan (from 27 October 1991)
Capital: Ashgabat
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991; widely recognized state from 26 December 1991 and UN member state from 2 March 1992.

U


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

Ukraine
Capital: Kyiv
Widely recognized UN member state; constituent republic within the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991. Widely recognized (from 26 December 1991); Ukraine had one autonomous republic and it was Crimea.

 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; EEC member (to 1 November 1993) and EU member (from 1 November 1993). The United Kingdom was composed of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It had sovereignty over 16 dependent territories: The following are..

In addition, the British Monarch had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:


 United States – United States of America
Capital: Washington, D.C.
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:

The United States administered one United Nations Trust Territory:


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

 Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan (from 31 August 1991)
Capital: Tashkent
De facto independent state claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991; widely recognized state from 26 December 1991 and UN member state from 2 March 1992. Uzbekistan had one autonomous region (or "republic") and it was 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 permanent observer at the United Nations. 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
Capital: Caracas
Widely recognized UN member state. Venezuela was a federation of 23 states, three territories, 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 the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia).

W


 Western Samoa / Samoa
Capital: Apia
  • Independent State of Western Samoa (to 4 July 1997)
  • Independent State of Samoa (from 4 July 1997)
Widely recognized UN member state.

Y


 Yemen – Republic of Yemen (from 22 May 1990)
Capital: Sana'a
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Yemen, North – Yemen Arab Republic (to 22 May 1990)
Capital: Sana'a
Widely recognized UN member state.

 Yemen, South
Capital: Aden
Widely recognized UN member state (to 22 May 1990). De facto independent state (from 7 July 1994). Claimed by Yemen. (from 7 July 1994).

Yugoslavia – Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (to 27 April 1992)
Capital: Belgrade
Widely recognized independent state and UN member state to 27 April 1992. Yugoslavia was a federation of six republics, four of which (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia) declared independence in 1991 and 1992. The two remaining republics, Montenegro and Serbia, established the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on 27 April 1992. It claimed to continue Yugoslavia's international personality, but this claim was not widely recognized.

Z


Zaire / Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Capital: Kinshasa
  • Republic of Zaire (to 17 May 1997)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo (from 17 May 1997)
Widely recognized UN member state.

 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

Widely-recognized

Name and capital city Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
 Serbia and Montenegro – Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (from 27 April 1992)
Capital: Belgrade
Widely recognized independent state from 27 April 1992. Serbia and Montenegro was a federation of two republics, Montenegro and Serbia. Serbia and Montenegro claimed to continue Yugoslavia's international personality, but this claim was not widely recognized. Serbia itself included two autonomous provinces, which were Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The latter province was under the administration of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo from 10 June 1999.

 Tuvalu
Capital: Funafuti
Widely recognized independent state and Commonwealth realm.

Others

Name and capital city Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
 Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia (from 25 August 1990)
Capital: Sukhumi
De facto independent state not recognized by any other state; claimed by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.

Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate of (from 26 September 1996)
Capital: Kabul
Partially-recognized de facto independent state; claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Afghanistan, but this was not recognized by the UN or most countries.

 Anjouan – State of Anjouan (from 3 August 1997)
Capital: Mutsamudu
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Comoros.

 Bophuthatswana – Republic of Bophuthatswana (to 13 March 1994)
Capital: Mmabatho
Nominally independent South African bantustan.

 Bougainville – Republic of Bougainville (from 17 May 1990 to 24 December 1998)
Capital: Arawa
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Papua New Guinea.

Cambodia, State of (to 15 March 1992)
Capital: Phnom Penh
Partially recognized de facto independent state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Cambodia.

 Chechnya
Capital: Grozny (renamed Dzhokhar-Ghala in 1996)
  • Chechen Republic (from 1 November 1991 to 12 March 1992)
  • Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (from 12 March 1992)
Partially recognized de facto independent state; claimed by Russia as the Republic of Chechnya.

 Ciskei – Republic of Ciskei (to 13 March 1994)
Capital: Bisho
Nominally independent South African bantustan.

 Cook Islands
Capital: Avarua
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China (from 25 July 1997). 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.

Gagauzia – Gagauz Republic (from 19 August 1990 to 14 January 1995)
Capital: Comrat
De facto independent state; not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Soviet Union until 26 December 1991 and by Moldova from 27 August 1991 to 14 January 1995.

Mindanao – Federal Republic of Mindanao (from 4 October to 6 October 1990)
Capital: Cagayan de Oro (de facto)
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Philippines.

Mohéli – Democratic Republic of Mohéli (from 11 August 1997)
Capital: Fomboni
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Comoros.

 Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (from 6 January 1992)
Capital: Stepanakert
De facto independent state; not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Azerbaijan.

 Niue
Capital: Alofi
A state in free association with New Zealand. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It had shared citizenship with New Zealand.

 Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Capital: Lefkoşa
Partially recognized de facto independent state, recognized only by Turkey. Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus.

 Palestine – State of Palestine
Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claimed)
Disputed region consisting of three occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. The declared State of Palestine, which claimed independence for all the Palestinian territories, was recognized by a large number of countries. In foreign relations, Palestine was represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was a permanent observer at the United Nations. The Palestinian National Authority (established on 4 May 1994) was an interim administrative body that exercised limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Puntland – Puntland State of Somalia (from 1 August 1998)
Capital: Garowe
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Somalia.

 Republika Srpska
Capital: Banja Luka
  • Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (from 7 April 1992 to 12 August 1992)
  • Republika Srpska (from 12 August 1992 to 14 December 1995)
De facto independent state until 14 December 1995 not recognized by any other state; claimed by Bosnia and Herzegovina and recognized as such by the UN.

 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Capital: Bir Lehlou (official), Rabouni (seat of government-in-exile), El Aaiún (claimed)
Partially recognized de facto independent state. 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 at Tindouf in Algeria.

 Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland (from 18 May 1991)
Capital: Hargeisa
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Somalia.

 South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia (from 29 May 1992)
Capital: Tskhinvali
De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Georgia.

 Taiwan – Republic of China
Capital: Taipei (seat of government), Nanjing (claimed, to late 1990s)
Partially recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba. The Republic of China had territorial claims over Mongolia; the Russian republic of Tuva; the Sixty-Four Villages East of the River (administered by Russia); The majority of Gorno-Badakhshan (administered by Tajikistan); The eastern tip of the Wakhan Corridor (administered by Afghanistan); a small portion of Gilgit-Baltistan (administered by Pakistan and part of the disputed Kashmir region); Aksai Chin (administered by the People's Republic of China and part of the disputed Kashmir region); eastern Bhutan; South Tibet (controlled by India); and Kachin State (administered by Myanmar).

 Tamil Eelam
Capital: Trincomalee
Unrecognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Sri Lanka.

 Tatarstan – Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic (from 6 November 1992 to 15 February 1994)
Capital: Kazan
De facto independent state. De facto part of the Russian Federation since 15 February 1994. De jure since March 2002.

 Transkei – Republic of Transkei (to 27 April 1994)
Capital: Umtata
Nominally independent South African bantustan (until 27 April 1994).

 Transnistria
Capital: Tiraspol
De facto independent state not recognized by any other country; claimed by the Soviet Union to 26 December 1991 and Moldova from 27 August 1991.

 Venda – Republic of Venda (to 27 April 1994)
Capital: Thohoyandou
Nominally independent South African bantustan.

Western Bosnia – Republic of Western Bosnia (from 26 July 1995 to 7 August 1995) De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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 had 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.
  •  East Timor was occupied and administered by Indonesia until October 1999 as Timor Timur, but this was not recognized by the United Nations, which considered it to be Portuguese territory under Indonesian occupation. In October 1999, Indonesia relinquished control over the territory to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, which took over responsibility for it.
  •  Estonia was a part of the Soviet Union until August 1991, but its annexation was not widely recognized. A government in exile claimed independence for Estonia until 15 September 1992, but aside from its embassies in the West it controlled no territory.
  • The European Union was a sui generis supranational organisation which had 12 (later 15) member states. It was established on 1 November 1993. The member states had transferred a measure of their legislative, executive, and judicial powers to the institutions of the EU, and as such the EU had some elements of sovereignty, without generally being considered a sovereign state. The European Union did not claim to be a sovereign state and had only limited capacity for relations with other states.
  • Kosovo was a territory that was nominally part of Serbia and Montenegro, but after 10 June 1999 came under United Nations administration as part of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.
  •  Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991, but its annexation was not widely recognized. A government in exile claimed independence for Latvia until 21 August 1991, but aside from its embassies in the West it controlled no territory.
  •  Lithuania was a part of the Soviet Union until 1990, but its annexation was not widely recognized. Stasys Lozoraitis Jr. claimed independence for Lithuania until 6 September 1991, but aside from its embassies in the West it controlled no territory.
  • The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was an entity claiming sovereignty and (from 24 August 1994) 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. 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 United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor was a transitional non-independent territory governed by the United Nations. It was neither sovereign nor under the sovereignty of any other state. It was established on 25 October 1999, following the end of the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.
  • West Berlin was a political enclave that was closely aligned with – but not actually a part of – West Germany. It consisted of three occupied sectors administered by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. West Berlin was incorporated into the reunified Germany on 3 October 1990.

See also


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