List of predecessors of sovereign states in Asia

This is a list of all present sovereign states in Asia and their predecessors. The boundaries of Asia are culturally determined, as there is no clear geographical separation between it and Europe, which together form one continuous landmass called Eurasia. The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal, the Ural River, and the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains (or the Kuma–Manych Depression) and the Caspian and Black Seas.^[1][2]

Sovereign state	Predecessors
Afghanistan	Durrani Empire (1747–1826) Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926) Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973) Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978) Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992) (renamed as "Republic of Afghanistan" in 1987)[3] Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (1992–2001) & Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) (Taliban-ruled state)[4] Afghan Interim Administration (2001–2002) (provisional government) Afghan Transitional Administration (2002–2004) (provisional government)  Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–present)
Armenia	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) (Armenia participation 1586–1828) Russian Empire (1721–1917) (Armenian participation from 1828) Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (1918) First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920) Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1920–1922) Federative Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia (1922–1936) (republic of the Soviet Union) Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–1991) (republic of the Soviet Union)  Republic of Armenia (1991–present)
Azerbaijan	Kara Koyunlu (1375–1468) Aq Qoyunlu (1378–1501) Safavid Empire (1501–1736) Russian Empire (1813–1917) Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (1918) Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920) Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1920–1922) Federative Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia (1922–1936) (republic of the Soviet Union) Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic[5] (1936–1991) (republic of the Soviet Union)  Republic of Azerbaijan (1991–present)
Bahrain	Kingdom of Bahrain (1783–present) (British protectorate 1800–1971)
Bangladesh	Company rule in India (1757–1858) British India (1858–1947) Dominion of Pakistan (1947–1956) Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1956–1971) (as East Pakistan)[6]  People's Republic of Bangladesh (1971–present)
Bhutan	Kingdom of Bhutan (1907–present)
Brunei	Bruneian Empire (7th Century–1888) Protectorate of Brunei (1888–1984)  Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (1984–present)
Cambodia	French Protectorate of Cambodia (1863–1953) (member of French Indochina 1887–1953) French Indochina (1887–1946) (federation of existing French colonies) Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970) Khmer Republic (1970–1975) Democratic Kampuchea (1975–1979) People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979–1989) State of Cambodia (1989–1993) & United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (1992–1993)  Kingdom of Cambodia (1993–present)
China	Mongol Empire (1206–1368) & Great Yuan[7] (1271–1368)  Great Ming (1368–1644) Great Qing[8] (1664–1912) Republic of China (1912–1927) Republic of China (1927–1949) (ROC located on Taiwan since 1949)  People's Republic of China (1949–present)
Cyprus	Vilayet of the Archipelago (1867–1912) (vilayet of the Ottoman Empire) Crown Colony of Cyprus (1914–1960)  Republic of Cyprus (1960–present)
Georgia	Kingdom of Iberia (302 BC–580 AD) Principality of Iberia (588–1008) Kingdom of Georgia (1008–1490) Kingdom of Kartli (1490–1762) Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (1762–1800) Russian Empire (1721–1917) (Georgian participation from 1800) Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (1918) Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921) Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1921–1922) (republic of the Soviet Union) Federative Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of Transcaucasia (1922–1936) (republic of the Soviet Union) Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–1991) (republic of the Soviet Union)  Georgia (1991–present)
India	Company rule in India (1757–1858) British India (1858–1947) Dominion of India (1947–1950)  Republic of India (1950–present)
Indonesia	Dutch East India Company in Indonesia (1603–1800) Dutch East Indies (1800–1949) Republic of the United States of Indonesia (1949–1950) (autonomous republic of the Netherlands) & Netherlands New Guinea (1949–1962)  Republic of Indonesia (1950–present)
Iran	Durrani Empire (1747–1826) Sublime State of Persia (1785–1925) Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979) (renamed from "Imperial State of Persia" in 1935)  Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present)
Iraq	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration (1920–1932) Kingdom of Iraq (1932–1958) Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan (1958) Iraqi Republic (1958–1968) Iraqi Republic (1968–2003) Coalition Provisional Authority (2003–2004)  Republic of Iraq (2004–present)
Israel	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (1917–1920) Mandatory Palestine (1920–1948)  State of Israel (1948–present)
Japan	Tokugawa Shogunate (1600–1868) & Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879) Empire of Japan (1868–1947) Occupation of Japan (1947–1952)  State of Japan (1952–present)
Jordan	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (1917–1920) Emirate of Transjordan (1921–1946)  Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (1946–present)
Kazakhstan	Golden Horde (1240s–1456) Kazakh Khanate (1456-1847)  Russian Empire (1735/1860–1919) Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1919–1993) (independent Kazakh state in 1936) Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–1991) (republic of the Soviet Union until 1991)  Republic of Kazakhstan[5] (1991–present)
Korea, North	Joseon (1392–1897) Korean Empire (1897-1910) Japanese Korea (1910–1945) People's Republic of Korea (1945–1946) (provisional government in Seoul, used as basis for modern North Korean politics) Soviet Civil Authority (1945–1946) Provisional People's Committee for North Korea (1946–1948)  Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1948–present)
Korea, South	Joseon (1392–1897) Korean Empire (1897-1910) Japanese Korea (1910–1945) People's Republic of Korea (1945–1946) (provisional government in Seoul, forcibly dissolved in the South by the United States in 1946) United States Army Military Government in Korea (1945–1948) Republic of Korea (1948-1960) Republic of Korea (1960-1961) Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (1961-1963) (military dictatorship) Republic of Korea (1963-1972) Republic of Korea (1972-1981) Republic of Korea (1981-1987)  Republic of Korea (1987–present)
Kuwait	State of Kuwait (1913–1990) Republic of Kuwait (1990) (puppet state of Ba'athist Iraq) Kuwait Governorate (1990-1991) (governorate of Ba'athist Iraq)  State of Kuwait (1990–present)
Kyrgyzstan	Russian Turkestan (1867–1918) (Krai of the Russian Empire) Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1924) (autonomous republic of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast (1924–1926) (autonomous oblast of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic (1926–1936) (autonomous republic of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–1991) (republic of the Soviet Union)  Republic of Kyrgyzstan (1991–present)
Laos	Kingdom of Lan Xang (1354–1707) Kingdom of Luang Phrabang (1707–1949), Kingdom of Champasak (1713–1904), & Kingdom of Siam (1782–1932), French Protectorate of Laos (1893–1953) (constituent of French Indochina) Kingdom of Laos (1947–1975) (French protectorate 1947–1953)  Laos People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)
Lebanon	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (1917–1920) State of Greater Lebanon (1920–1943) (constituent of the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon)  Lebanese Republic (1943–present)
Malaysia	Federated Malay States (1895–1946) & Unfederated Malay States (both British protectorates) Malayan Union (1946–1948) Federation of Malaya (1948–1963)  Malaysia (1963–present)
Maldives	Republic of Maldives (1965–present)
Mongolia	Mongol Empire (1206–1368) & Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)  Northern Yuan dynasty (1368–1635) Qing rule in Mongolia (1635–1911) Bogd Khaanate of Mongolia (1911–1924) (partly interrupted by the Chinese Occupation of Mongolia 1919–1921) Mongolian People's Republic (1924–1992)  Mongolia (1992–present)
Myanmar	Konbaung Dynasty (1752–1885) British India (1858–1947) Union of Burma (1948–1962) Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1962-1988) Union of Myanmar (1988-2011)  Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2011–present)
Nepal	Gorkha Kingdom (1743–1768) Kingdom of Nepal (1768–2008)    Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (2008–present)
Oman	Imamate of Oman (751–1970) (constituent of Sultanate of Muscat and Oman 1820–1970)  Sultanate of Oman (1970–present)
Pakistan	Company rule in India (1757–1858) British India (1858–1947) Dominion of Pakistan (1947–1956)  Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1956–present)
Palestine	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (1917–1920) Mandatory Palestine (1920–1948) All-Palestine Government (1948–1959), later Occupation of the Gaza Strip by Egypt (1959–1967) & Jordanian occupation of the West Bank (1948–1967) Israeli Military Governorate (1967–1981) Israeli Civil Administration (1981–1994) Palestinian National Authority (1994–2013)  State of Palestine (2013–present)
Philippines	Spanish East Indies (1565–1898) United States military government of the Philippine Islands (1898–1902) & Philippine Republic (1899–1901) Insular Government of the Philippine Islands (1901–1935) (territory of the United States) Commonwealth of the Philippines (1935–1946) Republic of the Philippines (1946–1972) Philippines under martial law (1972–1981) Republic of the Philippines (1981–1986)  Republic of the Philippines (1986–present)
Qatar	Protectorate of Qatar (1916-1971) (British protectorate)  State of Qatar (1971–present)
Russia	Grand Duchy of Moscow (1283–1547) Tsardom of Russia (1547–1721) Russian Empire (1721–1917) Russian Republic (1917) Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1917–1993) (republic of the Soviet Union 1922–1991)  Russian Federation (1993–present)
Saudi Arabia	Emirate of Jabal Shammar (1836–1921) & Emirate of Nejd and Hasa (1902–1921) Sultanate of Nejd (1921–1926)  Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd (1926–1932) (dual monarchy of Hejaz and Nejd)  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1932–present)
Singapore	Crown Colony of Singapore (1819–1826) Straits Settlements (1926–1946) Colony of Singapore (1946–1963) Singapore (1963–1965) (state of Malaysia)  Republic of Singapore (1965–present)
Sri Lanka	Jaffna Kingdom (1215–1624), Kingdom of Kotte (1412–1597), Kingdom of Kandy (1469–1815) & Kingdom of Sitawaka (1521–1594) Portuguese Ceylon (1505–1658) Dutch Ceylon (1656–1796) British Ceylon (1815–1948) Dominion of Ceylon (1948–1972)  Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (1972–present) (renamed from "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka" in 1978)
Syria	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923) Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (1917–1920) Alawite State (1920–1936) & Arab Kingdom of Syria (1920) Jabal Druze State (1921–1936) & State of Aleppo (1920–1924) and State of Damascus (1920–1924), later State of Syria (1924–1930) Syrian Republic (1930–1958) United Arab Republic (1958–1961)  Syrian Arab Republic (1961–present)
Tajikistan	Russian Turkestan (1867–1918) (Krai of the Russian Empire) Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1924) (autonomous republic of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1924–1929) (autonomous Soviet socialist republic of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic) Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (republic of the Soviet Union 1922–1991)  Republic of Tajikistan (1991–present)
Thailand	Kingdom of Siam (1782–1932) Kingdom of Thailand under military rule (1932–1973)  Kingdom of Thailand (1973–present)
Timor-Leste (East Timor)	Portuguese Timor (1702–1975) Timor Timur (1975–1999) (created during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor) United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (1999–2002)  Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (2002–present)
Turkey	Ottoman Empire (1299–1923)  Republic of Turkey (1923–present)
Turkmenistan	Russian Turkestan (1867–1918) (Krai of the Russian Empire) Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1924) (autonomous republic of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic), Khorezm People's Soviet Republic (1920–1925), Bukharan People's Soviet Republic (1920–1925) Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (republic of the Soviet Union 1922–1991)  Turkmenistan (1991–present)
United Arab Emirates	Trucial States (1820–1971) (British protectorate)  United Arab Emirates (1971–present)
Uzbekistan	Russian Turkestan (1867–1918) (Krai of the Russian Empire) Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1924) (autonomous republic of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic), Khorezm People's Soviet Republic (1920–1925), Bukharan People's Soviet Republic (1920–1925) Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (republic of the Soviet Union 1922–1991)  Republic of Uzbekistan (1991–present)
Vietnam	French Indochina (1887–1946) (federation of existing French colonies, Vietnamese constituents below) Colony of Cochinchina (1862–1949) Annam Protectorate (1884–1949) Tonkin Protectorate (1884–1949) State of Vietnam (1949–1955) (provisional government, official successor of French Indochina) Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) (1945–1976) & Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) (1955–1975), later Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (1976) (existed from 1969 as underground opposition to South Vietnam, later transitional government)  Socialist Republic of Vietnam (1976–present)
Yemen	Yemen Vilayet (1872–1918) (vilayet of the Ottoman Empire), later Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1962) & Aden Protectorate (1869–1963) Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) (1962–1990) & Federation of South Arabia (1963–1967), later People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) (1967–1990)  Republic of Yemen (1990–present)

See also

• List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia
• Succession of states

References

1. "Asia". eb.com, Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2006.
2. National Geographic Atlas of the World (7th ed.). Washington, DC: National Geographic. 1999. ISBN 978-0-7922-7528-2. "Europe" (pp. 68–9); "Asia" (pp. 90–1): "A commonly accepted division between Asia and Europe is formed by the Ural Mountains, Ural River, Caspian Sea, Caucasus Mountains, and the Black Sea with its outlets, the Bosporus and Dardanelles."
3. Maley, William (2009). The Afghanistan Wars: Second Edition. Twentieth-Century Wars 2. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 101. ISBN 9781137013613.
4. Marcin, Gary (1998). "The Taliban". King's College. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
5. ISO 3166-1 NEWSLETTER No. V-4 changed the official name of Azerbaijan from "Azerbaijani Republic" to "Republic of Azerbaijan" and changed the spelling of "Kazakstan" to "Kazakhstan".
6. Ben Cahoon, WorldStatesmen.org. "Bangladesh". Retrieved 23 March 2015.
7. "Civil Society in China: The Legal Framework from Ancient Times to the 'New Reform Era'", p39, note 69.
8. Yamamuro, Shin'ichi (2006). Manchuria Under Japanese Domination. Translated by Joshua A. Fogel. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-8122-3912-6. Retrieved 3 August 2015.