List of sovereign states in 1981

Internationally recognized sovereign states

A

• Afghanistan - Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, UN member State
• Albania – People's Socialist Republic of Albania, UN member State
•  Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, UN member State
•  Andorra – Principality of Andorra
• Angola – People's Republic of Angola, UN member State
• Antigua / Antigua and Barbuda
• Antigua (Associated state of the United Kingdom to 31 October)
• Antigua and Barbuda (from 1 November), UN member State from 11 November
•  Argentina – Argentine Republic, UN member State
•  Australia – Commonwealth of Australia, UN member State
•  Austria – Republic of Austria, UN member State

B

•  The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas, UN member State
• Bahrain – State of Bahrain, UN member State
•  Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh, UN member State
•  Barbados – UN member State
•  Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium, UN member State
•  Belize (from 21 September), UN member State from 25 September
• Benin - People's Republic of Benin, UN member State
•  Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan, UN member State
•  Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia, UN member State
•  Bophuthatswana – Republic of Bophuthatswana (nominally independent South African bantustan)
•  Botswana – Republic of Botswana, UN member State
•  Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil, UN member State
• Bulgaria - People's Republic of Bulgaria, UN member State

Burkina Faso Upper Volta

• Burma - Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, UN member State
•  Burundi - Republic of Burundi, UN member State

C

State of Cambodia Kampuchea, People's Republic of

•  Cameroon – United Republic of Cameroon, UN member State
•  Canada – Dominion of Canada, UN member State
•  Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde, UN member state
•  Central African Republic, UN member State
•  Chad – Republic of Chad, UN member State
•  Chile – Republic of Chile, UN member State
• People's Republic of China – UN member State
• Republic of China (partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Ciskei - Republic of Ciskei (nominally independent South African bantustan from 4 December)
•  Colombia – Republic of Colombia, UN member State
•  Comoros - Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros, UN member State
• Congo - People's Republic of Congo, UN member State
•  Cook Islands (A state in free association with New Zealand)
•  Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica, UN member State

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast

•  Cuba – Republic of Cuba, UN member State
•  Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus, UN member State
• Czechoslovakia - Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, UN member State

D

•  Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark, UN member State
• Derg - Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia, UN member State
•  Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti, UN member State
•  Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica, UN member State
•  Dominican Republic, UN member State

E

•  Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador, UN member State
•  Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt, UN member State
•  El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador, UN member State
•  Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea, UN member State

F

•  Fiji - Dominion of Fiji, UN member State
•  Finland – Republic of Finland, UN member State
•  France – French Republic, UN member State

G

•  Gabon – Gabonese Republic, UN member State
•  The Gambia – Republic of the Gambia, UN member State
•  East Germany – German Democratic Republic, UN member State
• West Germany - Federal Republic of Germany, UN member State
•  Ghana – Republic of Ghana, UN member State
•  Greece – Hellenic Republic, UN member State
•  Grenada - UN member State
•  Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala, UN member State
•  Guinea – Republic of Guinea, UN member State
•  Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau, UN member State
•  Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana, UN member State

H

•  Haiti – Republic of Haiti, UN member State

Holy See Vatican City

•  Honduras – Republic of Honduras, UN member State
• Hungary - Hungarian People's Republic, UN member State

I

•  Iceland – Republic of Iceland, UN member State
•  India – Republic of India, UN member State
•  Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia, UN member State
•  Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran, UN member State
• Iraq – Republic of Iraq, UN member State
•  Ireland – Republic of Ireland, UN member State
•  Israel – State of Israel, UN member State (wasn't recognized by 21 UN member States)
•  Italy – Italian Republic, UN member State
•  Ivory Coast - Republic of Ivory Coast, UN member State

J

•  Jamaica - Commonwealth of Jamaica, UN member State
•  Japan - UN member State
•  Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, UN member State

K

• Democratic Kampuchea - UN member State
• People's Republic of Kampuchea (De facto independent state)
•  Kenya – Republic of Kenya, UN member State
•  Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
• North Korea – Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Permanent observer at UN (wasn't recognized by 4 UN member States)
• South Korea – Republic of Korea, Permanent observer at UN (wasn't recognized by 3 UN member States at greatest extent)
•  Kuwait – State of Kuwait, UN member State

L

•  Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic, UN member State
•  Lebanon – Lebanese Republic, UN member State
•  Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho, UN member State
•  Liberia – Republic of Liberia, UN member State
• Libya – Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, UN member State
•  Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein, UN member State from 18 September
•  Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, UN member State

M

• Madagascar - Democratic Republic of Madagascar, UN member State
•  Malawi – Republic of Malawi, UN member state
•  Malaysia - UN member State
•  Maldives – Republic of Maldives, UN member State
•  Mali – Republic of Mali, UN member State
•  Malta – Republic of Malta, UN member State
•  Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania, UN member State
• Mauritius - UN member State
•  Mexico – United Mexican States, UN member State
•  Monaco – Principality of Monaco, Permanent observer at the UN
•  Mongolia – Mongolian People's Republic, UN member State
•  Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco, UN member State
• Mozambique - People's Republic of Mozambique, UN member State

Myanmar Burma

N

•  Nauru – Republic of Nauru, UN member State
• Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal, UN member State
•  Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands, UN member State
•  New Zealand - Dominion of New Zealand, UN member State
•  Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua, UN member State
•  Niger – Republic of Niger, UN member State
•  Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria, UN member State
•  Niue (A state in free association with New Zealand)
•  Norway – Kingdom of Norway, UN member State

O

•  Oman – Sultanate of Oman, UN member State

P

•  Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan, UN member state
•  Panama – Republic of Panama, UN member State
•  Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea, UN member State
• – Republic of Paraguay, UN member State
•  Peru
• Peruvian Republic (to 28 July), UN member State
• Republic of Peru (from 28 July), UN member State
•  Philippines – Republic of the Philippines, UN member State
• Poland - Polish People's Republic, UN member State
•  Portugal – Portuguese Republic, UN member State

Q

•  Qatar – State of Qatar, UN member State

R

• Romania - Socialist Republic of Romania, UN member State
•  Rwanda – Rwandese Republic, UN member state
• Rwenzururu – Kingdom of Rwenzururu (De facto independent state)

S

•  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
• Saint Lucia, UN member State
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, UN member State
•  San Marino – Republic of San Marino
•  São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, UN member State
•  Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UN member State
•  Senegal – Republic of Senegal, UN member State
•  Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles, UN member State
•  Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone, UN member State
•  Singapore – Republic of Singapore, UN member State
•  Solomon Islands - UN member State
• Somalia - Somali Democratic Republic, UN member State
•  South Africa – Republic of South Africa, UN member State
•  Soviet Union – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, UN member State
•  Spain – Kingdom of Spain, UN member State
•  Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, UN member State
•  Sudan – Democratic Republic of the Sudan, UN member State
•  Suriname – Republic of Suriname, UN member State
•  Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland, UN member State
•  Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden, UN member State
•   Switzerland – Swiss Confederation, Permanent observer at UN
• Syria – Syrian Arab Republic, UN member State

T

Taiwan China, Republic of

•  Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania, UN member State
•  Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand, UN member State
•  Togo – Togolese Republic, UN member State
•  Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga, UN member State
•  Transkei – Republic of Transkei (nominally independent South African bantustan)
•  Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, UN member State
•  Tunisia – Tunisian Republic, UN member State
•  Turkey – Republic of Turkey, UN member State
• Tuvalu

U

•  Uganda – Republic of Uganda, UN member State
•  United Arab Emirates - UN member State
•  United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, UN member State
•  United States – United States of America, UN member State
•  Upper Volta - Republic of Upper Volta, UN member State
•  Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay, UN member State

V

•  Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu, UN member state from 15 September
•   Vatican City – Vatican City State, Permanent observer at UN
•  Venda – Republic of Venda (nominally independent South African bantustan)
•  Venezuela – Republic of Venezuela, UN member State
•  Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam, UN member State

W

•  Western Samoa - Independent State of Western Samoa, UN member State

Y

•  North Yemen – Yemen Arab Republic, UN member State
•  South Yemen - People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, UN member State
•  Yugoslavia – Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, UN member State

Z

•  Zaire - Republic of Zaire, UN member State
• Zambia - Republic of Zambia, UN member State
•  Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe, UN member State

Non-sovereign territories

Antigua

• Barbuda (Depedency to 31 October)
• Redonda (Depedency to 31 October)

Australia

• Ashmore and Cartier Islands - The Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Uninhabited external territory)
• Australian Antarctic Territory (Uninhabited external territory)
•  Christmas Island - The Territory of Christmas Island (External territory)
•  Cocos (Keeling) Islands - The Territory of the Cocos Islands (External territory)
• Coral Sea Islands - The Coral Sea Islands Territory (Uninhabited external territory)
• Heard Island and McDonald Islands – Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Uninhabited external territory)
•  Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (External territory)

Cyprus

• Turkish Federated State of Cyprus (De facto self-governing state)

Denmark

•  Faroe Islands (Constituent country)
•  Greenland (Constituent country)

Finland

• Åland (Neutral and demilitarised region)

France

•  French Polynesia (Overseas territory), with Clipperton Island
•  French Southern and Antarctic Lands - The Territory of French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Overseas territory)
•  Mayotte (Overseas territory)
• New Caledonia (Overseas territory)
• Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (Overseas territory), consisting of five uninhabited possessions:
  • Bassas da India (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Europa Island (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Glorioso Islands (Disputed by Madagascar, Comoros and the Seychelles)
  • Juan de Nova Island (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Tromelin Island (Disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)
•  Wallis and Futuna - The Territory of the Wallis and Futuna (Overseas territory)

Greece

•  Mount Athos (Autonomous monastic state)

Netherlands

•  Netherlands Antilles (Autonomous country)

New Zealand

• Ross Dependency (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
•  Tokelau

Norway

• Bouvet Island
• Peter I Island (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
• Queen Maud Land (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)

Portugal

• Macau (Chinese territory administered by Portugal)

United Kingdom

•  Brunei (Protected state)
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Crown colony)
•  Anguilla (Crown colony)
•  British Honduras (Crown colony to 20 September)
•  Bermuda (Crown colony)
•  British Antarctic Territory (Crown colony suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
•  British Indian Ocean Territory (Crown colony disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)
•  British Virgin Islands (Crown colony)
•  Cayman Islands (Crown colony)
•  Falkland Islands (Crown colony disputed by Argentina)
•  Gibraltar (Crown colony)
•  Hong Kong (Crown colony)
•  Montserrat (Crown colony)
•  Pitcairn Islands (Crown colony)
•  Saint Helena (Crown colony), with two dependencies:
  •  Ascension Island
  •  Tristan da Cunha
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Crown colony disputed by Argentina)
•  Turks and Caicos Islands (Crown colony)
•  Guernsey - The Bailiwick of Guersney (Crown depedency), with three dependencies:
  •  Alderney
  •  Sark
  •  Herm
•  Isle of Man (Crown depedency)
•  Jersey - The Bailiwick of Jersey (Crown depedency)

United States

•  American Samoa (Insular area including Swains Island, disputed by Tokelau)
•  Guam (Insular area)
• Puerto Rico - The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Insular area)
•  United States Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands of the United States (Insular area)
• Baker Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Howland Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Jarvis Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Johnston Atoll (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Kingman Reef (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Midway Atoll (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Navassa Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Haiti)
• Quita Sueño Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory to 17 September claimed by Colombia)
• Roncador Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory to 17 September claimed by Colombia)
• Serrana Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory to 17 September claimed by Colombia)
• Serranilla Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua)
• Wake Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by the Marshall Islands)
•  Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, consisting of four territories:
  •  Marshall Islands - Republic of the Marshall Islands
  •  Federated States of Micronesia
  • Northern Mariana Islands - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  •  Palau (from 1 January)

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.^[1] These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.^[2]
•  Estonia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
•  Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
•  Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
• The Saudi–Iraqi neutral zone was a strip of neutral territory between Iraq and Saudi Arabia (to 26 December).
• The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was an entity claiming sovereignty. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but had no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome.^[3] The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions." ^[4] 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.
• 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.

References

1. Rogan-Finnemore, Michelle (2005), "What Bioprospecting Means for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean", in Von Tigerstrom, Barbara, International Law Issues in the South Pacific, Ashgate Publishing, p. 204, ISBN 0-7546-4419-7 "Australia, New Zealand, France, Norway and the United Kingdom reciprocally recognize the validity of each other's claims."
2. CIA – the World Factbook – Antarctica – accessed 19 January 2008
3. Bilateral relations with countries, Retrieved 22 December 2009
4. Chapter General of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (12 January 1998). Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, promulgated 27 June 1961, revised by the Extraordinary Chapter General 28–30 April 1997, Article 3 "Sovereignty," Paragraph 1. (PDF). Rome: Tipografia Arte della Stampa. p. 11.