List of sovereign states in 2012

Internationally recognized sovereign states

A

•  Abkhazia – Republic of Abkzhazia (De facto independent state)
•  Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, UN member State
•  Albania - Republic of Albania, UN member State
•  Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, UN member State
•  Andorra – Principality of Andorra, UN member State
•  Angola - Republic of Angola, UN member State
•  Antigua and Barbuda - UN member State
•  Argentina – Argentine Republic, UN member State
•  Armenia - Republic of Armenia, UN member State
•  Australia – Commonwealth of Australia, UN member State
•  Austria – Republic of Austria, UN member State
•  Azawad - State of Azawad (De facto self-governing state from 6 April to 12 July)
•  Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan, UN member State

B

•  The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas, UN member State
•  Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain, UN member State
•  Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh, UN member State
•  Barbados - UN member State
•  Belarus - Republic of Belarus, UN member State
•  Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium, UN member State
•  Belize - UN member State
•  Benin - Republic of Benin, UN member State
•  Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan, UN member State
•  Bolivia - Plurinational State of Bolivia, UN member State
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina - UN member State
•  Botswana – Republic of Botswana, UN member State
•  Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil, UN member State
•  Brunei – State of Brunei, Abode of Peace, UN member State
•  Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria, UN member State
•  Burkina Faso - UN member State

Burma Myanmar

•  Burundi - Republic of Burundi, UN member State

C

•  Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia, UN member State
•  Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon, UN member State
•  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
•  China, People's Republic of – UN member State
•  China, Republic of (partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Colombia – Republic of Colombia, UN member State
•  Comoros - Union of the Comoros, UN member State
•  Congo, Republic of the - UN member State
•  Congo, Democratic Republic of the - 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

•  Croatia – Republic of Croatia, UN member State
•  Cuba – Republic of Cuba, UN member State
•  Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus, UN member State
•  Czech Republic - UN member State

D

•  Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark, UN member State
•  Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti, UN member State
•  Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica, UN member State
•  Dominican Republic - UN member State

E

East Timor Timor-Leste

•  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
•  Eritrea - State of Eritrea, UN member State
•  Estonia – Republic of Estonia, UN member State
•  Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, UN member State

F

•  Fiji - Republic 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
•  Georgia - Republic of Georgia, UN member State
•  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

• Republic of Hungary (to 2 January), UN member State
• Hungary (from 2 January), 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 Côte d'Ivoire, UN member State

J

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

K

•  Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan, UN member State
•  Kenya – Republic of Kenya, UN member State
•  Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati, UN member State
•  Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea, UN member state (wasn't recognized by 4 UN member States)
•  Korea, South – Republic of Korea, UN member state (wasn't recognized by North Korea)
•  Kosovo - Republic of Kosovo (Partially recognized de facto self-governing entity)
•  Kuwait – State of Kuwait, UN member State
•  Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic, UN member State

L

•  Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic, UN member State
•  Latvia – Republic of Latvia, UN member State
•  Lebanon – Lebanese Republic, UN member State
•  Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho, UN member State
•  Liberia – Republic of Liberia, UN member State
•  Libya - UN member State
•  Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein, UN member State
•  Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania, UN member State
•  Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, UN member State

M

•  Macedonia - Republic of Macedonia, UN member State
•  Madagascar - 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
•  Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands (A state under Compact of Free Association with the United States), UN member State
•  Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania, UN member State
•  Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius, UN member State
•  Federated States of Micronesia (A state under Compact of Free Association with the United States), UN member State
•  Mexico – United Mexican States, UN member State
•  Moldova – Republic of Moldova, UN member state
•  Monaco – Principality of Monaco, UN member State
•  Mongolia - UN member State
•  Montenegro - UN member State
•  Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco, UN member State
•  Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique, UN member State
•  Myanmar - Republic of the Union of Myanmar, UN member State

N

•  Nagorno-Karabakh - Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (De facto independent state)
•  Namibia – Republic of Namibia, UN member State
•  Nauru – Republic of Nauru, UN member State
•    Nepal - Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, UN member State
•  Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands, UN member State
•  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)
•  Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Norway – Kingdom of Norway, UN member State

O

•  Oman – Sultanate of Oman, UN member State

P

•  Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan, UN member state
•  Palau - Republic of Palau (A state under Compact of Free Association with the United States), UN member State
• Palestine - Palestinian National Authority (Disputed region consisting of three occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem), Permanent observer at the UN from 29 November
•  Panama – Republic of Panama, UN member State
•  Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea, UN member State
•  Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay, UN member State
•  Peru – Republic of Peru, UN member State
•  Philippines – Republic of the Philippines, UN member State
•  Poland – Republic of Poland, UN member State
•  Portugal – Portuguese Republic, UN member state

Q

•  Qatar – State of Qatar, UN member State

R

•  Romania - UN member State
•  Russia - Russian Federation, UN member State
•  Rwanda - Republic of Rwanda, UN member State

S

•  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, UN member State
•  Saint Lucia - UN member State
•  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - UN member State
•  Samoa - Independent State of Samoa, UN member State
•  San Marino – Republic of San Marino, UN member State
•  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
•  Serbia - Republic of Serbia, 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
•  Slovakia - Slovak Republic, UN member State
•  Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia, UN member State
•  Solomon Islands - UN member State

 Somalia

• Somali Republic (to 20 August), UN member State
• Federal Republic of Somalia (from 20 August), UN member State
•  Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland (De facto independent state)
•  South Africa – Republic of South Africa, UN member State
•  South Ossetia - Republic of South Ossetia (De facto independent state)
•  South Sudan - Republic of South Sudan, UN member State
•  Spain – Kingdom of Spain, UN member State
•  Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, UN member State
•  Sudan – 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, UN member State
•  Syria – Syrian Arab Republic, UN member State

T

Taiwan China, Republic of

•  Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan, UN member State
•  Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania, UN member State
•  Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand, UN member State
•  Timor-Leste - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, UN member State
•  Togo – Togolese Republic, UN member State
•  Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga, UN member State
•  Transnistria - Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (De facto independent state)
•  Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, UN member State
•  Tunisia – Tunisian Republic, UN member State
•  Turkey – Republic of Turkey, UN member State
•  Turkmenistan - UN member State
•  Tuvalu - UN member State

U

•  Uganda – Republic of Uganda, UN member State
•  Ukraine - 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
•  Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay, UN member State
•  Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan, UN member State

V

•  Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu, UN member State
•   Vatican City – Vatican City State, Permanent observer at UN
•  Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, UN member State
•  Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam, UN member State

Y

•  Yemen – Republic of Yemen, UN member State

Z

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

Non-sovereign territories

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)

China

•  Hong Kong - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
•  Macau - Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

Denmark

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

Finland

• Åland (Neutral and demilitarised region)

France

• Clipperton Island (Overseas territory)
•  French Polynesia (Overseas territory)
•  French Southern and Antarctic Lands - The Territory of French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Overseas territory)
•  New Caledonia
•  Saint-Barthélemy - Territorial collectivity of Saint-Barthélemy (Overseas territory)
• Saint Martin - Collectivity of Saint Martin (Overseas territory)
•  Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Overseas territory)

Greece

•  Mount Athos (Autonomous monastic state)

Netherlands

•  Aruba (Autonomous country)
•  Curaçao (Autonomous country)
•  Sint Maarten (Autonomous country)
•  Caribbean Netherlands (Territory of islands without autonomy)

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)

United Kingdom

• Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Overseas territory)
•  Anguilla (Overseas territory)
•  Bermuda (Overseas territory)
•  British Antarctic Territory (Overseas territory suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
•  British Indian Ocean Territory (Overseas territory disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)
•  British Virgin Islands (Overseas territory)
•  Cayman Islands (Overseas territory)
•  Falkland Islands (Overseas territory disputed by Argentina)
•  Gibraltar (Overseas territory)
•  Montserrat (Overseas territory)
•  Pitcairn Islands (Overseas territory)
•  Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (Overseas territory)
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Overseas territory disputed by Argentina)
•  Turks and Caicos Islands (Overseas territory)
•  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)
•  Northern Mariana Islands - Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (Insular area)
•  Puerto Rico - 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)
• Wake Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by the Marshall Islands)

Other states

•  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]
• The European Union was a sui generis supranational organisation which had 12 (later 15) member states. 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.
• The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was an entity claiming sovereignty and 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.^[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.

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 2011-12-22
4. Chapter General of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (1998-01-12). 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.