List of sovereign states in the 2010s

This is a list of sovereign states in the 2010s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. It contains 212 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 195 widely recognized sovereign states, 2 associated states, and 15 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto constituents of other powers by the general international community.

Members or observers of the United Nations

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
A
→ Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Capital: Kabul	Widely recognized UN member state.
Albania – Republic of Albania Capital: Tirana	Widely recognized UN member state.
Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Capital: Algiers	Widely recognized UN member state.
Andorra – Principality of Andorra Capital: Andorra la Vella	Widely recognized UN member state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.
Angola – Republic of Angola Capital: Luanda	Widely recognized UN member state.
Antigua and Barbuda Capital: St. John's	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Antigua and Barbuda had two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda.
→ Argentina – Argentine Republic Capital: Buenos Aires	Widely recognized UN member state. Argentina was a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claimed the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories.
Armenia – Republic of Armenia Capital: Yerevan	Widely recognized UN member state.
Australia – Commonwealth of Australia Capital: Canberra	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island
Austria – Republic of Austria Capital: Vienna	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Austria was a federation of nine states.
→ Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan Capital: Baku	Widely recognized UN member state. Azerbaijan had one autonomous republic, Nakhchivan. It included the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic had declared independence.
B
The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas Capital: Nassau	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain Capital: Manama	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka	Widely recognized UN member state.
Barbados Capital: Bridgetown	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
→ Belarus – Republic of Belarus Capital: Minsk	Widely recognized UN member state.
Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium Capital: Brussels	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Belgium was a federation of three communities and three regions.
→ Belize Capital: Belmopan	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Benin – Republic of Benin Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan Capital: Thimphu	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Capital: Sarajevo	Widely recognized UN member state. Bosnia and Herzegovina was a federation of two constituent entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was itself a federation of ten cantons, and Republika Srpska.
Botswana – Republic of Botswana Capital: Gaborone	Widely recognized UN member state.
Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil Capital: Brasília	Widely recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 26 states and one federal district.
Brunei – Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan	Widely recognized UN member state. Brunei claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria Capital: Sofia	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Burkina Faso Capital: Ouagadougou Burkina Faso (to 15 October 2014) Burkina Faso (from 15 October 2014)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Burma → Myanmar
Burundi – Republic of Burundi Capital: Bujumbura (to 24 December 2018), Gitega (from 24 December 2018)	Widely recognized UN member state.
C
Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia Capital: Phnom Penh	Widely recognized UN member state.
Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon Capital: Yaoundé	Widely recognized UN member state.
Canada Capital: Ottawa	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Canada was a federation of ten provinces and three territories.
Cape Verde Capital: Praia Republic of Cape Verde (to 24 October 2013) Republic of Cabo Verde (from 24 October 2013)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Central African Republic Capital: Bangui	Widely recognized UN member state.
Chad – Republic of Chad Capital: N'Djamena	Widely recognized UN member state.
Chile – Republic of Chile Capital: Santiago	Widely recognized UN member state. Chile had two special territories: Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, 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: Hong Kong Macau The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, which were governed by the Republic of China. It also claimed the Paracel Islands (disputed by the Republic of China and Vietnam), the Spratly Islands (disputed by the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei), and South Tibet (controlled by India). The People's Republic of China administered Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract, which were within the disputed region of Kashmir.
Colombia – Republic of Colombia Capital: Bogotá	Widely recognized UN member state. Colombia administered Serranilla Bank and claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States)
Comoros – Union of the Comoros Capital: Moroni	Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros was a federation of three islands autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Comoros also claimed sovereignty over the French territory, then department of Mayotte, and the French-administered Glorioso Islands and Banc du Geyser (the latter two also disputed by Madagascar).
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Capital: Kinshasa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Congo, Republic of the Capital: Brazzaville	Widely recognized UN member state.
Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San José	Widely recognized UN member state.
Côte d'Ivoire → Ivory Coast
Croatia – Republic of Croatia Capital: Zagreb	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member (from 1 July 2013).
Cuba – Republic of Cuba Capital: Havana	Widely recognized UN member state. The Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay was under the permanent control of the United States.
Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus Capital: Nicosia	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The northeastern part of the island was the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey.
Czech Republic Capital: Prague	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
D
Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark Capital: Copenhagen	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The Kingdom of Denmark also included two autonomous countries: Greenland Faroe Islands
Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti Capital: Djibouti	Widely recognized UN member state.
Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica Capital: Roseau	Widely recognized UN member state.
Dominican Republic Capital: Santo Domingo	Widely recognized UN member state.
E
East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Capital: Dili	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador Capital: Quito	Widely recognized UN member state.
Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt Capital: Cairo	Widely recognized UN member state.
El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador Capital: San Salvador	Widely recognized UN member state.
Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Eritrea – State of Eritrea Capital: Asmara	Widely recognized UN member state.
Estonia – Republic of Estonia Capital: Tallinn	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Eswatini / Swaziland Capital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative) Kingdom of Swaziland (to 19 April 2018) Kingdom of Eswatini (from 19 April 2018)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa	Widely recognized UN member state. Ethiopia was a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities.
F
Fiji Capital: Suva Republic of the Fiji Islands (to 2 February 2011) Republic of Fiji (from 2 February 2011)	Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.
Finland – Republic of Finland Capital: Helsinki	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region: Åland
France – French Republic Capital: Paris	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. France included five (four until 31 March 2011) overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte (from 31 March 2011, disputed by Comoros) and Réunion. It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: Clipperton Island French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands (including a claim to Adélie Land which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) Mayotte (to 31 March 2011, disputed by Comoros) New Caledonia Saint-Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon French Southern and Antarctic Lands (district of Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean): Bassas da India (disputed by Madagascar) Europa Island (disputed by Madagascar) Glorioso Islands (disputed by Madagascar and Comoros) Juan de Nova Island (disputed by Madagascar) Tromelin Island (disputed by Mauritius) Wallis and Futuna France also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and Comoros).
G
Gabon – Gabonese Republic Capital: Libreville	Widely recognized UN member state.
The Gambia Capital: Banjul Republic of the Gambia (to 11 December 2015, from 29 January 2017) Islamic Republic of the Gambia (from 11 December 2015 to 29 January 2017)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Georgia Capital: Tbilisi	Widely recognized UN member state. Georgia had two autonomous republics: Adjara and Abkhazia. The latter republic was controlled by a de facto independent state. Georgia also included the disputed region of South Ossetia, where a partially recognized breakaway republic had declared independence.
Germany – Federal Republic of Germany Capital: Berlin	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Germany was a federation of sixteen states.
Ghana – Republic of Ghana Capital: Accra	Widely recognized UN member state.
Greece – Hellenic Republic Capital: Athens	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Greece had sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that was jointly governed by the multi-national "Holy Community" on the mountain and the Civil Governor appointed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spiritually under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Grenada Capital: St. George's	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada had one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guinea – Republic of Guinea Capital: Conakry	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau Capital: Bissau	Widely recognized UN member state.
Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana Capital: Georgetown	Widely recognized UN member state.
H
Haiti – Republic of Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince	Widely recognized UN member state. Haiti claimed the uninhabited United States possession of Navassa Island.
Holy See → Vatican City
Honduras – Republic of Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Hungary Capital: Budapest Republic of Hungary (to 1 January 2012) Hungary (from 1 January 2012)	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
I
Iceland – Republic of Iceland Capital: Reykjavík	Widely recognized UN member state.
India – Republic of India Capital: New Delhi	Widely recognized UN member state. India was a federation of twenty-nine states and seven union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet was disputed by the People's Republic of 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 five special provinces: Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta.
Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran Capital: Tehran	Widely recognized UN member state.
Iraq – Republic of Iraq Capital: Baghdad	Widely recognized UN member state. Iraq was constitutionally designated as a federation of autonomous regions, but only one region (Iraqi Kurdistan) had been established.
Ireland – Republic of Ireland Capital: Dublin	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Israel – State of Israel Capital: Jerusalem	Widely recognized UN member state. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. These areas were not generally recognized as being part of Israel.
Italy – Italian Republic Capital: Rome	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions: Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d'Ivoire Capital: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state.
J
Jamaica Capital: Kingston	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Japan Capital: Tokyo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Capital: Amman	Widely recognized UN member state.
K
Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan Capital: Astana (renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Kenya – Republic of Kenya Capital: Nairobi	Widely recognized UN member state.
Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati Capital: South Tarawa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea Capital: Pyongyang	Widely recognized UN member state. It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
→ Korea, South – Republic of Korea Capital: Seoul	Widely recognized UN member state. South Korea had one autonomous region, Jeju-do. It claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korean Peninsula.
Kuwait – State of Kuwait Capital: Kuwait City	Widely recognized UN member state.
Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic Capital: Bishkek	Widely recognized UN member state.
L
Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic Capital: Vientiane	Widely recognized UN member state.
Latvia – Republic of Latvia Capital: Riga	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Lebanon – Lebanese Republic Capital: Beirut	Widely recognized UN member state.
Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho Capital: Maseru	Widely recognized UN member state.
Liberia – Republic of Liberia Capital: Monrovia	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ Libya Capital: Tripoli Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (to 23 October 2011) Libya (from 27 February 2011 to 22 December 2017) State of Libya (from 22 December 2017)	Widely recognized UN member state. Control passed due to civil war between 15 February 2011 and de facto 20 October 2011, de jure 23 October 2011.
Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein Capital: Vaduz	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Liechtenstein was the responsibility of Switzerland.
Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania Capital: Vilnius	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Capital: Luxembourg	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
M
Macedonia → North Macedonia
Madagascar Capital: Antananarivo Republic of Madagascar (to 11 December 2010) Republic of Madagascar (from 11 December 2010)	Widely recognized UN member state. Madagascar claimed the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands (also disputed by Comoros), Juan de Nova Island, and Banc du Geyser (also disputed by Comoros)
→ → Malawi – Republic of Malawi Capital: Lilongwe	Widely recognized UN member state.
Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative)	Widely recognized UN member state. Malaysia was a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by 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. Part of Mali's territory was controlled by the de facto State of Azawad from 6 April 2012 to 12 July 2012.
Malta – Republic of Malta Capital: Valletta	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands Capital: Majuro	Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claimed the United States territory of Wake Island.
→ Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania Capital: Nouakchott	Widely recognized UN member state.
Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius Capital: Port Louis	Widely recognized UN member state. Mauritius had one autonomous dependency, Rodrigues, and two other dependencies, Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos. It claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island.
Mexico – United Mexican States Capital: Mexico City	Widely recognized UN member state. Mexico was a federation of 31 states and one federal district.
Federated States of Micronesia Capital: Palikir	Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM was a federation of four states.
→ Moldova – Republic of Moldova Capital: Chişinău	Widely recognized UN member state. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units: Gagauzia and Transnistria; the latter was controlled by a de facto independent state.
Monaco – Principality of Monaco Capital: Monaco	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Monaco was the responsibility of France.
→ Mongolia Capital: Ulaanbaatar	Widely recognized UN member state.
Montenegro Capital: Podgorica	Widely recognized UN member state.
Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco Capital: Rabat	Widely recognized UN member state. Morocco claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was disputed and partially controlled by the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas.
Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique Capital: Maputo	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ Myanmar Capital: Naypyidaw Union of Myanmar (to 21 October 2010) Republic of the Union of Myanmar (from 21 October 2010)	Widely recognized UN member state.
N
Namibia – Republic of Namibia Capital: Windhoek	Widely recognized UN member state.
Nauru – Republic of Nauru Capital: Yaren (unofficial, seat of parliament)	Widely recognized UN member state. The defense of Nauru was the responsibility of Australia.
Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Capital: Kathmandu	Widely recognized UN member state. Nepal was a federation, and its seven provinces were created on 20 September 2015.
Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consisted of four (three until October 2010) autonomous countries: Aruba Netherlands Netherlands Antilles (to 10 October 2010) Curaçao (from 10 October 2010) Sint Maarten (from 10 October 2010) It also had sovereignty over one non-autonomous region (consisting of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands): Caribbean Netherlands (from 10 October 2010) The Kingdom of the Netherlands, excluding Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, was a member of the EU.
New Zealand Capital: Wellington	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had responsibilities for the two free associated states of: Cook Islands Niue It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories: Ross Dependency (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Tokelau The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand did not recognize this claim.
Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua Capital: Managua	Widely recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. Until constitutional reforms in 2014, they were referred to as the North Atlantic Autonomous Region and South Atlantic Autonomous Region.
Niger – Republic of Niger Capital: Niamey	Widely recognized UN member state.
Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria Capital: Abuja	Widely recognized UN member state. Nigeria was a federation of 36 states and one federal territory.
North Macedonia / Macedonia Capital: Skopje Republic of Macedonia (to 12 February 2019) Republic of North Macedonia (from 12 February 2019)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Norway – Kingdom of Norway Capital: Oslo	Widely recognized UN member state. Norway had two integral overseas areas: Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The latter of area had a special status due to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Norway had sovereignty over the following dependencies: Bouvet Island Peter I Island (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Queen Maud Land (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
O
Oman – Sultanate of Oman Capital: Muscat	Widely recognized UN member state.
P
Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan Capital: Islamabad	Widely recognized UN member state. Pakistan was a federation of four provinces and four territories. It administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Palau – Republic of Palau Capital: Ngerulmud	Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States.
Palestine Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claims) Palestinian National Authority (to 3 January 2013) State of Palestine (from 2 January 2013)	Partially recognised de facto self-governing entity. Palestine claimed sovereignty over a disputed region consisting of three Israeli-occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. In foreign relations, Palestine was represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was a permanent observer at the United Nations (to 29 November 2012). Permanent observer at the United Nations (since 29 November 2012). The Palestinian National Authority was an interim administrative body that exercised limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Gaza was under the control of Hamas.
Panama – Republic of Panama Capital: Panama City	Widely recognized UN member state.
Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea Capital: Port Moresby	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Papua New Guinea had one autonomous region, Bougainville.
→ Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay Capital: Asunción	Widely recognized UN member state.
Peru – Republic of Peru Capital: Lima	Widely recognized UN member state.
Philippines – Republic of the Philippines Capital: Manila	Widely recognized UN member state. The Philippines had one autonomous region: Muslim Mindanao (until 2019), Bangsamoro (since 2019). The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claimed sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah. Part of the Philippines' territory was controlled by the de facto Bangsamoro Republik from 27 July 2013 to 28 September 2013.
Poland – Republic of Poland Capital: Warsaw	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Portugal – Portuguese Republic Capital: Lisbon	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Portugal had two autonomous regions, the Azores and Madeira. Portugal claimed the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga.
Q
Qatar – State of Qatar Capital: Doha	Widely recognized UN member state.
R
Romania Capital: Bucharest	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Russia – Russian Federation Capital: Moscow	Widely recognized UN member state. Russia was a federation of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, 9 krais, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs. Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, annexed in 2014, were recognized as a part of Ukraine by most of the international community.
Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda Capital: Kigali	Widely recognized UN member state.
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Capital: Basseterre	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis was a federation of fourteen parishes within two island. It had one autonomous island, Nevis.
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 – Independent State of Samoa Capital: Apia	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ San Marino – Republic of San Marino Capital: San Marino	Widely recognized UN member state.
São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe Capital: São Tomé	Widely recognized UN member state. São Tomé and Príncipe had one autonomous province, Príncipe.
Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh	Widely recognized UN member state.
Senegal – Republic of Senegal Capital: Dakar	Widely recognized UN member state.
→ Serbia – Republic of Serbia Capital: Belgrade	Widely recognized UN member state. Serbia had two autonomous provinces: Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The latter was governed by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and was a partially recognized de facto independent republic.
Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles Capital: Victoria	Widely recognized UN member state. The Seychelles claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone Capital: Freetown	Widely recognized UN member state.
Singapore – Republic of Singapore Capital: Singapore	Widely recognized UN member state.
Slovakia – Slovak Republic Capital: Bratislava	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Solomon Islands Capital: Honiara	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Somalia Capital: Mogadishu Somalia (to 1 August 2012) Federal Republic of Somalia (from 1 August 2012)	Widely recognized UN member state. Over the course of the Somali Civil War, several autonomous regional governments were established in the de jure territory of Somalia. Although these states did not claim independence from Somalia, they were de facto self-governing: Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a al-Shabaab Galmudug Himan and Heeb Hizbul Islam (to 20 December 2010) Jubaland/Azania Puntland There were also areas of the country which at various times had no effective government at all or that were ruled by local clans. In addition, there was one state that declared and established de facto independence from Somalia, Somaliland.
South Africa – Republic of South Africa Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)	Widely recognized UN member state.
South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan (from 9 July 2011) Capital: Juba	Widely recognized independent state. UN member state (from 14 July 2011). South Sudan was a federation of 10 states. It disputed Abyei with Sudan.
Spain – Kingdom of Spain Capital: Madrid	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Spain was divided into seventeen autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Its sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla and Peñón de Alhucemas was disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga was disputed by Portugal. It claimed the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.
Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)	Widely recognized UN member state.
Sudan Capital: Khartoum Republic of Sudan (to 10 April 2019) Republic of Sudan (from 10 April 2019)	Widely recognized UN member state. Sudan was a federation of 25 states (later 15, then 17, then 18), ten of which formed South Sudan on 9 July 2011. It disputed Abyei with South Sudan
Suriname – Republic of Suriname Capital: Paramaribo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Swaziland → Eswatini
Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden Capital: Stockholm	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member.
Switzerland – Swiss Confederation Capital: Bern	Widely recognized UN member state. Switzerland was a federation of 26 cantons.
Syria – Syrian Arab Republic Capital: Damascus	Widely recognized UN member state. Syria included the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Israel. It disputed the Turkish sovereignty over Hatay Province. Syrian Arab Republic is widely viewed as the legitimate authority of Syria, though control of its territory transferred between multiple groups during the Syrian civil war (from 15 March 2011).
T
Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan Capital: Dushanbe	Widely recognized UN member state. Tajikistan had one autonomous province, Gorno-Badakhshan.
Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania Capital: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (seat of government)	Widely recognized UN member state. Tanzania had one autonomous region, Zanzibar.
→ Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand Capital: Bangkok	Widely recognized UN member state.
Timor-Leste → East Timor
Togo – Togolese Republic Capital: Lomé	Widely recognized UN member state.
Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga Capital: Nukuʻalofa	Widely recognized UN member state.
Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Capital: Port of Spain	Widely recognized UN member state. Trinidad and Tobago had one autonomous island, Tobago.
Tunisia – Tunisian Republic Capital: Tunis	Widely recognized UN member state.
Turkey – Republic of Turkey Capital: Ankara	Widely recognized UN member state.
Turkmenistan Capital: Ashgabat	Widely recognized UN member state.
Tuvalu Capital: Funafuti	Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
U
Uganda – Republic of Uganda Capital: Kampala	Widely recognized UN member state.
Ukraine Capital: Kyiv	Widely recognized UN member state. Ukraine had one autonomous republic: Crimea. Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were under de facto Russian control beginning in 2014.
United Arab Emirates Capital: Abu Dhabi	Widely recognized UN member state. The United Arab Emirates was a federation of seven emirates.
United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Capital: London	Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The United Kingdom was composed of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It had sovereignty over the following British overseas territories: Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) British Indian Ocean Territory (disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles) British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands (disputed by Argentina) Gibraltar (disputed by Spain) Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (disputed by Argentina) Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Turks and Caicos Islands In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies: Guernsey, with two dependencies: Alderney Sark Isle of Man Jersey
United States – United States of America Capital: Washington, D.C.	Widely recognized UN member state. The United States was a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It had sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas: American Samoa (including Swains Island, disputed by Tokelau) Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands It also had sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories: These islands were sometimes designated for statistical purposes as the United States Minor Outlying Islands Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island (claims by Haiti) Wake Island (claims by the Marshall Islands) The United States claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla was disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo was disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States.
Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay Capital: Montevideo	Widely recognized UN member state.
Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan Capital: Tashkent	Widely recognized UN member state. Uzbekistan had one autonomous republic: Karakalpakstan.
V
Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu Capital: Port Vila	Widely recognized UN member state.
Vatican City – Vatican City State Capital: Vatican City	Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City was administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity recognized by a large number of countries and a 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 – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Capital: Caracas	Widely recognized UN member state. Venezuela was a federation of 23 states, one federal dependency, and one federal district.
Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam Capital: Hanoi	Widely recognized UN member state. Vietnam claimed sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by China and Taiwan) and Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
Y
Yemen – Republic of Yemen Capital: Sana'a	Widely recognized UN member state.
Z
Zambia – Republic of Zambia Capital: Lusaka	Widely recognized UN member state.
Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe Capital: Harare	Widely recognized UN member state.

Non-UN members or observers

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia Capital: Sukhumi	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Georgia as the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
Artsakh / Nagorno-Karabakh Capital: Stepanakert Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (to 21 February 2017) Republic of Artsakh (from 21 February 2017)	De facto self-governing entity. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Azerbaijan.
Azawad – State of Azawad (from 6 April 2012 to 12 July 2012) Capital: Gao	De facto self-governing state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Mali. Debellation by Ansar Dine and MUJAO completed on 12 July 2012.
Bangsamoro Republik – United Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik (from 27 July 2013 to 28 September 2013) Capital: Davao City (Claimed), Zamboanga City (De facto)	De facto self-governing state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Philippines. Bangsamoro Republik dissolved after the Zamboanga City crisis ended in Philippine government victory on 28 September 2013.
Cook Islands Capital: Avarua	A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by Japan (from 16 June 2011), Netherlands (from 16 August 2011) and China. The Cook Islands was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.
Crimea – Republic of Crimea (from 17 March 2014 to 21 March 2014) Capital: Simferopol	De facto self-governing state. Partially recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Donetsk People's Republic (from 7 April 2014 to 22 May 2014, from 20 May 2015) Capital: Donetsk	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Donetsk Oblast.
Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo Capital: Pristina	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija under UN administration.
Luhansk People's Republic (from 27 April 2014 to 22 May 2014, from 20 May 2015) Capital: Luhansk	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Ukraine as part of the Luhansk Oblast.
Nagorno-Karabakh → Artsakh
Niue Capital: Alofi	A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China. Niue was a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shared a head of state and citizenship with New Zealand.
Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Capital: Lefkoşa	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus.
Novorossiya – Federal State of Novorossiya (from 22 May 2014 to 20 May 2015)	Confederation of unrecognized states: Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. Claimed by Ukraine.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Capital: Tifariti (temporary), El Aaiún (claimed)	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which was under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claimed by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Tindouf, Algeria.
Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland Capital: Hargeisa	De facto self-governing entity. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Somalia.
South Ossetia Capital: Tskhinvali Republic of South Ossetia (to 9 April 2017) Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania (from 9 April 2017)	Partially-recognized de facto independent state. Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia.
Taiwan – Republic of China Capital: Taipei (seat of government)	Partially-recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba. Claimed by China.
Transnistria – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Capital: Tiraspol	Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Moldova.

Other entities

Excluded from the list above are the following noteworthy entities which either were not fully sovereign or did not claim to be independent:

• Antarctica as a whole had no government and no permanent population. Seven states claimed portions of Antarctica and five of these reciprocally recognised one another's claims. These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.
• The European Union is a sui generis supranational organisation which had 27 (then 28) member states. The member states transferred a measure of their legislative, executive, and judicial powers to the institutions of the EU, and as such the EU had some elements of sovereignty, without generally being considered a sovereign state. The European Union did not claim to be a sovereign state and had only limited capacity for relations with other states.
• The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was a United Nations observer. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but had no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome and Malta. The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions." Although the order frequently asserted its sovereignty, it did not claim to be a sovereign state. It lacked a defined territory. Since all its members were citizens of other states, almost all of them lived in their native countries, and those who resided in the order's extraterritorial properties in Rome did so only in connection with their official duties, the order lacked the characteristic of having a permanent population.

See also

• List of sovereign states by year
• List of state leaders in 2010
• List of state leaders in 2011
• List of state leaders in 2012
• List of state leaders in 2013
• List of state leaders in 2014
• List of state leaders in 2015
• List of state leaders in 2016
• List of state leaders in 2017
• List of state leaders in 2018
• List of state leaders in 2019