Sovereign states by year · List of sovereign states in 2007 · Events of 2008 · List of sovereign states in 2009
This is a list of every sovereign state that existed in the year 2008 AD. It includes not only those states which had widespread international recognition, but also those states which were generally unrecognized. In addition, it includes all non-sovereign territories which were not integral parts of sovereign states.
| Contents: | Internationally recognized sovereign states: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V Y Z Other states Non-Sovereign Territories: Australia - Denmark - France - Netherlands - New Zealand - Norway - United Kingdom - United States See Also - Notes - External Links |
|---|
Internationally recognized sovereign states
In 2008, there were 193 states which were diplomatically recognized by a majority of sovereign states. United Nations member states are indicated by [UN].
A
Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of Afghanistan [UN]
Albania - Republic of Albania [UN]
Algeria - People's Democratic Republic of Algeria [UN]
Andorra - Principality of Andorra [UN]
Angola - Republic of Angola [UN]
Antigua and Barbuda [UN]
Argentina - Argentine Republic [UN][1]
Armenia - Republic of Armenia [UN]
Australia - Commonwealth of Australia [UN]
Austria - Republic of Austria [UN]
Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan [UN]
B
The Bahamas - Commonwealth of the Bahamas [UN]
Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain [UN]
Bangladesh - People's Republic of Bangladesh [UN]
Barbados [UN]
Belarus - Republic of Belarus [UN]
Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium [UN]
Belize [UN]
Benin - Republic of Benin [UN]
Bhutan - Kingdom of Bhutan [UN]
Bolivia - Republic of Bolivia [UN]
Bosnia and Herzegovina [UN]
Botswana - Republic of Botswana [UN]
Brazil - Federative Republic of Brazil [UN]
Brunei - State of Brunei Darussalam [UN]
Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria [UN]
Burkina Faso [UN]
Burundi - Republic of Burundi [UN]
C
Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia [UN]
Cameroon - Republic of Cameroon [UN]
Canada [UN]
Cape Verde - Republic of Cape Verde [UN]
Central African Republic [UN]
Chad - Republic of Chad [UN]
Chile - Republic of Chile [UN][1]
China - People's Republic of China [UN]
Colombia - Republic of Colombia [UN]
Comoros - Union of the Comoros [UN]
Congo, Republic of the [UN]
Congo, Democratic Republic of the [UN]
Costa Rica - Republic of Costa Rica [UN]
Côte d'Ivoire - Republic of Côte d'Ivoire [UN]
Croatia - Republic of Croatia [UN]
Cuba - Republic of Cuba [UN]
Cyprus - Republic of Cyprus [UN]
Czech Republic [UN]
.svg){kind=small}
D
Denmark - Kingdom of Denmark [UN]
Djibouti - Republic of Djibouti [UN]
Dominica - Commonwealth of Dominica [UN]
Dominican Republic [UN]
E
Ecuador - Republic of Ecuador [UN]
Egypt - Arab Republic of Egypt [UN]
El Salvador - Republic of El Salvador [UN]
Equatorial Guinea - Republic of Equatorial Guinea [UN]
Eritrea - State of Eritrea [UN]
Estonia - Republic of Estonia [UN]
Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia [UN]
F
Fiji - Republic of the Fiji Islands [UN]
Finland - Republic of Finland [UN]
France - French Republic [UN]
G
Gabon - Gabonese Republic [UN]
The Gambia - Republic of the Gambia [UN]
Georgia [UN]
Germany - Federal Republic of Germany [UN]
Ghana - Republic of Ghana [UN]
Greece - Hellenic Republic [UN]
Grenada [UN]
Guatemala - Republic of Guatemala [UN]
Guinea - Republic of Guinea [UN]
Guinea-Bissau - Republic of Guinea-Bissau [UN]
Guyana - Co-operative Republic of Guyana [UN]
H
Haiti - Republic of Haiti [UN]
Honduras - Republic of Honduras [UN]
Hungary - Republic of Hungary [UN]
I
Iceland - Republic of Iceland [UN]
India - Republic of India [UN]
Indonesia - Republic of Indonesia [UN]
Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran [UN]
Iraq - Republic of Iraq [UN]
Ireland - Republic of Ireland [UN]
Israel - State of Israel [UN]
Italy - Italian Republic [UN]
J
K
Kazakhstan - Republic of Kazakhstan [UN]
Kenya - Republic of Kenya [UN]
Kiribati - Republic of Kiribati [UN]
Korea, North - Democratic People's Republic of Korea [UN]
Korea, South - Republic of Korea [UN]
Kuwait - State of Kuwait [UN]
Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic [UN]
L
Laos - Lao People's Democratic Republic [UN]
Latvia - Republic of Latvia [UN]
Lebanon - Lebanese Republic [UN]
Lesotho - Kingdom of Lesotho [UN]
Liberia - Republic of Liberia [UN]
Libya - Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya [UN]
Liechtenstein - Principality of Liechtenstein [UN]
Lithuania - Republic of Lithuania [UN]
Luxembourg - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg [UN]
M
Macedonia - Republic of Macedonia [UN][2]
Madagascar - Republic of Madagascar [UN]
Malawi - Republic of Malawi [UN]
Malaysia [UN]
Maldives - Republic of Maldives [UN]
Mali - Republic of Mali [UN]
Malta - Republic of Malta [UN]
Marshall Islands - Republic of the Marshall Islands (In free association with the United States) [UN]
Mauritania - Islamic Republic of Mauritania [UN]
Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius [UN]
Mexico - United Mexican States [UN]
Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia (In free association with the United States) [UN]
Moldova - Republic of Moldova [UN]
Monaco - Principality of Monaco [UN]
Mongolia [UN]
Montenegro [UN]
Morocco - Kingdom of Morocco [UN]
Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique [UN]
Myanmar - Union of Myanmar [UN]
N
Namibia - Republic of Namibia [UN]
Nauru - Republic of Nauru [UN]
Nepal [UN]
Netherlands - Kingdom of the Netherlands [UN]
New Zealand [UN]
Nicaragua - Republic of Nicaragua [UN]
Niger - Republic of Niger [UN]
Nigeria - Federal Republic of Nigeria [UN]
Norway - Kingdom of Norway [UN]
O
Oman - Sultanate of Oman [UN]
P
Pakistan - Islamic Republic of Pakistan [UN]
Palau - Republic of Palau (In free association with the United States) [UN]
Panama - Republic of Panama [UN]
Papua New Guinea - Independent State of Papua New Guinea [UN]
Paraguay - Republic of Paraguay [UN]
Peru - Republic of Peru [UN]
Philippines - Republic of the Philippines [UN]
Poland - Republic of Poland [UN]
Portugal - Portuguese Republic [UN]
Q
Qatar - State of Qatar [UN]
R
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis [UN]
Saint Lucia [UN]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines [UN]
Samoa - Independent State of Samoa [UN]
San Marino - Most Serene Republic of San Marino [UN]
São Tomé and Príncipe - Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe [UN]
Saudi Arabia - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [UN]
Senegal - Republic of Senegal [UN]
Serbia - Republic of Serbia [UN]
Seychelles - Republic of Seychelles [UN]
Sierra Leone - Republic of Sierra Leone [UN]
Singapore - Republic of Singapore [UN]
Slovakia - Slovak Republic [UN]
Slovenia - Republic of Slovenia [UN]
Solomon Islands [UN]
Somalia - Somali Republic [UN]
South Africa - Republic of South Africa [UN]
Spain - Kingdom of Spain [UN]
Sri Lanka - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka [UN]
Sudan - Republic of the Sudan [UN]
Suriname - Republic of Suriname [UN]
Swaziland - Kingdom of Swaziland [UN]
Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden [UN]
Switzerland - Swiss Confederation [UN]
Syria - Syrian Arab Republic [UN]
T
Tajikistan - Republic of Tajikistan [UN]
Tanzania - United Republic of Tanzania [UN]
Thailand - Kingdom of Thailand [UN]
Timor-Leste - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste [UN][3]
Togo - Togolese Republic [UN]
Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga [UN]
Trinidad and Tobago - Republic of Trinidad and Tobago [UN]
Tunisia - Republic of Tunisia [UN]
Turkey - Republic of Turkey [UN]
Turkmenistan [UN]
Tuvalu [UN]
U
Uganda - Republic of Uganda [UN]
Ukraine [UN]
United Arab Emirates [UN]
United Kingdom - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [UN]
United States - United States of America [UN]
Uruguay - Eastern Republic of Uruguay [UN]
Uzbekistan - Republic of Uzbekistan [UN]
V
Vanuatu - Republic of Vanuatu [UN]
Vatican City - State of the Vatican City
Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela [UN]
Vietnam - Socialist Republic of Vietnam [UN]
Y
Yemen - Republic of Yemen [UN]
Z
Other states
In 2008, there were eleven states which were not recognized as sovereign by a majority of countries.
Abkhazia - Republic of Abkhazia
- De facto independent state. Claimed by Georgia as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. Recognized by Nicaragua (from September 5), Russia (from August 25), South Ossetia, and Transnistria.
Anjouan - Autonomous Island of Anjouan (to March 26)
- De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Comoros.
Kosovo - Republic of Kosovo (from February 17)
- De facto independent state. Recognized by several UN Member states and the Republic of China. Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.
Nagorno-Karabakh - Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
- De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Azerbaijan.
Northern Cyprus - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
- De facto independent state. Recognised only by Turkey. Claimed by Cyprus.
Palestine
- The Palestinian territories were partially controlled by Israel and partially under control of the Palestinian National Authority, a self governing entity which had diplomatic relations with several UN member states. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was an observer at the UN.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
- De facto independent state recognized by several UN member states. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claimed in whole by Morocco as part of its Southern Provinces. In turn, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed the part of the Western Sahara to the west of the Moroccan Wall controlled by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Algeria.
Somaliland - Republic of Somaliland
- De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Somalia.
South Ossetia - Republic of South Ossetia
- De facto independent state. Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia. Recognized by Abkhazia, Nicaragua (from September 5), Russia (from August 25), and Transnistria.
Taiwan - Republic of China[4]
- De facto independent state; de jure the Republic of China, a polity regarded by the People's Republic of China to be its defunct (and no longer legitimate) predecessor state. In addition to Taiwan, the Republic of China also governed part of the Spratly Islands and had not renounced claims over mainland China and Mongolia. The territory of the Republic of China was claimed by the People's Republic of China.
Transnistria - Transnistrian Moldovan Republic
- De facto independent state. Recognized only by Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Claimed by Moldova.
Non-Sovereign Territories
Australia
- Ashmore and Cartier Islands - Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Uninhabited external territory)
- Australian Antarctic Territory (Uninhabited external territory)[1]
Christmas Island - Territory of Christmas Island (External territory)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (External territory)- Coral Sea Islands - 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)
_Islands.svg){kind=small}
Denmark
Faroe Islands (Autonomous province)
Greenland (Autonomous province)
France
- Clipperton Island (Uninhabited possession)
French Polynesia (Overseas country)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands - Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Uninhabited overseas territory)[1][5]
Mayotte - Departmental Collectivity of Mayotte (Overseas collectivity)[6]- New Caledonia (sui generis collectivity)
Saint Barthélemy - Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy (Overseas collectivity)- Saint Martin - Collectivity of Saint Martin (Overseas collectivity)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon - Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Overseas collectivity)
Wallis and Futuna - Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands (Overseas collectivity)
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
Netherlands
Aruba (Overseas country)
Netherlands Antilles (Overseas country)
New Zealand
Cook Islands (Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)
Niue (Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)- Ross Dependency (Uninhabited dependent territory)[1]
-
Tokelau (Dependent territory)
Norway
- Bouvet Island (Uninhabited possession)
- Peter I Island (Uninhabited possession)[1]
- Queen Maud Land (Uninhabited possession)[1]
United Kingdom
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Sovereign base areas administrated as a single overseas territory)
Anguilla (Overseas territory)
Bermuda (Self-governing overseas territory)
British Antarctic Territory (Uninhabited overseas territory)[1]
British Indian Ocean Territory (Uninhabited overseas territory)
British Virgin Islands (Overseas territory)
Cayman Islands (Overseas territory)
Falkland Islands (Overseas territory)[7]
Gibraltar (Overseas territory)[8]
Guernsey - Bailiwick of Guernsey (Crown dependency)
Isle of Man (Crown dependency)
Jersey - Bailiwick of Jersey (Crown dependency)
Montserrat (Overseas territory)
Pitcairn Islands - Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands (Overseas territory)
Saint Helena (Overseas territory)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Overseas territory)[7]
Turks and Caicos Islands (Overseas territory)
United States
American Samoa - Territory of American Samoa (Territory)- Baker Island (Uninhabited territory)
Guam - Territory of Guam (Territory)- Howland Island (Uninhabited territory)
- Jarvis Island (Uninhabited territory)
Johnston Atoll (Uninhabited territory)- Kingman Reef (Uninhabited territory)
Midway Atoll (Uninhabited territory)
Navassa Island (Uninhabited territory)[9]
Northern Mariana Islands - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Territory)
Palmyra Atoll (Uninhabited territory)- Petrel Islands (Uninhabited territory)[10]
Puerto Rico - Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Territory)- Serranilla Bank (Uninhabited territory)[11]
United States Virgin Islands (Territory)
Wake Island (Uninhabited territory)[12]
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
See Also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Including an Antarctic claim, neither recognized nor disputed under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty System.
- ^ Referred to in the United Nations as the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".
- ^ Also known in English as "East Timor"
- ^ The Republic of China did not officially refer to itself as Taiwan, instead calling itself the "Republic of China" or (occasionally) the "Republic of China (Taiwan)". In international contexts, the state was sometimes known as "Chinese Taipei".
- ^ Claimed in part by Mauritius, the Comoros, Sey