List of countries
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All internationally recognized states follow to some degree international standards in terms of the creation of official national symbols such as flags, and political rights such as citizenship. There are currently 192 countries recognized by the United Nations.
Some countries are nation states – for example, France or Israel. In these nation states one particular nation is dominant. Other states, such as Canada, the People's Republic of China, Spain or the United Kingdom contain several nations (or, at least, some parts of the population call themselves a nation), in spite of some of them considering themselves as nation states.
Sometimes, parts of states with a distinct history or culture are called "lands" or "countries": England, Scotland and Wales – the three nations on the island of Great Britain – are known as countries, even though they are effectively governed as "components" of the British state. Tibet, an autonomous region of China, is similarly called a country in everyday speech. Ireland is also sometimes called a country, even though it consists of one nation-state (the Republic of Ireland) and one component of a different state (Northern Ireland).
The terms country, nation, state and land are casually used as synonyms, but in a more strict usage they are distinguished:
- country is the geographical area
- nation designates a people, however national and international both confusingly refer as well to matters pertaining to what are strictly states, as in national capital, international law
- state is about government, and an entity in international law
- land may be used for "a country and its people" but also thought of as country belonging to a nation or a monarch
This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states as well as (inhabited) dependent territories. For a list of sovereign states only, see the list of sovereign states.
List of countries
A
- Abkhazia - Republic of Abkhazia (de facto independent state inside Georgia)
- Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
- Akrotiri - Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Ŭand - County of Ŭand (autonomous province of Finland, recognized by international treaty)
- Albania - Republic of Albania
- Algeria - People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
- American Samoa - Territory of American Samoa (overseas territory of the United States)
- Andorra - Principality of Andorra
- Angola - Republic of Angola
- Anguilla (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina - Argentine Nation or Argentine Republic
- Armenia - Republic of Armenia
- Aruba (overseas country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Ascension Island (dependency of Saint Helena, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom).
- Australia - Commonwealth of Australia
- Austria - Republic of Austria
- Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan (see also Nagorno Karabakh)
B
- Bahamas, the - Commonwealth of the Bahamas
- Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain
- Bangladesh - People's Republic of Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus - Republic of Belarus
- Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium
- Belize
- Benin - Republic of Benin
- Bermuda (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Bhutan - Kingdom of Bhutan
- Bolivia - Republic of Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana - Republic of Botswana
- Brazil - Federative Republic of Brazil
- British Virgin Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Brunei - State of Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burma see Myanmar
- Burundi - Republic of Burundi
C
- Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia
- Cameroon - Republic of Cameroon
- Canada (federal state)
- Cape Verde - Republic of Cape Verde
- Cayman Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Central African Republic - Central African Republic
- Chad - Republic of Chad
- Chile - Republic of Chile
- China (PRC) - People's Republic of China
- China (ROC) see Taiwan (ROC)
- Christmas Island - Territory of Christmas Islands (overseas territory of Australia)
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (overseas territory of Australia)
- Colombia - Republic of Colombia
- Comoros - Union of the Comoros
- Congo-Kinshasa - Democratic Republic of Congo
- Congo-Brazzaville - Republic of Congo
- Cook Islands (overseas self-governing state associated with New Zealand)
- Costa Rica - Republic of Costa Rica
- C?d'Ivoire - Republic of C?d'Ivoire
- Croatia - Republic of Croatia
- Cuba - Republic of Cuba
- Cyprus - Republic of Cyprus (see also Northern Cyprus)
- Czech Republic - Czech Republic
D
- Denmark - Kingdom of Denmark
- Dhekelia - Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Djibouti - Republic of Djibouti
- Dominica - Commonwealth of Dominica
- Dominican Republic
E
- East Timor - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
- Ecuador - Republic of Ecuador
- Egypt - Arab Republic of Egypt
- El Salvador - Republic of El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea - Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea - State of Eritrea
- Estonia - Republic of Estonia
- Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
F
- Falkland Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by, and a former possession of Argentina (Islas Malvinas))
- Faroe Islands (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
- Fiji - Republic of the Fiji Islands
- Finland - Republic of Finland
- France - French Republic
- French Polynesia (French overseas country)
G
- Gabon - Gabonese Republic
- Gambia, the - Republic of the Gambia
- Georgia (see also Abkhazia and South Ossetia)
- Germany - Federal Republic of Germany (federal state)
- Ghana - Republic of Ghana
- Gibraltar (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Greece - Hellenic Republic
- Greenland (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
- Grenada
- Guam - Territory of Guam (overseas territtory of the United States)
- Guatemala - Republic of Guatemala
- Guernsey - Bailiwick of Guernsey (British crown dependency)
- Guinea - Republic of Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau - Republic of Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana - Co-operative Republic of Guyana
H
- Haiti - Republic of Haiti
- Honduras - Republic of Honduras
- Hong Kong - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
- Hungary - Republic of Hungary
I
- Iceland - Republic of Iceland
- India - Republic of India
- Indonesia - Republic of Indonesia
- Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran
- Iraq - Republic of Iraq
- Ireland, Republic of - Ireland (Official description: Republic of Ireland)
- Israel - State of Israel
- Italy - Italian Republic
- Ivory Coast, see C?d'Ivoire
J
- Jamaica
- Japan - Japan
- Jersey - Bailiwick of Jersey (British crown dependency)
- Jordan - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
K
- Kazakhstan - Republic of Kazakhstan
- Kenya - Republic of Kenya
- Kiribati - Republic of Kiribati
- Korea (North) - Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- Korea (South) - Republic of Korea
- Kosovo (autonomous province of Serbia and Montenegro under UN protectorate)
- Kuwait - State of Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic
L
- Laos - Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Latvia - Republic of Latvia
- Lebanon - Republic of Lebanon
- Lesotho - Kingdom of Lesotho
- Liberia - Republic of Liberia
- Libya - Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Liechtenstein - Principality of Liechtenstein
- Lithuania - Republic of Lithuania
- Luxembourg - Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
M
- Macau - Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
- Macedonia, Republic - Republic of Macedonia (Diplomatically also known as Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
- Madagascar - Republic of Madagascar
- Malawi - Republic of Malawi
- Malaysia - Federation of Malaysia (federal state)
- Maldives - Republic of Maldives
- Mali - Republic of Mali
- Malta - Republic of Malta
- Man, Isle of - Isle of Man (British crown dependency)
- Marshall Islands - Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Mauritania - Islamic Republic of Mauritania
- Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius
- Mayotte (French overseas departmental collectivity)
- Mexico - United Mexican States (federal state)
- Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia (federal state)
- Moldova - Republic of Moldova (see also Transnistria)
- Monaco - Principality of Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montserrat (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Morocco - Kingdom of Morocco (Western Sahara is occupied by and integrated in Morocco, see politics of Western Sahara)
- Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique
- Myanmar - Union of Myanmar (also known as Burma)
N
- Nagorno-Karabakh - Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (de facto independent state inside Azerbaijan)
- Namibia - Republic of Namibia
- Nauru - Republic of Nauru
- Nepal - Kingdom of Nepal
- Netherlands, the - Kingdom of the Netherlands (legally the Netherlands are the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, that also includes Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles)
- Netherlands Antilles (overseas country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- New Caledonia (French overseas collectivity)
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua - Republic of Nicaragua
- Niger - Republic of Niger
- Nigeria - Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Niue (overseas self-governing state associated with New Zealand)
- Norfolk Island - Territory of Norfolk Island (overseas territory of Australia)
- Northern Cyprus - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (de facto independent state inside Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey)
- Northern Mariana Islands - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (commonwealth associated with the United States)
- North Korea, see Korea (North)
- Norway - Kingdom of Norway
O
- Oman - Sultanate of Oman
P
- Pakistan - Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Palau - Republic of Palau
- Palestine - State of Palestine note 1
- Panama - Republic of Panama
- Papua New Guinea - Independent State of Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay - Republic of Paraguay
- Peru - Republic of Peru
- Philippines - Republic of the Philippines
- Pitcairn Islands - Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Poland - Republic of Poland
- Portugal - Portuguese Republic
- Puerto Rico - Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (commonwealth associated with the United States)
Q
- Qatar - State of Qatar
R
S
- Sahara, see Western Sahara
- Saint Helena (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis - Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (federal state)
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas territorial collectivity)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa - Independent State of Samoa
- San Marino - Most Serene Republic of San Marino
- S㯠Tom頡nd Pr�ipe - Democratic Republic of S㯠Tom頡nd Pr�ipe
- Saudi Arabia - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Senegal - Republic of Senegal
- Serbia and Montenegro - State Community of Serbia and Montenegro (federal state, the province of Kosovo is under UN administration since 1999)
- Seychelles - Republic of Seychelles
- Sierra Leone - Republic of Sierra Leone
- Singapore - Republic of Singapore
- Slovakia - Slovak Republic
- Slovenia - Republic of Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia (see also Somaliland)
- Somaliland - Republic of Somaliland (de facto independent state inside Somalia)
- South Africa - Republic of South Africa
- South Korea, see Korea (South)
- South Ossetia - Republic of South Ossetia (de facto independent state inside Georgia)
- Spain - Kingdom of Spain
- Sri Lanka - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
- Sudan - Republic of the Sudan
- Suriname - Republic of Suriname
- Svalbard (overseas territory of Norway)
- Swaziland - Kingdom of Swaziland
- Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden
- Switzerland - Swiss Confederation (federal state)
- Syria - Syrian Arab Republic
T
- Taiwan (ROC) - Republic of China (status disputed, Taiwan is claimed by the People's Republic of China)
- Tajikistan - Republic of Tajikistan
- Tanzania - United Republic of Tanzania (federal state)
- Thailand - Kingdom of Thailand
- Togo - Togolese Republic
- Tokelau (overseas territory of New Zealand)
- Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga
- Transnistria or Trans-Dniestr - Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (de facto independent state inside Moldova)
- Trinidad and Tobago - Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- Tristan da Cunha (dependency of Saint Helena, a overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Tunisia - Republic of Tunisia
- Turkey - Republic of Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
- Tuvalu
U
- Uganda - Republic of Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States - United States of America (federal state)
- United States Virgin Islands, see Virgin Islands
- Uruguay - Eastern Republic of Uruguay
- Uzbekistan - Republic of Uzbekistan
V
- Vanuatu - Republic of Vanuatu
- Vatican City - State of the Vatican City - State of the Vatican City (administered by the Holy See)
- Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- Vietnam - Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands of the United States (overseas territory of the United States)
- Virgin Islands (British), see British Virgin Islands
W
- Wallis and Futuna - Collectivity of Wallis and Futuna (French overseas territorial collectivity)
- Western Sahara - Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (area occupied by and integrated in Morocco, see Politics of Western Sahara)
Y
- Yemen - Republic of Yemen
Z
Note
Note 1: Palestine: "State of Palestine" was declared in 1988 and currently recognized by 93 countries. The international status of Palestine is further supported, short of further present recognition as a state, by non-recognizing countries' according the (at least closely associated) Palestinian Authority a pivotal role in the process that may involve their eventually recognizing a State of Palestine. See also: proposals for a Palestinian state and Palestinian territories. Gaza Strip, West Bank, Israel include country articles about areas proposed for inclusion in various versions of a future more widely recognized state.
Other listings
- of unrecognized countries
- of autonomous entities
- of dependent territories
- disputed or occupied areas
- of active autonomist and secessionist movements
- of imaginary countries
- of micronations
- of former countries
- by area
- by capital city
- by continent
- by gross domestic product
- of island countries
- by date of nationhood
- by population
- by population density
- by time zone
- by highest point
- by amount of active troops
For more sources, see Geographic references.