List of unrecognized countries
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Several countries in the world have no general international recognition, but are de facto independent. Most are subnational regions that broke off from their home country.
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Unrecognized states with de facto control over their territory
- Abkhazia is a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. It is situated between the Caucasus and the Black Sea, recognized as a part of northwestern Georgia. The USSR forcefully merged Abkhazia with Georgia in 1931. The Abkhazian Soviets proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1990, and a short war ensued from 1992 through 1994. A June 1994 ceasefire has largely held, leaving Abkhazia outside the control of Georgia's government.
- The Republic of China, with control only of Taiwan and some other small islands since losing the Chinese Civil War in 1949, lost most of its diplomatic recognition and UN seat to the People's Republic of China in the 1970s and is officially recognized by only 25 countries. It conducts de facto (all but in name) relations with most countries through institutions such as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices. (See political status of Taiwan).
- Kosovo or Kosova although not recognized as an independent entity has functioned under the UN administration independently of Serbia and Montenegro since 1999. Legally it is a Serbian autonomous province.
- Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan is a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state without international recognition. It is internationally recognized as being part of Azerbaijan, but has an overwhelmingly ethnic Armenian majority.
- The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was set up in northern Cyprus after an invasion by Turkish forces, and has declared independence. It is a functioning state, but recognized only by Turkey.
- South Ossetia in Georgia is a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. It is recognized as a part of northern Georgia. It had found itself merged with Georgia as a result of the Russian Civil War of 1918-1920. It proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1991, and a ceasefire was declared in 1992.
- The civil war in Somalia has left no centralized organization governing the entire country. Somaliland in Somalia is a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation.
- Transnistria is the part of Moldova east of the river Dniestr and a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. It has a majority Slavic population, as opposed to majority Romanian which Moldova has.
Partially recognized states largely under occupation
- The State of Palestine was declared 1988 and recognized by a series of Arab and Muslim countries, see also: proposals for a Palestinian state and Palestinian territories. Gaza Strip, West Bank, Israel include country articles about areas in the Palestine region.
- Western Sahara is a territory that has been occupied by Morocco since the 1970s. The United Nations has attempted to oversee an independence referendum, but has so far had little success. However, Western Sahara is still recognized by a number of countries, and is a member of the African Union.
Historic unrecognized states with de facto control over their territory
- Katanga controlled the state of the same name within the former Belgian Congo after decolonisation, between 1960 and 1964.
- Biafra controlled territory in eastern Nigeria between the time of its secession in May 1967 until its final military collapse in January 1970.