# Geography of chess

Chess, a strategy board game, is played all over the world. The international governing body of chess is FIDE, established in 1924. Most national chess federations are now members of FIDE; several supranational chess organizations are also affiliated with FIDE.

## National level: Current FIDE members

The table below lists the member federations of FIDE and their national championship. The number of grandmasters and players registered for each federation in the FIDE database, as of January 2024, are also indicated.
    CountryZoneNational federation#GM#FIDENational championship  Afghanistan3.4Afghan National Chess Federation0452Afghan Chess Championship  Albania1.5aAlbania Chess Federation [Wikidata]1972Albanian Chess Championship  Algeria4.1Fédération Algérienne des échecs [Wikidata]36,376Algerian Chess Championship  Andorra1.10Federació d'Escacs Valls d'Andorra [Wikidata]3175Andorran Chess Championship  Angola4.5Federação Angolana de Xadrez [Wikidata]01,889Angolan Chess Championship  Antigua and Barbuda2.3.5Antigua and Barbuda Chess Federation052–  Argentina2.5Argentine Chess Federation2314,121Argentine Chess Championship  Armenia1.5bArmenian Chess Federation402,356Armenian Chess Championship  Aruba2.3.5Federashon di Ajedrez di Aruba0182–  Australia3.6Australian Chess Federation107,276Australian Chess Championship  Austria1.2aÖsterreichischer Schachbund119,553Austrian Chess Championship  Azerbaijan1.8Azerbaijan Chess Federation307,219Azerbaijani Chess Championship  Bahamas2.3.5Bahamas Chess Federation0202Bahamian Chess Championship  Bahrain3.1Bahrain Mind Sports Association0791Bahraini Chess Championship  Bangladesh3.2Bangladesh Chess Federation59,637Bangladeshi Chess Championship  Barbados2.3.5Barbados Chess Federation0688Barbadian Chess Championship  Belarus1.8Belarus Chess Federation153,119Belarusian Chess Championship  Belgium1.1bFRBE-KBSB-KSB [Wikidata]98,893Belgian Chess Championship  Belize2.3.2Belize Chess Federation09Belize National Chess Championship  Bermuda2.3.5Bermuda Chess Association0193–  Bhutan3.2Bhutan Chess Federation0133Bhutan National Premier Chess Championship  Bolivia2.4Federación Boliviana de Ajedrez15,454Bolivian Chess Championship  Bosnia and Herzegovina1.2bSahovski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine73,881Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Championship  Botswana4.5Botswana Chess Federation02,888Botswana Chess Championship  Brazil2.4Confed. Brasileira de Xadrez1526,903Brazilian Chess Championship  British Virgin Islands2.3.5British Virgin Islands Chess Federation010–  Brunei3.3Brunei Chess Federation0366Brunei Chess Championship  Bulgaria1.4Bulgarian Chess Federation356,120Bulgarian Chess Championship  Burkina Faso4.2Comité National Burkinabé des Échecs046Burkinabé Chess Championship  Burundi4.3Burundi Chess Federation [Wikidata]082Burundian Chess Championship  Cambodia3.3Cambodian Chess Federation020Cambodian Chess Championship  Cameroon4.3Cameroon Chess Federation [Wikidata]0196Cameroonian Chess Championship  Canada2.2Chess Federation of Canada146,051Canadian Chess Championship  Cape Verde4.2Federação Cabo-verdiana de Xadrez [Wikidata]0270Cape Verdean Chess Championship  Cayman Islands2.3.5Cayman Islands Chess Federation068-  Central African Republic4.3Chess Federation of Central African Republic0100Central African Chess Championship  Chad4.3Chad Chess Federation017-  Chile2.5Fed. Deportiva Nacional De Ajedrez67,422Chilean Chess Championship  China3.5Chinese Chess Association515,024Chinese Chess Championship  Chinese Taipei3.3Chinese Taipei Chess Association1521Taiwanese Chess Championship  Colombia2.3.4Fed. Colombiana de Ajedrez1113,176Colombian Chess Championship  Comoros4.4Comoros Islands Chess Federation [Wikidata]044Comorian Chess Championship  Republic of the Congo4.3Congolese Chess Federation [Wikidata]097Congolese Chess Championship  Costa Rica2.3.2Federacion Central de Ajedrez16,264Costa Rican Chess Championship  Croatia1.2bHrvatski šahovski savez3011,726Croatian Chess Championship  Cuba2.3.3Fed. Cubana de Ajedrez263,518Cuban Chess Championship  Cyprus1.10Cyprus Chess Federation01,296Cypriot Chess Championship  Czech Republic1.4Šachový svaz České republiky3316,984Czech Chess Championship  Denmark1.3Dansk Skak Union168,092Danish Chess Championship  Djibouti4.4Djiboutian Chess Federation0130Djiboutian Chess Championship  Dominica2.3.5Dominica Chess Federation037-  Dominican Republic2.3.5Federación Dominicana de Ajedrez13,470Dominican Chess Championship  Ecuador2.4Fed. Ecuatoriana de Ajedrez15,560Ecuadorian Chess Championship  Egypt4.1Egyptian Chess Federation616,217Egyptian Chess Championship  El Salvador2.3.2Federación Salvadoreña de Ajedrez01,072Salvadoran Chess Championship  England1.1aEnglish Chess Federation4013,885British Chess Championship  Equatorial Guinea4.3Asociación Nacional de Ajedrez de Guinea Ecuatorial065-  Eritrea4.4Eritrea Chess Federation0171Eritrean Chess Championship  Estonia1.7Eesti Maleliit62,685Estonian Chess Championship  Eswatini4.5Eswatini National Chess Federation0288Swazi Chess Championship  Ethiopia4.4Ethiopian Chess Federation01,071Ethiopian Chess Championship  Faroe Islands1.10Talvsamband Føroya1532Faroese Chess Championship  Fiji3.6Fiji Chess Federation0435Fijian Chess Championship  Finland1.3Suomen Keskusshakkiliitto42,154Finnish Chess Championship  France1.1bFrench Chess Federation5598,861French Chess Championship  Gabon4.3Fédération Gabonaise des Échecs0123Gabonese Chess Championship  Gambia4.2Gambia Chess Federation075Gambian Chess Championship  Georgia1.5bChess Federation of Georgia314,542Georgian Chess Championship  Germany1.2aDeutscher Schachbund9747,579German Chess Championship  Ghana4.2Ghana Chess Association [Wikidata]0358Ghanaian Chess Championship  Greece1.5aElliniki Skakistiki Omospondia1728,134Greek Chess Championship  Grenada2.3.5Grenada Chess Federation021-  Guam3.6Guam Chess Federation0432–  Guatemala2.3.2Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Guatemala0764Guatemalan Chess Championship  Guernsey1.10Guernsey Chess Federation041Guernsey Chess Championship  Guyana2.3.5Guyana Chess Federation0302Guyanese Chess Championship  Haiti2.3.5Haitian Chess Federation0252Haitian Chess Championship  Honduras2.3.2Federación Nacional de Ajedrez de Honduras01,318Honduran Chess Championship  Hong Kong3.3Hong Kong Chess Federation01,654Hong Kong Chess Championship  Hungary1.4Magyar Sakkszövetség5212,532Hungarian Chess Championship  Iceland1.3Skáksamband Íslands153,021Icelandic Chess Championship  India3.7All India Chess Federation83134,560Indian Chess Championship  Indonesia3.3Persatuan Catur Seluruh Indonesia43,364Indonesian Chess Championship  Iran3.1Chess Fed. of Islamic Rep. of Iran1563,462Iranian Chess Championship  Iraq3.1Iraqi Chess Federation03,705Iraqi Chess Championship  Ireland1.1aIrish Chess Union12,971Irish Chess Championship  Israel1.2bIsrael Chess Federation497,538Israeli Chess Championship  Italy1.1cFederazione Scacchistica Italiana1832,862Italian Chess Championship  Ivory Coast4.2Fédération Ivoirienne des Échecs [Wikidata]0556Ivorian Chess Championship  Jamaica2.3.5Jamaica Chess Federation01,073Jamaican Chess Championship  Japan3.3National Chess Society of Japan [ja]0609Japanese Chess Championship  Jersey1.10Jersey Chess Federation0223Jersey Chess Championship  Jordan3.1Royal Jordanian Chess Federation12,908Jordanian Chess Championship  Kazakhstan3.4Kazakhstan Chess Federation1813,681Kazakhstani Chess Championship  Kenya4.4Chess Kenya [Wikidata]04,797Kenyan Chess Championship  Kosovo1.2bKosovo Chess Federation0875Kosovan Chess Championship  Kuwait3.1Kuwait Chess Federation0834Kuwaiti Chess Championship  Kyrgyzstan3.4Chess Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic04,782Kyrgyzstani Chess Championship  Laos3.3Lao Chess Federation0202Laotian Chess Championship  Latvia1.7Latvijas Šaha Federācija 104,537Latvian Chess Championship  Lebanon3.1Federation Libanaise des Echecs02,480Lebanese Chess Championship  Lesotho4.5Chess Federation of Lesotho0434Lesotho Chess Championship  Liberia4.2Liberia Chess Federation0328Liberian Chess Championship  Libya4.1General Libyan Chess Federation01,881Libyan Chess Championship  Liechtenstein1.10Liechtensteiner Schachverband045Liechtenstein Chess Championship  Lithuania1.7Lietuvos šachmatų federacija116,341Lithuanian Chess Championship  Luxembourg1.10Federation Luxembourgeoise des Echecs0875Luxembourg Chess Championship  Macau3.3Grupo de Xadrez de Macau086–  Madagascar4.4Madagascar Chess Federation [Wikidata]0953Malagasy Chess Championship  Malawi4.5Chess Association of Malawi01,009Malawian Chess Championship  Malaysia3.3Malaysian Chess Federation015,533Malaysian Chess Championship  Maldives3.2Maldives Chess Federation0573Maldivian Chess Championship  Mali4.2Federation Malienne du Jeu D'Echecs [Wikidata]0135Malian Chess Championship  Malta1.10Il-Federazzjoni Maltija tac-Cess0142Maltese Chess Championship  Mauritania4.1Mauritanian Chess Federation [Wikidata]0839Mauritanian Chess Championship  Mauritius4.4Mauritius Chess Federation [Wikidata]069Mauritian Chess Championship  Mexico2.3.1Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Mexico AC514,128Mexican Chess Championship  Moldova1.8Federația de Șah a Republicii Moldova71,524Moldovan Chess Championship  Monaco1.10Monaco Chess Federation [Wikidata]3303Monaco Chess Championship  Mongolia3.3Mongolian Chess Federation82,663Mongolian Chess Championship  Montenegro1.5aMontenegro Chess Federation111,377Montenegrin Chess Championship  Morocco4.1Fed. Royale Marocaine des Echecs14,879Moroccan Chess Championship  Mozambique4.5Mozambique Chess Federation [Wikidata]0634Mozambican Chess Championship  Myanmar3.3Myanmar Chess Federation02,354Myanmar Chess Championship  Namibia4.5Namibia Chess Federation01,206Namibian Chess Championship  Nauru3.6Nauru Chess Federation069Nauruan Chess Championship  Nepal3.2Nepal Chess Association04,986Nepalese Chess Championship  Netherlands1.1bKoninklijke Nederlandse Schaakbond4310,479Dutch Chess Championship  Netherlands Antilles2.3.5Curaçao Chess Federation0276Netherlands Antilles Chess Championship  New Zealand3.6New Zealand Chess Federation12,547New Zealand Chess Championship  Nicaragua2.3.2Federacion Nicaragüense de Ajedrez01,255Nicaraguan Chess Championship  Niger4.2Niger Chess Federation069-  Nigeria4.2Nigeria Chess Federation03,878Nigerian Chess Championship  North Macedonia1.2bChess Federation of Macedonia101,749Macedonian Chess Championship  Norway1.3Norges Sjakkforbund188,552Norwegian Chess Championship  Oman3.1Oman Chess Committee02,595Omani Chess Championship  Pakistan3.2Chess Federation of Pakistan02,963Pakistani Chess Championship  Palau3.6Palau Chess Federation0267Palauan Chess Championship  Palestine3.1Palestine Chess Federation02,410Palestinian Chess Championship  Panama2.3.2Fed. de Ajedrez de Panama02,786Panamanian Chess Championship  Papua New Guinea3.6Papua New Guinea Chess Federation022Papua New Guinean Chess Championship  Paraguay2.5Federacion Paraguaya de Ajedrez51,724Paraguayan Chess Championship  Peru2.4Federacion Peruana de Ajedrez1013,178Peruvian Chess Championship  Philippines3.3National Chess Federation of the Philippines1311,996Philippine Chess Championship  Poland1.4Polish Chess Federation5043,572Polish Chess Championship  Portugal1.1cFederação Portuguesa de Xadrez48,047Portuguese Chess Championship  Puerto Rico2.3.5Fed. de Ajedrez de Puerto Rico01,316Puerto Rican Chess Championship  Qatar3.1Qatar Chess Association3186Qatari Chess Championship  Romania1.4Federația Română de Șah2613,041Romanian Chess Championship  Russia3.8Chess Federation of Russia185120,128Russian Chess Championship  Rwanda4.4Rwanda Chess Federation [Wikidata]0192Rwandan Chess Championship  Saint Kitts and Nevis2.3.5Saint Kitts and Nevis Chess Federation012-  Saint Lucia2.3.5Saint Lucia Chess Federation070-  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2.3.5Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Chess Federation021-  San Marino1.10Federazione Sammarinese degli Scacchi054Sammarinese Chess Championship  São Tomé and Príncipe4.3Sao Tome and Principe Chess Federation [Wikidata]0170São Tomé and Príncipe Chess Championship  Saudi Arabia3.1Saudi Chess Association03,516Saudi Arabian Chess Championship  Scotland1.1aChess Scotland61,468Scottish Chess Championship  Senegal4.2Senegalese Chess Federation [Wikidata]1194Senegalese Chess Championship  Serbia1.5aChess Federation of Serbia5312,767Serbian Chess Championship  Seychelles4.4Seychelles Chess Federation079Seychelles Chess Championship  Sierra Leone4.2Sierra Leone Chess Federation079Sierra Leonean Chess Championship  Singapore3.3Singapore Chess Federation55,618Singaporean Chess Championship  Slovakia1.4Slovenský šachový zväz149,528Slovak Chess Championship  Slovenia1.2aŠahovska Zveza Slovenije147,053Slovenian Chess Championship  Solomon Islands3.6Solomon Islands Chess Federation0122Solomon Island Chess Championship  Somalia4.4Somali Chess Federation0146Somali Chess Championship  South Africa4.5Chess South Africa18,599South African Chess Championship  South Korea3.3Korea Chess Federation12,416South Korean Chess Championship  South Sudan4.4South Sudan Chess Federation0502South Sudanese Chess Championship  Spain1.1cFederacion Espanola de Ajedrez5974,610Spanish Chess Championship  Sri Lanka3.2Chess Federation of Sri Lanka021,776Sri Lankan Chess Championship  Sudan4.4Sudan Chess Federation01,664Sudanese Chess Championship  Suriname2.3.5De Surinaamse Schaakbond0637Surinamese Chess Championship  Sweden1.3Sveriges Schackförbund258,537Swedish Chess Championship  Switzerland1.2aSchweizerischer Schachbund115,854Swiss Chess Championship  Syria3.1Syrian Arab Chess Federation01,531Syrian Chess Championship  Tajikistan3.4Federazijai Shakhmati Tajikistan1409Tajikistani Chess Championship  Tanzania4.4Tanzania Chess Association0242Tanzanian Chess Championship  Thailand3.3Thailand Chess Association02,087Thai Chess Championship  Timor-Leste3.3Federação Xadrez de Timor-Leste0594Timorese Chess Championship  Togo4.2Togolese Chess Federation [Wikidata]0546Togolese Chess Championship  Trinidad and Tobago2.3.5Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association01,326Trinidad and Tobago Chess Championship  Tunisia4.1Tunisian Chess Federation [Wikidata]34,933Tunisian Chess Championship  Turkey1.5aTurkish Chess Federation1449,282Turkish Chess Championship  Turkmenistan3.4Turkmenistan Chess Federation71,347Turkmen Chess Championship  Uganda4.4Uganda Chess Federation03,870Ugandan Chess Championship  Ukraine1.9Ukrainian Chess Federation8818,518Ukrainian Chess Championship  United Arab Emirates3.1UAE Chess Federation23,244Emirati Chess Championship  United States2.1United States Chess Federation10625,204U.S. Chess Championship U.S. Women's Chess Championship  United States Virgin Islands2.3.5US Virgin Islands Chess Federation073–  Uruguay2.5Federación Uruguaya de Ajedrez32,453Uruguayan Chess Championship  Uzbekistan3.4Chess Federation of Uzbekistan173,304Uzbekistani Chess Championship  Venezuela2.3.5Fed. Venezolana de Ajedrez111,363Venezuelan Chess Championship  Vietnam3.3Vietnam Chess Federation136,065Vietnamese Chess Championship  Wales1.1aWelsh Chess Union0830Welsh Chess Championship  Yemen3.1Yemen Chess Association0656Yemeni Chess Championship  Zambia4.5Chess Federation of Zambia12,932Zambian Chess Championship  Zimbabwe4.5Zimbabwe Chess Federation01,863Zimbabwean Chess Championship
In addition, the Isle of Man Chess Association (since 2020) and the Chess League of New Caledonia (Ligue d'Echecs de Nouvelle-Calédonie, since 2023) are affiliated organizations.

### Former FIDE members

The list below includes nations that no longer exist as well as national federations that are currently not members of FIDE.
    CountryNational federationNational championship  CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovak Chess Championship  Soviet UnionUSSR Chess FederationUSSR Chess Championship  YugoslaviaYugoslav Chess Championship

## Supranational level

    Countries (zone)FederationOfficial WebsiteChampionships Europe (1)European Chess Union (ECU)Individual, Youth, Junior, Senior and Team America (2)Confederation of Chess for America (CCA)Pan American Chess Championship Asia (3)Asian Chess Federation (ACF)Asian Chess Championship, Asian Senior Chess Championship Africa (4)African Chess Confederation (ACC)African Chess Championship Arab worldArab Chess Federation (ACF)Arab Chess Championship ASEANASEAN Chess Confederation– Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth Chess Association (CCA)Commonwealth Chess Championship European microstates––European Small Nations Chess Championship Francophone countriesInternational Chess Federation of French-speaking countries (AIDEF)AIDEF Chess Championship Ibero-AmericaIberoamerican Chess Federation (FIBDA)Iberoamerican Chess Championship Mediterranean countriesMediterranean Chess AssociationMediterranean Chess Championship Nordic countriesNordic Chess FederationNordic Chess Championship Oceania (3.6)Oceania Chess Confederation (OCC)Oceania Chess Championship South America--South American Chess Championship