List of countries in the 2020s

This is a list of countries in the 2020s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 2020 and the present day. It contains 209 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 195 widely recognized sovereign states, two associated states, and 12 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de jure constituents of other powers by the general international community.

Members or observers of the United Nations
Name and capital cityInformation on status and recognition of sovereignty A  →  
 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (to 15 August 2021)
 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (from 15 August 2021)
Widely recognized UN member state. Under de facto government of the Taliban from 15 August 2021 which lacks international recognition. – Republic of Albania 
Widely recognized UN member state. – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Principality of Andorra 
Widely recognized UN member state; the President of France and Bishop of Urgell are ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra is the responsibility of France and Spain. – Republic of Angola 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm; Antigua and Barbuda has two dependencies and they are Barbuda and Redonda. – Argentine Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state; Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It has a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claims the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which are British overseas territories. – Republic of Armenia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Commonwealth of Australia 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Australia is a federation of six states and three territories. It has sovereignty over the following external territories:
 Ashmore and Cartier Islands
 Australian Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)


 Coral Sea Islands
 Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  – Republic of Austria 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member; Austria is a federation of nine states. – Republic of Azerbaijan 
Widely recognized UN member state; Azerbaijan has one autonomous republic and it is Nakhchivan. It includes the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a partially recognized breakaway republic has declared independence. B  – Commonwealth of the Bahamas 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. – Kingdom of Bahrain 
Widely recognized UN member state. – People's Republic of Bangladesh 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm to 30 November 2021, republic from 30 November. – Republic of Belarus 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Belgium 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020. EU member. Belgium is a federation of three communities and three regions. 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. – Republic of Benin Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Bhutan 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Plurinational State of Bolivia Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative)
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a federation of two constituent entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is itself a federation of ten cantons, and Republika Srpska. – Republic of Botswana 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Federative Republic of Brazil 
Widely recognized UN member state. Brazil is a federation of 26 states and one federal district. – Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace 
Widely recognized UN member state. Brunei claims part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia). – Republic of Bulgaria 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. 
Widely recognized UN member state.Burma  Myanmar – Republic of Burundi 
Widely recognized UN member state. C  – Kingdom of Cambodia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Cameroon 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm; Canada is a federation of ten provinces and three territories. – Republic of Cabo Verde 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Chad 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Chile 
Widely recognized UN member state; Chile has two special territories and they are Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. It has a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, although it is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. – People's Republic of China 
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The People's Republic of China has 22 provinces, four direct controlled municipalities and five autonomous regions: Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet. Additionally, it has sovereignty over two special administrative regions:


The People's Republic of China claims Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, all of which are governed by the Republic of China. It also claims 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 administers Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract, which are within the disputed region of Kashmir. – Republic of Colombia 
Widely recognized UN member state; Colombia administers Serranilla Bank and claims Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States). – Union of the Comoros 
Widely recognized UN member state. The Comoros is a federation of three islands autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. Comoros also claims sovereignty over the French region of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. Comoros also claims Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and France). 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Costa Rica 
Widely recognized UN member state.Côte d'Ivoire  Ivory Coast – Republic of Croatia 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Republic of Cuba 
Widely recognized UN member state; the Cuban region of Guantánamo Bay is under the control of the United States. – Republic of Cyprus 
Widely recognized UN member state; EU member. The northeastern part of the island is the de facto independent statelet of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey. 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. D  – Kingdom of Denmark 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. The Kingdom of Denmark also included two autonomous countries:

  – Republic of Djibouti 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Commonwealth of Dominica 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020. E  – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Ecuador 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Arab Republic of Egypt 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of El Salvador 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Equatorial Guinea 
Widely recognized UN member state. – State of Eritrea 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Estonia 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 and tentatively 2021; EU member. – Kingdom of EswatiniCapital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative)
Widely recognized UN member state. – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 
Widely recognized UN member state. Ethiopia is a federation of nine regions and two chartered cities. F  – Republic of Fiji 
Widely recognized UN member state. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma. – Republic of Finland 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region:
  – French Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. EU member. France includes five overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion. It also has sovereignty over the following overseas territories:
 Clipperton Island

  (including a claim to Adélie Land which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.)


 Saint Martin

 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)

France also claims Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and the Comoros). G  – Gabonese Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of the Gambia 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. Georgia has two autonomous regions and they are Adjara and Abkhazia; the latter is home to a de facto independent state. Georgia also includes the disputed region of South Ossetia, where a partially-recognized breakaway republic had declared independence. – Federal Republic of Germany 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020. EU member. Germany is a federation of sixteen states. – Republic of Ghana 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Hellenic Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. Greece has sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that is 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. 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada has one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. – Republic of Guatemala 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Guinea 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Guinea-Bissau 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Co-operative Republic of Guyana 
Widely recognized UN member state. H  – Republic of Haiti 
Widely recognized UN member state; Haiti claims the uninhabited U.S. possession of Navassa Island.Holy See  Vatican City – Republic of Honduras 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. I  – Republic of Iceland 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of India 
Widely recognized UN member state; India is a federation of twenty-eight states and nine union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet is disputed by China; India administers part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. – Republic of Indonesia 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020. Indonesia has five special provinces and they are Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Yogyakarta. – Islamic Republic of Iran 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Iraq 
Widely recognized UN member state. Iraq is constitutionally designated as a federation of autonomous regions, but only one region (Iraqi Kurdistan) has been established. 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – State of Israel 
Widely recognized UN member state. Israel occupies East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. These areas were not generally recognized as being part of Israel. – Italian Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Italy has 5 autonomous regions and they are Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. – Republic of Côte d'IvoireCapital: Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state. J  
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. 
Widely recognized UN member state; its claim over the Liancourt Rocks is disputed by North Korea and South Korea. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands is disputed by Russia. – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 
Widely recognized UN member state. K  – Republic of Kazakhstan 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Kenya 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Kiribati 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Democratic People's Republic of Korea 
Widely recognized UN member state. It claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks is disputed by South Korea and Japan. – Republic of Korea 
Widely recognized UN member state. South Korea has one autonomous region and it is Jeju. It claims to be the sole legitimate government of Korea and its claim over the Liancourt Rocks is disputed by North Korea and Japan. – State of Kuwait 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kyrgyz Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. L  – Lao People's Democratic Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Latvia 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Lebanese Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Lesotho 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Liberia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – State of Libya 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Principality of Liechtenstein 
Widely recognized UN member state; the defense of Liechtenstein is the responsibility of Switzerland. – Republic of Lithuania 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. M  – Republic of Madagascar 
Widely recognized UN member state. Madagascar claims the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island. It also claims Banc du Geyser, though this is disputed by Comoros and France. – Republic of Malawi 
Widely recognized UN member state. Capital: Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative)
Widely recognized UN member state. Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia claims part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei). – Republic of Maldives 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Mali 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Malta 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Republic of the Marshall Islands 
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claims the United States territory of Wake Island. – Islamic Republic of Mauritania 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Mauritius 
Widely recognized UN member state; Mauritius had one autonomous dependency: Rodrigues. Mauritius also has two other dependencies and they are Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos. It claims the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island. – United Mexican States 
Widely recognized UN member state; Mexico is a federation of 31 states and one federal district. 
Widely recognized UN member state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM is a federation of four states. – Republic of Moldova 
Widely recognized UN member state. Moldova had two autonomous territorial units and they are Gagauzia and Transnistria; the latter is home to a de facto independent state. – Principality of Monaco 
Widely recognized UN member state; the defense of Monaco is the responsibility of France. 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Morocco 
Widely recognized UN member state. Morocco claims sovereignty over and controlled most of the disputed Western Sahara, which is home to the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed the Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas. – Republic of Mozambique 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of the Union of Myanmar 
Widely recognized UN member state. N  – Republic of Namibia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Nauru Capital: Yaren (unofficial, seat of parliament)
Widely recognized UN member state; the defense of Nauru is the responsibility of Australia. – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal 
Widely recognized UN member state. Nepal is a federation of seven provinces. – Kingdom of the Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four autonomous countries:




Territory of islands without autonomy (consists of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands):

The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole is a member of the EU, but Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Caribbean Netherlands are not. 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had responsibilities for the two free associated states of:


It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories:
 Ross Dependency (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)

The government of Tokelau claims Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand does not recognize this claim. – Republic of Nicaragua 
Widely recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. – Republic of Niger 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 and 2021. – Federal Republic of Nigeria 
Widely recognized UN member state. Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and one federal territory. – Republic of North Macedonia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Norway 
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  – Sultanate of Oman
Widely recognized UN member state. P  – Islamic Republic of Pakistan 
Widely recognized UN member state. Pakistan is a federation of four provinces and four territories. It administers part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. – Republic of Palau 
Widely recognized UN member state under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. – State of PalestineCapital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claims)
Partially-recognised de facto self-governing entity. Palestine claims sovereignty over a disputed region consisting of three Israeli-occupied territories: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Palestine is a permanent observer at the United Nations. The Palestinian National Authority is an interim administrative body that exercises limited control over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Gaza is under the control of Hamas. – Republic of Panama 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Independent State of Papua New Guinea 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. Papua New Guinea has one autonomous region and it is Bougainville. – Republic of Paraguay 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Peru 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of the Philippines 
Widely recognized UN member state. The Philippines has one autonomous region and it is Bangsamoro. The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claims sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah. – Republic of Poland 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Portuguese Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal claims the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga. Q  – State of Qatar 
Widely recognized UN member state. R  
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Russian Federation 
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Russia is a federation of 22 republics, 46 oblasts, 9 krais, 3 federal cities, 1 autonomous oblast, and 4 autonomous okrugs. Its claim over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai Islands is disputed by Japan and its claim over Crimea is disputed by Ukraine. – Republic of Rwanda
Widely recognized UN member state. S  – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis 
Widely recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation of fourteen parishes within two island. Nevis (which is one of the islands) has autonomy. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 and tentatively 2021; Commonwealth realm. – Independent State of Samoa 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of San Marino 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe 
Widely recognized UN member state; São Tomé and Príncipe has one autonomous province and it is Príncipe. – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Senegal 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Serbia 
Widely recognized UN member state. Serbia claims two autonomous provinces and they are Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija, with the latter being home to a partially-recognized de facto independent state. – Republic of Seychelles 
Widely recognized UN member state; the Seychelles claims the British Indian Ocean Territory. – Republic of Sierra Leone 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Singapore 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Slovak Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. – Republic of Slovenia 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. – Federal Republic of Somalia 
Widely recognized UN member state. Several autonomous regional governments exist in the de jure territory of Somalia. Although these states do not claim independence from Somalia, they are de facto self-governing:
  Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a
 al-Shabaab
  Galmudug
  Himan and Heeb
  Jubaland/Azania

There are also areas of the country which at various times have no effective government at all or which are ruled by local clans. In addition, there is one state which has declared and established de facto independence from Somalia and it is Somaliland. – Republic of South Africa Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020. – Republic of South Sudan 
Widely recognized independent state and an UN member state; disputes Abyei with Sudan. South Sudan is a federation of 10 states. – Kingdom of Spain 
Widely recognized UN member state and an EU member. Spain is 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 is disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga is disputed by Portugal; it claims the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri LankaCapital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of the Sudan 
Widely recognized UN member state; Sudan is a federation of 18 states. Abyei is disputed with South Sudan. – Republic of Suriname 
Widely recognized UN member state.Swaziland  Eswatini – Kingdom of Sweden 
Widely recognized UN member state. EU member. – Swiss Confederation 
Widely recognized independent state. UN member state. Switzerland is a federation of 26 cantons. – Syrian Arab Republic 
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. T  – Republic of Tajikistan 
Widely recognized UN member state; Tajikistan has one autonomous province and it is Gorno-Badakhshan. – United Republic of TanzaniaCapital: Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (seat of government)
Widely recognized UN member state; Tanzania has one autonomous region and it is Zanzibar. – Kingdom of Thailand 
Widely recognized UN member state.Timor-Leste  East Timor – Togolese Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Tonga 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago 
Widely recognized UN member state; Trinidad and Tobago has one autonomous island and it is Tobago. – Tunisian Republic 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 and tentatively 2021. – Republic of Turkey 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state and a Commonwealth realm. U  – Republic of Uganda 
Widely recognized UN member state. 
Widely recognized UN member state; Ukraine has one autonomous republic and it is Crimea. 
Widely recognized UN member state; the United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates. – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council; EU member to 31 January 2020. The United Kingdom is composed of four "countries": England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It has sovereignty over the following British overseas territories:


  (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
  (disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)


  (disputed by Argentina)
  (disputed by Spain)



  (disputed by Argentina)
 Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia

In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) has direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:
 , with two dependencies:



  – United States of America 
Widely recognized UN member state and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The United States is a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It asserts sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas:
  (including Swains Island, which is disputed by Tokelau)




It also asserts sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories, these islands are 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 claims Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla is disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo is disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States. – Eastern Republic of Uruguay 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Uzbekistan 
Widely recognized UN member state; Uzbekistan had one autonomous republic and it is Karakalpakstan. V  – Republic of Vanuatu 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Vatican City State 
Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City is 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 is the ex officio head of state of Vatican City. – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 
Widely recognized UN member state. Venezuela is a federation of 23 states, one federal dependency, and one federal district. – Socialist Republic of Vietnam 
Widely recognized UN member state and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 and tentatively 2021. Vietnam claims sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by China and Taiwan) and Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia). Y  – Republic of Yemen 
Widely recognized UN member state. Z  – Republic of Zambia 
Widely recognized UN member state. – Republic of Zimbabwe 
Widely recognized UN member state.

Non-UN members or observers
Name and capital cityInformation on status and recognition of sovereignty – Republic of Abkhazia 
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Georgia. – Republic of Artsakh 
De facto self-governing entity. Not recognized by any other state; claimed by Azerbaijan. 
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by Japan, Netherlands, and China. The Cook Islands is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship. – Republic of Kosovo 
 Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Serbia as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija under UN administration 
A state in free association with New Zealand, recognized by China. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity and it has shared citizenship with New Zealand. – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus 
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity; claimed by Cyprus. Capital: Tifariti (temporary), El Aaiún (claimed)
Partially-recognized de facto self-governing entity. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which is under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claims by Morocco. Its government resides in exile in Tindouf, Algeria. – Republic of Somaliland 
De facto self-governing entity; not recognized by any other state and claimed by Somalia. – Republic of South Ossetia 
Partially-recognized de facto independent state. Claimed by Georgia as the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia. – Republic of ChinaCapital: Taipei (seat of government)
Partially-recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China claims to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba (collectively known as the "free area"). Territories controlled by the Republic of China are claimed by the People's Republic of China. – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic 
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:
  as a whole has no government and no permanent population. Seven states claim portions of Antarctica and five of these have 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.CIA – the World Factbook – Antarctica – accessed 19 January 2008
  The European Union is a sui generis supranational organisation which had 27 (then 28) member states. The member states had 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 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a former proto-state and current insurgent group in primarily Iraq and Syria among other nations. ISlL used to be considered a quasi-state, but is no longer considered as such.
  The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a United Nations observer. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but has no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome and Malta.Bilateral relations with countries . Retrieved 2009-12-22 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.
  The Tigray Region is recognized as a region of Ethiopia. Despite being at war with the rest of Ethiopia, it isn't commonly considered a sovereign state and is more of an insurgency or proto-state.

Notes

References

Category:2020s
Category:Lists of countries in the 21st century