List of sovereign states

A long row of flags
Flags of the United Nations member and non-member GA observer states in front of the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

The following is a list providing an overview of sovereign states around the world with information on their status and recognition of their sovereignty.

The 205 listed states can be divided into three categories based on membership within the United Nations System: 193 UN member states,[1] 2 UN General Assembly non-member observer states, and 10 other states. The sovereignty dispute column indicates states having undisputed sovereignty (188 states, of which there are 187 UN member states and 1 UN General Assembly non-member observer state), states having disputed sovereignty (15 states, of which there are 6 UN member states, 1 UN General Assembly non-member observer state, and 8 de facto states), and states having a special political status (2 states, both in free association with New Zealand).

Compiling a list such as this can be a complicated and controversial process, as there is no definition that is binding on all the members of the community of nations concerning the criteria for statehood. For more information on the criteria used to determine the contents of this list, please see the criteria for inclusion section below. The list is intended to include entities that have been recognised as having de facto status as sovereign states, and inclusion should not be seen as an endorsement of any specific claim to statehood in legal terms.

  1. ^ "Member States | United Nations". United Nations. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.