List of states with limited recognition

The list of unrecognized countries enumerates those geo-political entities which lack general diplomatic recognition, but wish to be recognized as sovereign states.

Present geo-political entities

Partially unrecognized states

The following states are all recognised by the majority of the world's sovereign states. They are members of the United Nations, with the exception of the Vatican City, which, through the Holy See, is a UN observer. They all conduct relations with the majority of the world's nations. However, some of them are not recognized by certain countries. These partially unrecognized states are:

• People's Republic of China has, since 1971, been recognized by the majority of the world's states and now conducts relations with 167. 24 states, however, still recognize the Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of Greater China. Until the 1970s, a majority of states recognized the Republic of China instead of the People's Republic of China as the government of China.

• Cyprus, recognized by 172 countries as the sovereign power over the island of Cyprus, is not recognized as such by Turkey. The Turkish government, however, recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a separate political entity on the island. The non-recognition of Cyprus has become an issue as Turkey is attempting to become a member of the European Union, which includes Cyprus.

• Israel is not recognised by many Arab and Muslim states (24; relations with four others are suspended), though it has been recognized by Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania and others. It has relations with 159 states, out of 192 states at the UN, including Turkey, and is a member of the United Nations and many other international organisations.

• Vatican City - the territorial identity for the Catholic Church which has its diplomatic affairs managed by the Holy See. The Holy See is officially recognized by 176 states . In particular, it is not recognised by the People's Republic of China, due to its official relations with the Republic of China.

Partially recognized states with de facto control over their territory

States that are recognized by more than one country

• Republic of China, which governs only 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 October 25, 1971 by UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and now is currently officially recognized by only 23 UN member states as well as the Holy See (Vatican). It conducts de facto (in all but name) relations with most countries through de facto embassies such as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. (See political status of Taiwan)

States that are recognized by only one country

• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was set up in the northern part of the island of Cyprus after an invasion of forces from the Republic of Turkey in 1974, following a Greek Cypriot coup, which, backed by the Greek military junta of 1967-1974, overthrew president Makarios. TRNC declared independence in 1983 and has been recognized only by Turkey. In 2004, The Republic of Cyprus territory was accepted de jure into the EU, however the territory remains de facto outside the EU [1]. Its declaration of Independence has been declared as legally invalid by the UN resolution 541 and all states were urged to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non alignment of the Republic of Cyprus by Resolution 367.

Partially recognized states existing on disputed territories

• Palestine was declared a state by the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1988 and recognized by 103 countries. (See also proposals for a Palestinian state, Palestinian territories, Palestinian National Authority, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Israel all of which include articles about areas in the Palestine region.)
• Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (The) claims the Western Sahara, a territory also claimed and largely administered by Morocco since Spain abandoned the territory in 1976. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls the remainder of Western Sahara; it was proclaimed by the Front Polisario in 1976, is recognized by 45 states, and a full member of the African Union. Sovereignty over Western Sahara is unresolved and the United Nations is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue through the mission MINURSO. The UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991. Western Sahara is on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Unrecognized states with de facto control over their territory

• Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan is (since 1991) a self-declared and fully functioning independent state with an ethnic-Armenian majority and no international recognition from any other nation, including Armenia. It declared its independence based on USSR constitution and according to international forms.

• Somaliland (since 1991). Located in northwest Somalia. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes five of the eighteen administrative regions of Somalia, corresponding to British Somaliland which is located between Ethiopia, Djibouti, Puntland and the Gulf of Aden.

Unrecognized states with partial control over their territory

• Abkhazia in Georgia is a self-declared and partially functioning independent state; it is not recognised by any state. It is situated between the Caucasus and the Black Sea, recognized as a part of northwestern Georgia.
• Islamic Emirate of Waziristan is an organization that some commentators claim gained de facto recognition from the Government of Pakistan when it was named as party to the Waziristan Accord. It is comprised of North Waziristan and South Waziristan, two of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, recognized as a part of Pakistan.
• Transnistria is a self-declared and de facto independent state. Recognized as part of Moldova, it is located east of the river Dniester, and since the ceasefire in 1992, functions as an independent state with no international recognition from any sovereign state.
• South Ossetia in Georgia is a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. After occupation of independent Georgia by Soviet Russia in 1921 during the Russian Civil War it became the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within Soviet Georgia. It proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1991, and a ceasefire was declared in 1992.

Internationally administered territory

• Kosovo, although not recognized as an independent entity, has functioned under UN administration independently of Yugoslavia since 1999, Serbia and Montenegro between 2003 and 2006 and of Serbia from 2006 (on the basis of Security Council resolution 1244). Legally, it is a Serbian autonomous province.

Historic geo-political entities

Historic unrecognized or partially recognized states with de facto control over their territory

Europe

• Alsace-Lorraine (proclaimed in 1918). Now part of France.
• Banat Republic (proclaimed in 1918). Now part of Romania, Serbia, and Hungary.
• Baranya-Baja Republic (proclaimed in 1921). Now part of Hungary and Croatia.
• Bavarian Soviet Republic (1919). Now part of Germany.
• File:Flag of Belarus 1991.svg Belarusian People's Republic (1918). Now Belarus.
• File:Carpatho-ukraine 1939 flag.PNG Carpatho-Ukraine (1939). Now part of Ukraine.
• Chechnya (1996-1999). Now controlled by Russia, military guerilla actions are still going on. See also Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Republic of Connaught (1798), was a French client republic. Now part of the Republic of Ireland.
• Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945). Nazi Germany puppet state. Between 1945 and 1991, Croatia was a people's/socialist republic within Yugoslavia. Since 1991, Croatia has been an independent country. Recognized since 1992.
• Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (1992-1994). Now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• East Prussia (13th century-1945) was an independent state and later a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was not a part of Germany until 1871. Now controlled by Russia, Poland, and Lithuania.
• Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919). Now part of Hungary.
• Idel-Ural State (1917-1918). Republic on territory of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan was suppressed by Red Army.
• Irish Republic (1919-1922). Divided into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.
• Limerick Soviet State founded due to strike in Ireland 1919
• Southern Ireland (1922), became the Republic of Ireland.
• Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (1918). Now independent as Finland
• File:Gagauzia Flag.PNG Gagauzia (1990-1994). Now part of Moldova.
• Lajtabansag State (1921). Now part of Austria.
• Munster Republic (1922). Now part of Republic of Ireland.
• Republic of Serbian Krajina (1991-1995). Now part of Croatia.
• Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995). Now one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Slovak Soviet Republic (1919). Now part of Slovakia.
• Slovakia (1939-1945). Between these years, Slovakia was a puppet state of Nazi Germany. From 1918 until 1939, and again between 1945 and 1993, Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia. Since 1993, Slovakia has been an independent country.
• File:Tavolara.gif Tavolara (1833-1962?). Now part of Italy.
• Ukrainian People's Republic (1917-1919). Now part of Ukraine.
• West Ukrainian National Republic (1918-1919). Now part of Ukraine.
• Republic of Užice (1941). Now part of Serbia.
• Republic of West Bosnia (1993-1995). Now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Principality of Pindus (1941-1944). Now part of Greece.

Asia

• Adjara (1991-2005). De facto self-governing in past state now reintegrated into Georgia.
• Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (1942-1945). The Provisional Government of Free India was recognized by 9 nations. Its sovereignty was limited to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of northeast India.
• Republic of China-Nanjing (1940-1945). Now part of the People's Republic of China.
• Republic of Ezo (1868-1869) short-lived secessionist state in what is now Hokkaidō, Japan.
• República Filipina (1899-1901) Declared independence in 1898 but was annexed by the United States after the Philippine-American War. Now independent as Philippines.
• Kachin State. Kachinland is the northernmost state of Myanmar, controlled since 1962 by the Kachin Independence Organization but not diplomatically recognized by any country. In 1994, KIO and the Union of Myanmar agreed to formalize the status quo by creating the "Kachin State Special Region #1", officially still a part of the Union of Myanmar but de facto controlled by KIO.
• Kingdom of Kurdistan (1921-1924). Now part of Iraq.
• Republic of Ararat (1927-1930). Now part of Turkey.
• Republic of Mahabad, 1946-1947. Now part of Iran.
• Kurdish Autonomous Region (1991-2003). A formerly de facto independent state in Northern Iraq. Now officially recognized as being a part of the federal Iraqi structure under the name Iraqi Kurdistan.
• Manchukuo (1932-1945). Recognized by some states. Now part of the People's Republic of China.
• File:Flag of Nakhchivan.svg Nakhchivan (1990). Now part of Azerbaijan.
• Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Now part of Indonesia.
• Cantonal Republic of Negros (1899-1901) Declared independence in 1898 and was recognized by the United States, however the government was diisolved by the Americans in 1901. Now part of the Philippines.
• Republic of South Moluccas Now part of Indonesia.
• Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic (1993). Now part of Azerbaijan.
• Tibet (1913-1951). A unified Tibetan empire was created in the 8th century, and fell apart a century later. Mongol conquests in the 13th century made Tibet part of a Mongol-ruled Chinese state while four centuries later the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty further incorporated Tibet into China. In 1913 the 13th Dalai Lama unilaterally declared independence but two years later indicated his willingness to sign a treaty granting Chinese suzerainty over Tibet and affirming the latter's status as part of Chinese territory . Chinese sovereignty was confirmed by both Beijing and Lhasa in 1951, but repudiated by the Dalai Lama in 1959.
• Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (February – May 1918). Now Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
• Tuva (1921-1944). Now part of Russia
• Republic of West Papua (1963). Now part of Indonesia.
• Republic of West Melanesia (1984). Now part of Indonesia.

Africa

• File:Anjouanflag.png Anjouan (1997-2002). Now part of Comoros.
• Biafra controlled territory in eastern Nigeria between the time of its secession in May 1967 until its final military collapse in January 1970. It was recognized by 12 nations.
• Bophuthatswana (1977-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Transkei, Ciskei, and Venda. Now part of South Africa.
• Transkei (1976-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, and Venda. Now part of South Africa.
• Ciskei (1981-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Bophuthatswana, Transkei, and Venda. Now part of South Africa.
• Venda (1979-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, and Transkei. Now part of South Africa.
• File:Jubaland.PNG Jubaland (1998-2001). Now part of Southwestern Somalia.
• Katanga controlled the state of the same name within the former Belgian Congo after decolonisation, between 1960 and 1964.
• Mohéli (1997-1998). Now part of Comoros.
• File:Rhodesia Flag.png Rhodesia. British Colony that unilaterally declared independence in 1965. This action was not legally recognized by any other nation, nor the declaration of Rhodesia as a republic in 1970. This entity remained until 1979, when it became Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, then Zimbabwe in 1980.
• File:Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Flag.png Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Formed in 1979 after negotiations between white minority government and moderate black leaders. Unrecognized until 1980 when it became the Republic of Zimbabwe.
• Kingdom of Rwenzururu (1963-82). Was based in the Rwenzori Mountains between Uganda and Congo.
• Lado Kingdom. Founded in 864, divided by colonial Britain between Uganda, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Americas

• Independent State of Acre (1899-1903). Now part of Brazil.
• Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia (1860-1878). Short-lived kingdom created by Orelie-Antoine de Tounens in the Araucanian Region of Chile.
• Republic of Canada (1837–1838). provisional government founded on Navy Island along the Niagara River in present day Ontario, Canada by William Lyon Mackenzie. Mackenzie and his followers fled after the destruction of the Caroline under fire from British forces.
• File:Patriotes flag.png Republic of Lower Canada (1838). Now Quebec, part of Canada.
• California Republic (1846). Now part of the United States.
• Confederate States of America (1861-1865). Originally formed by seven slave states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana). After the American Civil War began, the states of Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina joined. Recognized by some nations as a "belligerent power". Reintegrated into the United States.
• Free and Independent Republic of West Florida (1810). Short-lived republic consisting of parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama. Annexed by the United States.
• File:República Juliana.svg Juliana Republic (1839-1840). Today's Santa Catarina, part of Brazil.
• State of Muskogee (1799-1803). A short-lived Native American state in Florida; consisted of several tribes of Creeks and Seminoles.
• Republic of New Iceland - At Gimli, Manitoba in (1875-1887), Icelandic settlers established the Republic of New Iceland, with the largest Icelandic population outside of Iceland and located on the shores of Lake Winnipeg.[2]
• File:Flag of Rio Grande do Sul Without the CoA.gif Piratini Republic (1836-1845). Today's Rio Grande do Sul, part of Brazil.
• File:Flag of the Republic of Rio Grande.svg Republic of the Río Grande (1840). Now part of the United States and Mexico.
• Republic of Texas (1836-1845). Five nations recognized this entity. Now part of the United States.
• Vermont Republic (1777-1791). Now part of the United States.
• Republic of the Yucatán (1841-1843) & (1846-1848). Short-lived separatist state; reintegrated into Mexico.

Oceania

• Bougainville (Republic of North Solomons) (1990-1997). Signed a peace deal with Papua New Guinea giving the island autonomy pending an independence referendum within a decade.
• Kingdom of Hawaii (1810-1894). A unification of the smaller independent chiefdoms of O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and the Big Island of Hawai'i. Now part of the United States.
• Republic of Hawaii (1894-1898). Now part of the United States.
• Rotuma (1987-1988). This Polynesian-inhabited island which is administered by (Melanesian) Fiji declared its independence from Fiji by separatists after the military coups in Fiji in 1987. It did not have any substantive support.
• United Tribes of New Zealand (1835-1840). Independence declared in 1835 and became a British colony in 1840. Now independent Realm of New Zealand.

Historic unrecognized or partially recognized governments with de facto control over their territory

These regimes had control over the territory of a country for which most other states recognized a different government as being the legitimate government:

• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996-2001). Only three states recognized this entity while the Taliban controlled it. See: History of Afghanistan.
• People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979-1989). Set up by the Vietnamese after their invasion and rout of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Only a few Soviet-Bloc nations recognized this entity, while the UN, China, and most other nations recognized the Khmer Rouge's Democratic Kampuchea government. Succeeded by the State of Cambodia, then the Kingdom of Cambodia.

See also

• List of countries
• List of sovereign states
• List of active autonomist and secessionist movements
• List of governments-in-exile
• List of territorial disputes
• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
• United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
• Micronations