List of unrecognized countries

Several geo-political entities in the world have no general international recognition, but they are de facto sovereign states.

Most are subnational regions with an ethno-national identity of its own that have "broken off" (i.e. separated themselves) from their original parent state, and hence they are commonly referred to as "break-away" states. Some of these entities are in effect internally self-governing protectorates that enjoy military protection and informal diplomatic representation abroad through another state to prevent its forced reincorporation into its original state.

Partially recognized states with de facto control over their territory

United Nations member states that are only partially recognized by the totality of the other UN members are not listed here. (For example, 39 countries do not recognize Israel.)

The Republic of China (R.O.C), 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 25 states as well as Vatican City of the Holy See. It conducts de facto (all but in name) relations with most countries through de facto embassies such as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. (See political status of Taiwan).

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was set up in northern Cyprus in 1975 after an invasion by Turkish forces in 1974, who believed that Greece was attempting to annex the island. It declared independence in 1983 and has only been recognized by Turkey. In 2004, its territory was accepted de jure into the EU as part of the Republic of Cyprus; it remains de facto outside of the EU, though.

Unrecognized states with de facto 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. After the occupation of independent Georgia by Bolshevist Russia in 1921 Abkhazia was briefly formally separated from Georgia; during the Soviet period Abkhazia was merged back with Georgia in 1931 as an autonomous republic within Soviet Georgia. The Abkhazian Soviets proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1992 followed by a short war from 1992 to 1994. A June 1994 ceasefire remains, leaving Abkhazia outside the control of Tbilisi.
Somaliland (since 1991) ¹. 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.
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 Bolshevist Russia in 1921 it became the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within Soviet Georgia. It proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1991, and a ceasefire was declared in 1992.
Transnistria (Pridnestrovie) is the part of Moldova east of the river Dniester and (since 1990) a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any sovereign state. It has a majority Slavic population, as opposed to majority Romanian which Moldova has.
Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan is (since 1991) a self-declared and more or less functioning independent state with no international recognition from any other nation, including Armenia. It is internationally recognized as being part of Azerbaijan, but has an ethnic-Armenian majority.

Unrecognized states with partial control over their territory

Waziristan in Pakistan is a self-declared independent Islamic State of Waziristan with no international recognition from any other nation. It is situated on North-West Frontier Province, recognized as a part of Pakistan.

Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka is a self-declared independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. Azad Kashmir in Pakistani-administered, India-disputed section of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, is a self-declared independent state with no international recognition from any other nation. It is situated in north of Kashmir. Shan in Myanmar is a self-declared independent Federated Shan States with no international recognition from any other nation. It is situated on north-east of Myanmar, recognized as a federal state of Myanmar.

Partially recognized states largely under military occupation

The State of Palestine was declared in 1988 and recognized by a series of Arab and Muslim countries. (See also proposals for a Palestinian state, Palestinian territories, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Israel all of which include articles about areas in the Palestine region.)
Western Sahara is a territory 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 48 states, and a full member of the African Union. Sovereignty 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.

Internationally administered territory

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

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. Carpatho-Ukraine (1939). Now part of Ukraine. Chechnya (1996-1999). Now controlled by Russian forces. See also Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945). Between 1945 and 1991, Croatia was a people's/socialist republic within Yugoslavia. Since 1991, Croatia is an independent country. Recognized since 1992.
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). Now it is part of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Southern Ireland (1922). Now it is part of the Republic of Ireland.
Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (1918) Gagauzia (1990-1994). Now part of Moldova. Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (1992-1994). Now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Lajtabansag State (1921). Now part of Austria.
Limerick Soviet (1919). Now part of Republic of Ireland.
Republic of Serbian Frontier (1991-1995). Now part of Croatia.
Slovak Soviet Republic (1919). Now part of Slovakia.
Slovakia (1939-1945). Between 1945 and 1993, Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia. Since 1993, Slovakia is an independent country.
Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995). Now one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Republic of Connaught. Now part of the Republic of Ireland. Republic of Tatarstan (1991-1994). Then in 1994-2000 Tatarstan was associated state of Russian federation.
Republic of Užice (1941). Now part of Serbia.
Republic of West Bosnia (1993-1995). Now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Asia

Ajaria (1991-2005). De-facto self-governing in past state now reintegrated into Georgia. Kachin State 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. Kurdish Autonomous Region (1991-2003). A de facto independent state in Northern Iraq. Now part of Iraq. Manchukuo (1932-1945). Out of 80 then existing nations 23 recognized the new state. Now part of the People's Republic of China. Tuva (1921-1944). Now part of Russia Nakhichevan (1990). Now part of Azerbaijan. Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic (proclaimed in 1993). Now part of Azerbaijan. Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (February – May 1918). Now Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Africa

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. Ciskei (1981-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Bophuthatswana, Transkei, and Venda. Now part of South Africa. 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. 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. Transkei (1976-1994). Former apartheid homeland, formed and only recognized by South Africa, Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, 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. 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.

Americas

Independent State of Acre (1899-1903). Now part of Brazil. California Republic (1846-1848). 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 internationally only by Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, though recognized by some nations as a "belligerent power". Reintegrated into the United States.
Kingdom of Hawaii (1810-1894). A unification of the smaller independent chiefdoms of O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i, Lāna'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.
}} 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.
Piratini Republic (1836-1845). Today's Rio Grande do Sul, part of Brazil.
Republic of the Río Grande (1840). Now part of the United States of America. Republic of the Yucatán (1841-1843). 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. 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.

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.

External links

Tamil Eelam - De Facto State

Lists of countries | Unrecognized or largely-unrecognized states | Proposed countries

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