List of sovereign states in 1972

Sovereign states by year
List of sovereign states in 1971	Events of 1972	List of sovereign states in 1973

Internationally recognized sovereign states

A

• Afghanistan - Kingdom of Afghanistan, UN member State
• Albania – People's Republic of Albania, UN member State
•  Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, UN member State
•  Andorra – Principality of Andorra
• Antigua (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
•  Argentina – Argentine Republic, UN member State
•  Australia – Commonwealth of Australia, UN member State
•  Austria – Republic of Austria, UN member State

B

•  Bahrain - State of Bahrain, UN member State
•  Bangladesh - People's Republic of Bangladesh
•  Barbados – UN member State
•  Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium, UN member State

Benin Dahomey

•  Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan, UN member State
•  Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia, UN member State
•  Botswana – Republic of Botswana, UN member State
• Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil, UN member State
• Bulgaria - People's Republic of Bulgaria, UN member State
• Burma - Union of Burma, UN member State
• Burundi - Republic of Burundi, UN member State
• Byelorussia - Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, UN member State (Republic within the Soviet Union)

C

•  Cameroon – Federal Republic of Cameroon, UN member State
•  Canada – Dominion of Canada, UN member State
•  Central African Republic, UN member State
•  Ceylon - Dominion of Ceylon, UN member State
•  Chad – Republic of Chad, UN member State
•  Chile – Republic of Chile, UN member State
• People's Republic of China, UN member State
• Republic of China (Partially recognized de facto independent state)
•  Colombia – Republic of Colombia, UN member State
• Congo - People's Republic of Congo, UN member State
• Cook Islands (A state in free association with New Zealand)
•  Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica, UN member State

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast

•  Cuba – Republic of Cuba, UN member State
•  Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus, UN member State
• Czechoslovakia - Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, UN member State

D

• Dahomey - Republic of Dahomey, UN member State
•  Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark, UN member State
•  Dominica (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
•  Dominican Republic, UN member State

E

•  Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador, UN member State

Egypt United Arab Republic

•  El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador, UN member State
•  Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea, UN member State
• Ethiopia - Ethiopian Empire, UN member State

F

• Fiji - Dominion of Fiji, UN member State
•  Finland – Republic of Finland, UN member State
•  France – French Republic, UN member State
•  Fujairah - State of Fujairah (Transitional independent state from 1 December to 2 December)

G

•  Gabon – Gabonese Republic, UN member State
•  The Gambia - Republic of the Gambia, UN member State
•  East Germany – German Democratic Republic, UN member State
• West Germany - Federal Republic of Germany, Permanent observer at the UN
•  Ghana – Republic of Ghana, UN member State
• Greece – Kingdom of Greece, UN member State
• Grenada (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
•  Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala, UN member State
•  Guinea – Republic of Guinea, UN member State
•  Guyana - Co-operative Republic of Guyana, UN member State

H

•  Haiti – Republic of Haiti, UN member State

Holy See Vatican City

•  Honduras – Republic of Honduras, UN member State
• Hungary - Hungarian People's Republic, UN member State

I

•  Iceland – Republic of Iceland, UN member State
•  India – Republic of India, UN member State
•  Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia, UN member State
• Iran – Imperial State of Iran, UN member State
• Iraq – Republic of Iraq, UN member State
•  Ireland – Republic of Ireland, UN member State
•  Israel – State of Israel, UN member State (wasn't recognized by 21 UN member States)
•  Italy – Italian Republic, UN member State
•  Ivory Coast - Republic of Ivory Coast, UN member State

J

•  Jamaica - Commonwealth of Jamaica, UN member State
•  Japan - UN member State
•  Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, UN member State

K

•  Kenya – Republic of Kenya, UN member State
• Khmer Republic - UN member State
• North Korea – Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Permanent observer at UN (wasn't recognized by 4 UN member States)
• South Korea – Republic of Korea, Permanent observer at UN (wasn't recognized by 3 UN member States at greatest extent)
•  Kuwait – State of Kuwait, UN member State

L

• Laos – Kingdom of Laos, UN member State
•  Lebanon – Lebanese Republic, UN member State
•  Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho, UN member State
•  Liberia – Republic of Liberia, UN member State
• Libya – Libyan Arab Republic, UN member State
•  Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein, UN member State from 18 September
•  Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, UN member State

M

• Malagasy Republic - UN member State
•  Malawi – Republic of Malawi, UN member state
•  Malaysia - UN member State
•  Maldives – Republic of Maldives, UN member State
•  Mali – Republic of Mali, UN member State
•  Malta – State of Malta, UN member State
•  Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania, UN member State
• Mauritius - UN member State
•  Mexico – United Mexican States, UN member State
•  Monaco – Principality of Monaco, Permanent observer at the UN
•  Mongolia – Mongolian People's Republic, UN member State
•  Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco, UN member State

N

•  Nauru – Republic of Nauru, UN member State
• Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal, UN member State
•  Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands, UN member State
•  New Zealand - Dominion of New Zealand, UN member State
•  Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua, UN member State
•  Niger – Republic of Niger, UN member State
•  Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria, UN member State
•  Norway – Kingdom of Norway, UN member State

O

• Oman - Sultanate of Oman, UN member State from 7 October

P

•  Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan, UN member state
•  Panama – Republic of Panama, UN member State
• – Republic of Paraguay, UN member State
•  Peru - Peruvian Republic, UN member State
•  Philippines – Republic of the Philippines, UN member State
• Poland - Polish People's Republic, UN member State
•  Portugal – Portuguese Republic, UN member State

Q

• Qatar (from 3 September), UN member State from 21 September

R

•  Ras al-Khaimah - State of Ras al-Khaimah (Transitional independent state from 1 December)
•  Rhodesia - Republic of Rhodesia (De facto independent state)
• Romania - Socialist Republic of Romania, UN member State
•  Rwanda – Rwandese Republic, UN member state
• Rwenzururu – Kingdom of Rwenzururu (De facto independent state)

S

•  Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
• Saint Lucia (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
• Saint Vincent (Associated state of the United Kingdom)
•  San Marino – Republic of San Marino
• Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UN member State
•  Senegal – Republic of Senegal, UN member State
•  Sharjah - State of Sharjah (Transitional independent state from 1 December to 2 December)

 Sierra Leone

• Sierra Leone (to 19 April), UN member State
• Republic of Sierra Leone (from 19 April), UN member State
•  Singapore – Republic of Singapore, UN member State
• Somalia - Somali Democratic Republic, UN member State
•  South Africa – Republic of South Africa, UN member State
•  Soviet Union – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, UN member State
• Spain – Spanish State, UN member State

Sri Lanka Ceylon

•  Sudan – Democratic Republic of the Sudan, UN member State
•  Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland, UN member State
•  Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden, UN member State
•   Switzerland – Swiss Confederation, Permanent observer at UN
•  Syria – Syrian Arab Republic, UN member State

T

Taiwan China, Republic of

•  Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania, UN member State
•  Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand, UN member State
•  Togo – Togolese Republic, UN member State
•  Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago – UN member State
•  Tunisia – Tunisian Republic, UN member State
•  Turkey – Republic of Turkey, UN member State

U

•  Uganda – Republic of Uganda, UN member State
• Ukraine - Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UN member State (Republic within the Soviet Union)
•  Umm al-Quwain - State of Umm al-Quwain (Transitional independent state from 1 December to 2 December)
•  United Arab Emirates (from 2 December), UN member State from 9 December

United Arab Republic / Egypt

• United Arab Republic (to 2 September), UN member State
• Arab Republic of Egypt (from 2 September), UN member State
•  United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, UN member State
•  United States – United States of America, UN member State
•  Upper Volta - Republic of Upper Volta, UN member State
•  Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay, UN member State

V

•  Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu (from 30 July)
•   Vatican City – Vatican City State, Permanent observer at UN
•  Venda – Republic of Venda (nominally independent South African bantustan)
•  Venezuela – Republic of Venezuela, UN member State
•  North Vietnam – Democratic Republic of Vietnam
•  South Vietnam - Republic of Vietnam, Permanent observer at the UN

W

•  Western Samoa - Independent State of Western Samoa

Y

•  North Yemen – Yemen Arab Republic, UN member State
•  South Yemen - People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, UN member State
•  Yugoslavia – Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, UN member State

Z

Zaire Congo, Democratic Republic of

• Zambia - Republic of Zambia, UN member State

Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Rhodesia

Non-sovereign territories

Antigua

• Barbuda (Depedency)
• Redonda (Depedency)

Australia

• Australian Antarctic Territory (Uninhabited external territory)
•  Christmas Island - Territory of Christmas Island (External territory)
•  Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Territory of the Cocos Islands (External territory)
• Coral Sea Islands - Coral Sea Islands Territory (Uninhabited external territory)
• Heard Island and McDonald Islands – Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Uninhabited external territory)
•  Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (External territory)
• Papua and New Guinea - Territory of Papua and New Guinea (United Nations Trust Territory)

Denmark

•  Faroe Islands (Constituent country)

Finland

• Åland (Neutral and demilitarised region)

France

• Comoros (Overseas territory)
• French Afars and Issas (Overseas territory)
•  French Polynesia (Overseas territory), with one dependency:
  • Clipperton Island
•  French Southern and Antarctic Lands - Territory of French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Overseas territory)
• New Caledonia (Overseas territory)
•  New Hebrides (Protected jointly with the United Kingdom)
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Overseas territory)
• Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (Overseas territory), consisting of five uninhabited possessions:
  • Bassas da India (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Europa Island (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Glorioso Islands (Disputed by Madagascar, Comoros and the Seychelles)
  • Juan de Nova Island (Disputed by Madagascar)
  • Tromelin Island (Disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)
•  Wallis and Futuna - Territory of the Wallis and Futuna (Overseas territory)

Greece

•  Mount Athos (Autonomous monastic state)

Netherlands

•  Netherlands Antilles (Autonomous country)
•  Suriname (Autonomous country)

New Zealand

• Niue
• Ross Dependency (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
•  Tokelau

Norway

• Bouvet Island
• Peter I Island (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
• Queen Maud Land (Suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)

Portugal

• Angola (Overseas province)
• Cape Verde Islands (Overseas province)
• Mozambique (Overseas province)
• Portuguese Guinea (Overseas province)
• Portuguese Timor (Overseas province)
• São Tomé and Príncipe (Overseas province)
• Macau (Overseas province)

United Kingdom

• Bahrain (Protected state to 15 August)
•  Brunei (Protected state)
• Qatar (Protected state to 3 September)
• Trucial States (to 1 December), consisting of seven protected states:
  •  Abu Dhabi
  •  Ajman
  •  Dubai
  • Fujairah
  •  Ras al-Khaimah
  •  Sharjah
  •  Umm al-Quwain
• Canton and Enderbury Islands (Protected jointly with United States)
•  New Hebrides (Protected jointly with France)
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Crown colony)
• Bahama Islands (Crown colony)
•  Bermuda (Crown colony)
•  British Antarctic Territory (Crown colony suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
•  British Honduras (Crown colony)
•  British Indian Ocean Territory (Crown colony disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles)
•  British Virgin Islands (Crown colony)
• British Western Pacific Territories (Crown colony), consisting of two territories
  • Gilbert and Ellice Islands (to July)
  • British Solomon Islands
•  Cayman Islands (Crown colony)
•  Falkland Islands (Crown colony disputed by Argentina), with one dependency
  • Falkland Islands Dependencies
•  Gibraltar (Crown colony)
• Gilbert and Ellice Islands (from July)
• Hong Kong (Crown colony)
•  Montserrat (Crown colony)
•  Pitcairn Islands (Crown colony)
•  Saint Helena (Crown colony), with two dependencies:
  •  Ascension Island
  •  Tristan da Cunha
• Seychelles (Crown colony)
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Crown colony disputed by Argentina)
•  Turks and Caicos Islands (Crown colony)
•  Guernsey - The Bailiwick of Guersney (Crown depedency), with three dependencies:
  •  Alderney
  •  Sark
  •  Herm
•  Isle of Man (Crown depedency)
•  Jersey - The Bailiwick of Jersey (Crown depedency)

United States

•  American Samoa (Insular area including Swains Island, disputed by Tokelau)
•  Guam (Insular area)
•  Panama Canal Zone (Unincorporated territory)
• Puerto Rico - The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Insular area)
•  United States Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands of the United States (Insular area)
• Bajo Nuevo Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia and Nicaragua)
• Baker Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Birnie Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory, claimed by United Kingdom)
• Caroline Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory, claimed by United Kingdom)
• Christmas Island - Kiritimati (Uninhabited unincorporated territory, claimed by United Kingdom)
• Corn Islands (Uninhabited unincorporated territory to 25 April)
• Howland Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Jarvis Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Johnston Atoll (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Kingman Reef (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Midway Atoll (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Navassa Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Haiti)
• Quita Sueño Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia)
• Roncador Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia)
• Serrana Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia)
• Serranilla Bank (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua)
• Swan Islands (Uninhabited unincorporated territory)
• Wake Island (Uninhabited unincorporated territory claimed by the Marshall Islands)
• Canton and Enderbury Islands (Condomium with the United Kingdom)
• Ryukyu Islands - United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (Territory under the residual sovereignty of Japan)

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:

• Antarctica as a whole had no government and no permanent population. Seven states claimed portions of Antarctica and five of these had reciprocally recognised one another's claims.^[1] These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.^[2]
•  Estonia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
•  Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
•  Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940, but the legality of the annexation was not widely recognized. The Baltic diplomatic services in the West continued to be recognised as representing the de jure state.
• The Saudi–Iraqi neutral zone was a strip of neutral territory between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
• The Sovereign Military Order of Malta was an entity claiming sovereignty. The order had bi-lateral diplomatic relations with a large number of states, but had no territory other than extraterritorial areas within Rome.^[3] The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions." ^[4] 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.
• West Berlin was a political enclave that was closely aligned with – but not actually a part of – West Germany. It consisted of three occupied sectors administered by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

References