Countries in the UN:

193

United Nations Member States

There are currently 193 Member States in the United Nations. Each member state is a member of the United Nations General Assembly. Following is the list with dates on which they joined:

U.N. Member State Date of Admission
   
Afghanistan 19 November 1946
Albania 14 December 1955
Algeria 8 October 1962
Andorra 28 July 1993
Angola 1 December 1976
Antigua and Barbuda 11 November 1981
Argentina 24 October 1945
Armenia 2 March 1992
Australia 1 November 1945
Austria 14 December 1955
Azerbaijan 2 March 1992
Bahamas 18 September 1973
Bahrain 21 September 1971
Bangladesh 17 September 1974
Barbados 9 December 1966
Belarus [1] 24 October 1945
Belgium 27 December 1945
Belize 25 September 1981
Benin 20 September 1960
Bhutan 21 September 1971
Bolivia 14 November 1945
Bosnia and Herzegovina [2] 22 May 1992
Botswana 17 October 1966
Brazil 24 October 1945
Brunei Darussalam 21 September 1984
Bulgaria 14 December 1955
Burkina Faso 20 September 1960
Burundi 18 September 1962
Cambodia 14 December 1955
Cameroon 20 September 1960
Canada 9 November 1945
Cape Verde 16 September 1975
Central African Republic 20 September 1960
Chad 20 September 1960
Chile 24 October 1945
China 24 October 1945
Colombia 5 November 1945
Comoros 12 November 1975
Congo (Republic of the) 20 September 1960
Costa Rica 2 November 1945
Côte d’Ivoire 20 September 1960
Croatia [3] 22 May 1992
Cuba 24 October 1945
Cyprus 20 September 1960
Czechia (Czech Republic) [4] 19 January 1993
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 17 September 1991
Democratic Republic of the Congo [5] 20 September 1960
Denmark 24 October 1945
Djibouti 20 September 1977
Dominica 18 December 1978
Dominican Republic 24 October 1945
Ecuador 21 December 1945
Egypt [6] 24 October 1945
El Salvador 24 October 1945
Equatorial Guinea 12 November 1968
Eritrea 28 May 1993
Estonia 17 September 1991
Ethiopia 13 November 1945
Fiji 13 October 1970
Finland 14 December 1955
France 24 October 1945
Gabon 20 September 1960
Gambia 21 September 1965
Georgia 31 July 1992
Germany [7] 18 September 1973
Ghana 8 March 1957
Greece 25 October 1945
Grenada 17 September 1974
Guatemala 21 November 1945
Guinea 12 December 1958
Guinea-Bissau 17 September 1974
Guyana 20 September 1966
Haiti 24 October 1945
Honduras 17 December 1945
Hungary 14 December 1955
Iceland 19 November 1946
India 30 October 1945
Indonesia [8] 28 September 1950
Iran 24 October 1945
Iraq 21 December 1945
Ireland 14 December 1955
Israel 11 May 1949
Italy 14 December 1955
Jamaica 18 September 1962
Japan 18 December 1956
Jordan 14 December 1955
Kazakhstan 2 March 1992
Kenya 16 December 1963
Kiribati 14 September 1999
Kuwait 14 May 1963
Kyrgyzstan 2 March 1992
Lao People’s Democratic Republic 14 December 1955
Latvia 17 September 1991
Lebanon 24 October 1945
Lesotho 17 October 1966
Liberia 2 November 1945
Libya 14 December 1955
Liechtenstein 18 September 1990
Lithuania 17 September 1991
Luxembourg 24 October 1945
Madagascar 20 September 1960
Malawi 1 December 1964
Malaysia [9] 17 September 1957
Maldives 21 September 1965
Mali 28 September 1960
Malta 1 December 1964
Marshall Islands 17 September 1991
Mauritania 27 October 1961
Mauritius 24 April 1968
Mexico 7 November 1945
Micronesia (Federated States of) 17 September 1991
Monaco 28 May 1993
Mongolia 27 October 1961
Montenegro [10] 28 June 2006
Morocco 12 November 1956
Mozambique 16 September 1975
Myanmar 19 April 1948
Namibia 23 April 1990
Nauru 14 September 1999
Nepal 14 December 1955
Netherlands 10 December 1945
New Zealand 24 October 1945
Nicaragua 24 October 1945
Niger 20 September 1960
Nigeria 7 October 1960
Norway 27 November 1945
Oman 7 October 1971
Pakistan 30 September 1947
Palau 15 December 1994
Panama 13 November 1945
Papua New Guinea 10 October 1975
Paraguay 24 October 1945
Peru 31 October 1945
Philippines 24 October 1945
Poland 24 October 1945
Portugal 14 December 1955
Qatar 21 September 1971
Republic of Korea 17 September 1991
Republic of Moldova 2 March 1992
Romania 14 December 1955
Russian Federation [11] 24 October 1945
Rwanda 18 September 1962
Saint Kitts and Nevis 23 September 1983
Saint Lucia 18 September 1979
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16 September 1980
Samoa 15 December 1976
San Marino 2 March 1992
Sao Tome and Principe 16 September 1975
Saudi Arabia 24 October 1945
Senegal 28 September 1960
Serbia [12] 1 November 2000
Seychelles 21 September 1976
Sierra Leone 27 September 1961
Singapore 21 September 1965
Slovakia [13] 19 January 1993
Slovenia [14] 22 May 1992
Solomon Islands 19 September 1978
Somalia 20 September 1960
South Africa 7 November 1945
South Sudan 14 July 2011
Spain 14 December 1955
Sri Lanka 14 December 1955
Sudan 12 November 1956
Suriname 4 December 1975
Swaziland 24 September 1968
Switzerland 10 September 2002
Sweden 19 November 1946
Syria [15] 24 October 1945
Tajikistan 2 March 1992
Thailand 16 December 1946
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia [16] 8 April 1993
Timor Leste 27 September 2002
Togo 20 September 1960
Tonga 14 September 1999
Trinidad and Tobago 18 September 1962
Tunisia 12 November 1956
Turkey 24 October 1945
Turkmenistan 2 March 1992
Tuvalu 5 September 2000
Uganda 25 October 1962
Ukraine 24 October 1945
United Arab Emirates 9 December 1971
United Kingdom 24 October 1945
United of Republic of Tanzania [17] 14 December 1961
United States 24 October 1945
Uruguay 18 December 1945
Uzbekistan 2 March 1992
Vanuatu 15 September 1981
Venezuela 15 November 1945
Vietnam 20 September 1977
Yemen [18] 30 September 1947
Zambia 1 December 1964
Zimbabwe 25 August 1980

 

United Nations membership requirements

"Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.

The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council."

(Article 4, Chapter 2, United Nations Charter)

In principle, only sovereign states can become UN members. However, although today all UN members are fully sovereign states, four of the original members (Belarus, India, the Philippines, and Ukraine) were not independent at the time of their admission.

Some entities may be considered sovereign states but are not members due to the fact that the UN does not consider them as such. These, as well as international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can only become United Nations General Assembly observers, allowed to speak, but not vote, in General Assembly meetings.

 

Countries that are NOT in the United Nations

There are a total of 54 countries or territories that currently are not in the United Nations:


Independent Nation States not in the UN:

Vatican City
Palestine *

* On 29 November 2012 Palestine has been granted the status of non-member observer state.
It hasn't (still) been admitted to the UN as a full member.

Also see:
Palestinian United Nations bid explained (CNN)
United Nations Member States (United Nations)
Member States of the United Nations (Wikipedia)


Dependencies:

American Samoa (US)
Anguilla (GB)
Aruba (NL)
Bermuda (GB)
Bouvet Island (NO)
British Indian Ocean Territory (GB)
British Virgin Islands (GB)
Cayman Islands (GB)
Christmas Island (AU)
Cocos Islands (AU)
Cook Islands (NZ)
Coral Sea Islands Territory (AU)
Falkland Islands (GB)
Faroe Islands (DK)
French Guiana (FR)
French Polynesia (FR)
French Southern Lands (FR)
Gibraltar (GB)
Greenland (DK)
Guadeloupe (FR)
Guam (US)
Guernsey (GB)
Heard and McDonald Islands (AU)
Hong Kong (CN)
Isle of Man (GB)
Jan Mayen (NO)
Jersey (GB)
Macau (CN)
Martinique (FR)
Mayotte (FR)
Montserrat (GB)
Navassa (US)
Netherlands Antilles (NL)
New Caledonia (FR)
Niue (NZ)
Norfolk Island (AU)
Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Pitcairn Island (GB)
Puerto Rico (US)
Reunion (FR)
Saint Helena (GB)
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (FR)
South Georgia (GB)
Svalbard (NO)
Tokelau (NZ)
Turks and Caicos Islands (GB)
U.S. Minor Pacific Islands (US)
U.S. Virgin Islands (US)
Wallis and Futuna (FR)

Antarctica:
Antarctica


Other Areas:
Northern Cyprus
Palestinian Authority
Taiwan

 

 

UN Members in history

Historical chart of United Nations Member States in time.

  • 1945 - 51 Members
    Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
  • 1946 - 55 Members
    Afghanistan, Iceland, Sweden, Thailand
  • 1947 - 57 Members
    Pakistan, Yemen
  • 1948 - 58 Members
    Myanmar
  • 1949 - 59 Members
    Israel
  • 1950 - 60 Members
    Indonesia
  • 1955 - 76 Members
    Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Nepal, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sri Lanka
  • 1956 - 80 Members
    Japan, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia
  • 1957 - 82 Members
    Federation of Malaya, Ghana
  • 1958 - 82 Members
    Guinea
  • 1960 - 99 Members
    Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Somalia, Togo, Zaire
  • 1961 - 104 Members
    Mauritania, Mongolia, Sierra Leone, Tanganyika
  • 1962 - 110 Members
    Algeria, Burundi, Jamaica, Rwanda, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda
  • 1963 - 113 Members
    Kenya, Kuwait, Zanzibar
  • 1964 - 115 Members
    Malawi, Malta, Zambia
  • 1965 - 117 Members
    Gambia, Maldives, Singapore
  • 1966 - 122 Members
    Barbados, Botswana, Guyana, Lesotho
  • 1967 - 123 Members
    Democratic Yemen
  • 1968 - 126 Members
    Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Swaziland
  • 1970 - 127 Members
    Fiji
  • 1971 - 132 Members
    Bahrain, Bhutan, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates
  • 1973 - 135 Members
    Bahamas, Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic
  • 1974 - 138 Members
    Bangladesh, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau
  • 1975 - 144 Members
    Cape Verde, Comoros, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Suriname
  • 1976 - 147 Members
    Angola, Samoa, Seychelles
  • 1977 - 149 Members
    Djibouti, Vietnam
  • 1978 - 151 Members
    Dominica, Solomon Islands
  • 1979 - 152 Members
    Saint Lucia
  • 1980 - 154 Members
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Zimbabwe
  • 1981 - 157 Members
    Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Vanuatu
  • 1983 - 158 Members
    Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • 1984 - 159 Members
    Brunei Darussalam
  • 1990 - 159 Members
    Liechtenstein, Namibia
  • 1991 - 166 Members
    Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Latvia, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Republic of Korea
  • 1992 - 179 Members
    Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
  • 1993 - 184 Members
    Andorra, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Monaco, Slovak Republic, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  • 1994 - 185 Members
    Palau
  • 1997 - 185 Members
    (On May 17 1997, Zaire's name was changed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  • 1999 - 188 Members
    Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga
  • 2000 - 189 Members
    Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Tuvalu
  • 2002 - 191 Members
    Switzerland, Timor-Leste
  • 2003 - 191 Members
    (On 4 February 2003, following the adoption and promulgation of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro by the Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the official name of “ Federal Republic of Yugoslavia” was changed to Serbia and Montenegro. By resolution A/RES/47/225 of 8 April 1993, the General Assembly decided to admit as a Member of the United Nations the State being provisionally referred to for all purposes within the United Nations as "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" pending settlement of the difference that had arisen over its name.)
  • 2006 - 192 Members
    Montenegro
  • 2011 - 193 Members
    South Sudan

[1] On 19 September 1991, Byelorussia informed the United Nations that it had changed its name to Belarus.

[2] The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was an original Member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on 26 June 1945 and ratified 19 October 1945, until its dissolution following the establishment and subsequent admission as new Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was admitted as a Member of the United Nations by General Assembly resolution A/RES/46/237 of 22 May 1992.

[3] The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was an original Member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on 26 June 1945 and ratified 19 October 1945, until its dissolution following the establishment and subsequent admission as new Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Republic of Croatia was admitted as a Member of the United Nations by General Assembly resolution A/RES/46/238 of 22 May 1992.

[4] Czechoslovakia was an original Member of the United Nations from 24 October 1945. In a letter dated 10 December 1992, its Permanent Representative informed the Secretary-General that the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic would cease to exist on 31 December 1992 and that the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, as successor States, would apply for membership in the United Nations. Following the receipt of its application, the Security Council, on 8 January 1993, recommended to the General Assembly that the Czech Republic be admitted to United Nations membership. The Czech Republic was thus admitted on 19 January of that year as a Member State.

[5] Zaire joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960. On 17 May 1997, its name was changed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[6] Egypt and Syria were original Members of the United Nations from 24 October 1945. Following a plebiscite on 21 February 1958, the United Arab Republic was established by a union of Egypt and Syria and continued as a single Member. On 13 October 1961, Syria, having resumed its status as an independent State, resumed its separate membership in the United Nations. On 2 September 1971, the United Arab Republic changed its name to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

[7] The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic were admitted to membership in the United Nations on 18 September 1973. Through the accession of the German Democratic Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany, effective from 3 October 1990, the two German States have united to form one sovereign State.

[8] By letter of 20 January 1965, Indonesia announced its decision to withdraw from the United Nations “at this stage and under the present circumstances”. By telegram of 19 September 1966, it announced its decision “to resume full cooperation with the United Nations and to resume participation in its activities”. On 28 September 1966, the General Assembly took note of this decision and the President invited representatives of Indonesia to take seats in the Assembly.

[9] The Federation of Malaya joined the United Nations on 17 September 1957. On 16 September 1963, its name was changed to Malaysia, following the admission to the new federation of Singapore, Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak. Singapore became an independent State on 9 August 1965 and a Member of the United Nations on 21 September 1965.

[10] Montenegro held a 21 May 2006 referendum and declared itself independent from Serbia on 3 June. On 28 June 2006 it was accepted as a United Nations Member State by General Assembly resolution A/RES/60/264.

[11] The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was an original Member of the United Nations from 24 October 1945. In a letter dated 24 December 1991, Boris Yeltsin, the President of the Russian Federation, informed the Secretary-General that the membership of the Soviet Union in the Security Council and all other United Nations organs was being continued by the Russian Federation with the support of the 11 member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

[12] In a letter dated 3 June 2006, the President of the Republic of Serbia informed the Secretary-General that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro was being continued by the Republic of Serbia, following Montenegro’s declaration of independence. On 4 February 2003, following the adoption and promulgation of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro by the Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the official name of “ Federal Republic of Yugoslavia” was changed to Serbia and Montenegro. The Socialist “Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was an original Member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on 26 June 1945 and ratified 19 October 1945, until its dissolution following the establishment and subsequent admission as new Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was admitted as a Member of the United Nations by General Assembly resolution A/RES/55/12 of 1 November 2000.

[13] Czechoslovakia was an original Member of the United Nations from 24 October 1945. In a letter dated 10 December 1992, its Permanent Representative informed the Secretary-General that the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic would cease to exist on 31 December 1992 and that the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, as successor States, would apply for membership in the United Nations. Following the receipt of its application, the Security Council, on 8 January 1993, recommended to the General Assembly that the Slovak Republic be admitted to United Nations Membership. The Slovak Republic was thus admitted on 19 January of that year as a Member State.

[14] The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was an original Member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on 26 June 1945 and ratified 19 October 1945, until its dissolution following the establishment and subsequent admission as new Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Republic of Slovenia was admitted as a Member of the United Nations by General Assembly resolution A/RES/46/236 of 22 May 1992.

[15] Egypt and Syria were original Members of the United Nations from 24 October 1945. Following a plebiscite on 21 February 1958, the United Arab Republic was established by a union of Egypt and Syria and continued as a single Member. On 13 October 1961, Syria, having resumed its status as an independent State, resumed its separate membership in the United Nations.

[16] The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was an original Member of the United Nations, the Charter having been signed on its behalf on 26 June 1945 and ratified 19 October 1945, until its dissolution following the establishment and subsequent admission as new Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. By resolution A/RES/47/225 of 8 April 1993, the General Assembly decided to admit as a Member of the United Nations the State being provisionally referred to for all purposes within the United Nations as “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” pending settlement of the difference that had arisen over its name.

[17] Tanganyika was a Member of the United Nations from 14 December 1961 and Zanzibar was a Member from 16 December 1963. Following the ratification on 26 April 1964 of Articles of Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar continued as a single Member, changing its name to the United Republic of Tanzania on 1 November 1964.

[18] Yemen was admitted to membership in the United Nations on 30 September 1947 and Democratic Yemen on 14 December 1967. On 22 May 1990, the two countries merged and have since been represented as one Member with the name “ Yemen”.

 

References and useful links: