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Independent countries and territories list

Independent countries and territories list

List of all independent countries and dependent territories. It could be a long debate, depending on the adopted criteria, you can add or delete them from the list. So far I have accepted the following:

For the independent countries in question I counted Vatican and Taiwan. The Vatican does not belong to the UN because they do not want to, but they could. Taiwan is not a member of the UN and is practically not recognized by the only one superpower. Therefore, only in theory does not exist for others, as a fear of the economic power of China. In practice, however, they are separate, independent states.

In both categories of independent countries and dependent territories I do not recognize:

Uninhabited islands (or occupied just by Government personnel): Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Baker Island, Clipperton Island, Howland Island, Jan Mayen Island, Jarvis Island, Coral Sea Islands, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll and Palmyra Atoll.

However, I did include uninhabited Antarctica, because it is a continent. But I did not divide it into further territories, as surrounding islands belong to different states, they are inhabited only by scientists. For example Heard and McDonald Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands etc.

I didn't include territories for purely military purpose, such as: Akrotiri and Dhekelia, British Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia), Guantanamo, Navassa, and Wake Island.

So far so good, no doubts. Now it's the toughest division – dependent territories. They are different countries and kingdoms, republics and states, associations and communities, enclaves and territories, dependencies and autonomies, the former colonies, overseas and external territories, departments and areas with military activities. All with limited sovereignty. Problem with classification is when we can consider country as a dependent territory, and when just as a part of the country which they belong. Treaties and pacts, politics and economics, administration and justice, economy, law and finance do not say clearly what degree of independence the region has (and in what field). I am a traveler, not the political scientist, so besides those regulations I took into account the geography, demography and ethnography, to help solve the classifications when doubts are too high. But I think there is not possible to make a perfect list.

In the first group the countries have a mutual legal agreement between the territory and his superior. These are often overseas territories and former colonies, usually islands which in economic terms, prefer to maintain this status. I took these regions as the dependent territories such as Greenland, Svalbard, Faroe Islands, part of the Caribbean (eg Guadeloupe) and the Pacific Islands (eg, French Polynesia).

Later was more difficult - the small states with limited sovereignty or autonomy, but in another dimension than the countries listed above. Guernsey, Jersey and Man Island are not part of the UK or European Union, they have their own government. Similarly, the Finnish autonomous Aaland Islands. Because of their slight importance in the international arena and the lack of geographical and ethnic diversity, I skipped them out from the list, but I'm not 100% sure if it was fair decision 100% and I might change my mind after additional considering the situation. I did not accept to the list the various micro states such as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Principality of Sealand, Mount Athos etc.

I took on the list Australian territory of Norfolk Island, Christmas and Cocos Islands. Only the first one has its own government, which is unique in the world by terms of sovereignty. Additionally this island is different from the Australian mainland in terms of botanical and geographical, and the local population are Polynesian origin. The other two group of islands have no sovereignty and need to respect Canberra law, but geographically, demographically and culturally – Christmas and Cocos Islands are in the Asian world.

I didn't include yet countries like Somaliland, South Sudan and Kosovo. They are de facto independent territories, but not recognized yet by the world in 100%. At least so far they are as dependent territories. Simillar as Macau and Hong Kong, but they are going in the opposite direction and gradually lose its status from year to year. So far they have their own currency, government, sports teams etc.

What to do with other territories that have no sovereignty, but are located far beyond their mainland country, even on another continent? In this case I didn't include those territories, such as Spanish Ceuta, Melilla, Canary Islands (and 6 other enclaves), or Portuguese Madeira and Selvagens Islands, belong to Yemen Socotra Island etc.

There are also areas where military operations are on. International arena in the near future will not recognize such regions, but it cannot be counted to their previous superiors either. I am thinking of Abkhazia, Northern Cyprus, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Palestine. Apart from the political views, it is difficult not to regard them as a separate region.

In the following tables of all independent countries and dependent territories, I highlited in red ink the visited countries, and in black one not visited yet. At the bottom of the page I made an additional list of territories, which are not consider as independent country, either as dependent territory, but I have some doubts about that.


EUROPE

ASIA  

AFRICA
1
Albania
1
Afghanistan  
1
Algeria
2
Andorra
2
Armenia  
2
Angola
3
Austria
3
Azerbaijan  
3
Benin
4
Belarus
4
Bahrain  
4
Botswana
5
Belgium
5
Bangladesh  
5
Burkina Faso
6
Bosnia & Herzegovina
6
Bhutan  
6
Burundi
7
Bulgaria
7
Brunei  
7
Cameroon
8
Croatia
8
Cambodia  
8
Cape Verde Islands
9
Czech Republic
9
China  
9
Central African Republic
10
Denmark
10
Cyprus  
10
Chad
11
Estonia
11
East Timor  
11
Comoros
12
Finland
12
Georgia  
12
Congo
13
France
13
India  
13
Congo Democratic Rep. (Zaire)
14
Germany
14
Indonesia  
14
Côte d”Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
15
Greece
15
Iran  
15
Djibouti
16
Holland
16
Iraq  
16
Egypt
17
Hungary
17
Israel  
17
Equatorial Guinea
18
Iceland
18
Japan  
18
Eritrea
19
Ireland (Eire)
19
Jordan  
19
Ethiopia
20
Italy
20
Kazakhstan  
20
Gabon
21
Latvia
21
Kuwait  
21
Gambia
22
Liechtenstein
22
Kyrgyzstan  
22
Ghana
23
Lithuania
23
Laos  
23
Guinea
24
Luxembourg
24
Lebanon  
24
Guinea–Bissau
25
Macedonia
25
Malaysia  
25
Kenya
26
Malta
26
Maldives  
26
Lesotho
27
Moldova
27
Mongolia  
27
Liberia
28
Monaco
28
Myanmar (Burma)  
28
Libya
29
Montenegro
29
Nepal  
29
Madagascar
30
Norway
30
North Korea  
30
Malawi
31
Poland
31
Oman  
31
Mali
32
Portugal
32
Pakistan  
32
Mauritania
33
Romania
33
Philippines  
33
Mauritius
34
Russia
34
Qatar  
34
Morocco
35
San Marino
35
Saudi Arabia  
35
Mozambique
36
Serbia
36
Singapore  
36
Namibia
37
Slovakia
37
South Korea  
37
Niger
38
Slovenia
38
Sri Lanka (Ceylon)  
38
Nigeria
39
Spain
39
Syria  
39
Rwanda
40
Sweden
40
Taiwan  
40
São Tome & Principe
41
Switzerland
41
Tajikistan  
41
Senegal
42
Ukraine
42
Thailand  
42
Seychelles
43
United Kingdom
43
Turkey  
43
Sierra Leone
44
Vatican City
44
Turkmenistan  
44
Somalia
Dependent territories:  
45
United Arab Emirates  
45
South Africa
1
Faroe Islands - den.
46
Uzbekistan  
46
South Sudan
2
Gibraltar - uk
47
Vietnam  
47
Sudan
3
Kosovo
48
Yemen  
48
Swaziland
4
Svalbard - nor.

Dependent territories:  
49
Tanzania
5
Trans-Dniester Republic - rus.
1
Abkhazia  
50
Togo
   
2
Christmas Island - aus.
51
Tunisia
     
3
Cocos Islands - aus.  
52
Uganda
     
4
Hong Kong - chn  
53
Zambia
   
5
Macao - chn  
54
Zimbabwe
     
6
Nagorno-Karabakh     Dependent territories:
     
7
Northern Cyprus  
1
Majotta - fr.
     
8
Palestine  
2
Reunion - fr.
     
9
South Ossetia  
3
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha - uk
           
4
Somaliland
           
5
Western Sahara - mor.

Europe
46/49
75% Asia
39/57
56% Africa
33/59
Independent countries
43/44

Independent countries
37/48
Azj
Independent countries
32/54
Dependent territories
3/5

Dependent territories
2/9
55 % Dependent territories
1/5





Afr


Mainland countries
43/43

Mainland countries
31/44

Mainland countries
33/51
Islands
3/6

Islands
8/13

Islands
0/8





Azj


Time I spent there
28 months
781 Time I spent there
1.6 year
533 Time I spent there
9 months
plus in Poland
25 years


Afr

Number of visit in Eu.
10+

Number of visit in Asia
10+
287 Number of visit in Africa
3


NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

AUSTRALIA and OCEANIA
1
Antigua & Barbuda
1
Argentina  
1
Australia
2
Bahamas
2
Bolivia  
2
Fiji
3
Barbados
3
Brazil  
3
Kiribati
4
Belize
4
Chile  
4
Marshall Islands
5
Canada
5
Colombia  
5
Micronesia
6
Costa Rica
6
Ecuador  
6
Nauru
7
Cuba
7
Guyana  
7
New Zealand
8
Dominica
8
Paraguay  
8
Palau
9
Dominican Republic
9
Peru  
9
Papua New Guinea
10
El Salvador
10
Suriname  
10
Samoa
11
Grenada
11
Uruguay  
11
Solomon Islands
12
Guatemala
12
Venezuela  
12
Tonga
13
Haiti

Dependent territories:  
13
Tuvalu
14
Honduras
1
Falkland Islands - uk  
14
Vanuatu
15
Jamaica
2
French Guyana  
Dependent territories:
16
Mexico
   
1
American Samoa
17
Nicaragua
   
2
Cook Is. - nz
18
Panama
   
3
French Polynesia
19
Saint Kitts and Nevis
   
4
Guam - usa
20
Saint Lucia
   
5
Niue - nz
21
Saint Vincent and Grenadines
   
6
Norfolk - aus.
22
United States
   
7
New Caledonia - fr.
23
Trinidad & Tobago
   
8
Northern Mariana Islands - usa
Dependent territories:
   
9
Pictairn I. - uk
1
Anquila - uk
   
10
Tokelau - nz
2
Aruba - hol.
   
11
Wallis & Futuna - fr.
3
Bermuda - uk
       
4
Cayman Is. - uk
       
5
Greenland - den.
         
6
Guadeloupe - fr.
       
7
Martinique - fr.
       
8
Montserrat - uk
   
 
9
Netherlands Antilles
   
 
10
Puerto Rico - usa
   
 
11
Saint Barthelemy - fr
   
 
12
Saint Martin - fr
   
 
13
Saint Pierre i Miquelon - fr.  
   
 
14
Turks i Caicos - uk  
   
 
15
Virgin Islands - uk            
16
Virgin Islands - usa
         

North & Centr. Amer.
13/39
33% South America
10/14
64% Australia & Oceania
10/25
Independent countries
11/23

Independent countries
10/12
AME
Independent countries
9/14
Dependent territories
2/16

Dependent territories
0/2
16% Dependent territories
1/11





AUS


Mainland countries
10/10

Mainland countries
10/13

Mainland countries
1/1
Islands
3/29

Islands
0/1

Islands
9/24





AME


Time I spent there
5 months
114 Time I spent there
1.5 years
121 Time I spent in Oceania
8 weeks
 

 

AUS plus in Australia country
11 years
Number of visit
4

Number of visit
6
19 Number of visit on islands
5

Antarctica
0/1
50% World
151/244
 

Independent countries
142/195
Dependent territories
0/1

Dependent territories
9/49





Mainland countries
0/1

Mainland countries
128/163
 

Islands
23/81





Time I spent there
-
1855 Time I spent in the world except Poland & Australia
6.5 years
Number of visit
-
 

List of additional regions which are not sovereign enough to be on the previous list of dependent territories. This is not a closed list, I have mixed feelings of these regions and it is possible to transfer them to dependent territories list.

EUROPE
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA   ANTARCTICA
Aaland Islands – fin.
Ashmore and Cartiera Is. – aus.   Australian Antarctic Territory
Azores – por.
Baker I. - usa   Bouvet Island – nor.
Guernsey – uk
Coral Sea Islands – aus.   British Antarctic Territory
Isle of Man - uk
Howland I. – usa   French Southern and Arctic Lands
Jan Mayen - nor.
Jarvis I. – usa   Heard I. And McDonald Is. - aus.
Jersey – uk
Johnston Atoll – usa   Peter I Island. - nor.
Mt. Athos – gr.
Kingman Reef – usa   Queen Maud Land – nor.
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Midway Atoll – usa   Ross Dependency - nz
    Palmyra Atoll – usa   South Georgia and the S. Sandwich Is. - uk
 
Wake I. - usa    
NORTH AMERICA
ASIA   AFRICA
Clipperton - fr.   Akrotiri – uk.   British Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia)
Guantanamo - usa   Dhekelia – uk.   Ceuta, Melilla and others – sp.
Navassa – usa   Kurdistan - iraq   Madera and Selvagens Is. - por.
    Spratly Is.   Socotra – yem.
    Tibet    

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