List of sovereign states in the 1920s
This is a list of sovereign states in the 1920s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1920 and 31 December 1929. It contains entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 90 widely recognized sovereign states, and entities which were de facto sovereign but which were not widely recognized by other states.
Sovereign states
A
----Recognized independent state. It was subordinate to the Georgian SSR from December 16, 1921.
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Reign of Amanullah Khan, Inayatullah Khan, and Mohammed Nadir Shah: Widely-recognized independent state.
Reign of Habibullāh Kalakāni, Ali Ahmad Khan and Abd-al Karim: Not recognized by any state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. De facto Italian protectorate to August 2, 1920. LON member state from December 17, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of the Transcaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Vassal state of Hejaz and Nejd">Kingdom of Hejaz">Hejaz and Nejd from October 21, 1926.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Partitioned between Sultanate of Nejd and Idrisid Emirate of Asir from August 30, 1920.
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Widely recognized state.
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Widely-recognized independent state after 15 November, 1926. LON founding member state from 10 January, 1920. Australia had two external territories:
Australia administered two League of Nations mandates:
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Widely-recognized independent state and a LON member state from December 15, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of the Transcaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922. Azerbaijan had one protectorate:
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B
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Belgium had sovereignty over one colony and one concession:
Belgium administered one League of Nations mandate:
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920; withdrew in June 14, 1926. Brazil was a federation of 20 states, one territory, and one federal district.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from December 16, 1920.
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C
----Widely-recognized independent state after November 15, 1926. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Capital: Beijing, Nanjing
Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from December 16, 1920; withdrew in January 22, 1925.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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- Czecho-Slovak Republic
- Czechoslovak Republic
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D
----Widely-recognized independent. Under League of Nations protection.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state under United States military occupation to 18 September 1924. LON member state from September 28, 1924.
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E
----Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 22, 1921.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 28, 1923.
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F
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from December 16, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent. Annexed by Italy from February 22, 1924.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. France administered the foreign affairs of the following protectorates:
- French Algeria
- French Equatorial Africa
- French Guiana
- French India – French Establishments in India
- French Indochina
- French Madagascar
- French Morocco
- French Oceania – French Establishments in Oceania
- French Somaliland
- French Tunisia
- French West Africa
- Guadeloupe
- Martinique
- Alawite
- Greater Lebanon
- Syrian Federation
- State of Syria
- → Souaida
- French Cameroons
- French Togoland
- Saar Basin
G
----Widely-recognized independent state. Georgian SSR had one autonomous republic : Adjarian ASSR. Became part of the Transcaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 8, 1926.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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H
----Widely-recognized independent state. It was completely conquered by Saudi forces from November 2, 1921 and subsequently incorporated into the Sultanate of Nejd.
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Widely-recognized independent state under United States occupation. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Annexed by Sultanate of Nejd, creating the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from January 8, 1926.
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Capital: Mecca, Riyadh
- Kingdom of Hejaz and Sultanate of Nejd
- Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 18, 1922.
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I
----Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state after November 15, 1926. LON member state from September 10, 1923.
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Widely-recognized independent state under fascism from 31 October 1922. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Italy had four colonies and three concessions:
- Amoy
- Italian Cyrenaica
- Italian Eritrea
- Italian Somaliland
- Italian Tripolitania
- Shanghai
- Tientsin
- Trans-Juba
J
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Japan had sovereignty over the following dependencies and concessions:
Japan administered one League of Nations mandate:
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L
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 22, 1921.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from September 22, 1921.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON member state from December 16, 1920.
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M
----Widely-recognized independent state. Mexico had sovereignty over one territory:
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Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Incorporated into the Russian SFSR as the Mountain ASSR from January 20, 1921.
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De jure independent state. De facto a British protectorate.
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N
----Widely-recognized independent state. Nejd annexed Hejaz, creating the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from January 8, 1926.
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Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The Netherlands had sovereignty over three colonies:
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Widely-recognized independent state after November 15, 1926.
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Widely-recognized independent state after November 15, 1926. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following are territories of New Zealand:
New Zealand administered one League of Nations mandate:
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Norway had sovereignty over two uninhabited possessions:
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O
----Widely-recognized independent state. Ottoman Empire had one protectorate:
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P
----Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following are colonies and possession of Portugal:
- Portuguese Macau
- Portuguese East Africa
- Portuguese India
- Portuguese West Africa
- Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá
- Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe
R
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of the Soviet Union from December 30, 1922. Russia had three protectorates and one concession:
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S
----Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Capital: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Pietermaritzburg
Widely-recognized independent state after November 15, 1926. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. South Africa administered one League of Nations mandate:
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Widely-recognized independent state. The Soviet Union was a federation of four republics.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Spain had sovereignty over the following colonies, possessions and protectorate:
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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T
----De facto independent state. Claimed by the Republic of China.
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Widely-recognized independent state. The Transcaucasian SFSR was a federation constituted by the Armenian SSR, the Azerbaijan SSR and the Georgian SSR. Became part of the Soviet Union from December 30, 1922.
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- State of Turkey
- Turkey
- Republic of Turkey
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U
----Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following were colonies, concessions, and territories of the United Kingdom:
- Aden
- Amoy
- Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
- Ascension Island
- Ashanti
- → Bahama Islands
- Bahrain (1783-1971)|Bahrain] – State of Bahrain
- Baker Island
- Basutoland – Territory of Basutoland
- Bechuanaland – Bechuanaland Protectorate
- Bermuda
- Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
- British Guiana
- British Honduras
- British Leeward Islands – Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands
- British Somaliland – British Somaliland Protectorate
- British Western Pacific Territories
- British Windward Islands – Federal Colony of the Windward Islands
- Brunei – State of Brunei
- Chinde
- → Cyprus
- Egypt
- → Falkland Islands
- Federated Malay States
- Gambia – Gambia Colony and Protectorate
- → Gibraltar
- Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey
- Hankou
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Hong Kong
- Isle of Man
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Jarvis Island
- – Bailiwick of Jersey
- Jiujiang
- Kuwait – Sheikhdom of Kuwait
- → Maldive Islands – Sultanate of the Maldive Islands
- → Malta
- → Mauritius
- Nepal
- Nigeria – Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
- → Northern Rhodesia – Protectorate of Northern Rhodesia
- Northern Territories of the Gold Coast
- → Nyasaland – Nyasaland Protectorate
- Qatar – State of Qatar
- Redonda
- Saint Helena
- Sarawak – Kingdom of Sarawak
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate
- Sikkim
- South Orkney Islands
- → – Colony of Southern Rhodesia
- South Shetland Islands
- → Straits Settlements
- Suez Canal Zone
- Swaziland – Swaziland Protectorate
- Transjordan
- Tristan da Cunha
- Trucial States
- Uganda
- Unfederated Malay States
- * Johor
- * Kedah
- * → Kelantan
- *
- *
- Tientsin
- Union Islands
- Victoria Land
- Weihaiwei
- Zanzibar
- Zhenjiang
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Widely-recognized independent state. The following were territories of the United States of America:
- → Alaska
- American Samoa
- Corn Islands
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Howland Island
- Johnston Atoll
- Kingman Reef
- Midway Atoll
- Navassa Island
- Petrel Islands
- Philippine Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Quita Sueno Bank
- Roncador Bank
- Serrana Bank
- Serranilla Bank
- Swan Islands
- →
Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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V
----Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City is administered by the Holy See.
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Widely-recognized independent state. LON founding member state from January 10, 1920.
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Y
----Widely-recognized independent state.
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- Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
- Kingdom of Yugoslavia
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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:----
Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Quasi-state. Unoccupied territory within post-World War I Germany.
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Soviet state.
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Soviet state. Became part of the Soviet Union from December 30, 1922.
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Unrecognized state.
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Puppet state of the Second Polish Republic.
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Unrecognized state.
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Puppet state/Buffer state of Soviet Russia.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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- Karelian United Government
- Republic of Eastern Karelia
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Soviet state.
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Partially recognized Korean government-in-exile.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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- Bogd Khanate of Mongolia
- Mongolian People's Government
- Mongolian People's Republic
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Unrecognized state.
Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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Unrecognized state.
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De facto independent state not recognized by any other state.
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- People's Republic of Tannu Tuva
- Tuvan People's Republic
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Unrecognized state.
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Soviet proto-state. Became part of the Soviet Union from December 30, 1922.
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