List of sovereign states in the 1940s

This is a list of sovereign states in the 1940s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1940 and 31 December 1949. It contains 106 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 99 widely recognized sovereign states, six entities which were de facto sovereign but which were not widely recognized by other states.
Academic datasets differ in terms of the number of states in the 1940s. At the start of the 1940s, the lowest estimate of the number of states is in the mid-50s whereas the highest is in the low-70s. At the end of the 1940s, the lowest estimate is in the mid-70s while the highest is in the mid-80s.

Sovereign states

A

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state. UN member state.
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Widely recognized independent state under Italian occupation to 8 September 1943 and occupation of Albania|German occupation] from 8 September 1943 to 29 November 1944.
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Widely recognized independent state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 27 December 1945. Argentina was a federation of 23 provinces and 10 federal territories. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica. It also claimed the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories.
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Widely recognized independent state. Dominion of the British Empire to 9 October 1942. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 1 November 1945. Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories:

Australia administered one League of Nations mandate/United Nations trust territory:

New Guinea

Australia administered two United Nations Trust Territories:

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B

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. Had a government in exile and an occupation by Germany from October 1940 to September 1944. UN member state from 27 December 1945. Belgium had sovereignty over one colony:

Belgium administered one League of Nations mandate / United Nations trust territory:

Ruanda-Urundi

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Widely recognized independent state. Bhutan was officially guided by India in its foreign affairs.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 14 November 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 24 October 1945. Brazil was a federation of 20 states, five territories, and one federal district.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 19 April 1948.
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C

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 9 November 1945. Commonwealth realm. Canada was a federation of ten provinces and two territories.
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Widely recognized independent state. Commonwealth realm.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Partially recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered the mainland. It also claimed the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, and South Tibet.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945. The Republic of China claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Hainan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island, Itu Aba, and portions of Yunnan Province. The Republic of China had territorial claims over Mongolia; the Tuvan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic; the Sixty-Four Villages East of the River ; The majority of Gorno-Badakhshan ; The eastern tip of the Wakhan Corridor ; part of the disputed Kashmir region; eastern Bhutan; South Tibet ; and Kachin State.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 5 November 1945. Colombia claimed Quita Sueño Bank, Roncador Bank, and Serrana Bank ; Bajo Nuevo Bank ; and Serranilla Bank
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 2 November 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state; LON member state to 20 April 1946 and UN member state from 2 November 1945. The Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay was under the total control of the United States.
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Widely recognized independent state under German occupation to 8 May 1945, also had a government in exile to 5 April 1945. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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D

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1940. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 9 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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E

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Widely recognized independent state; LON member state to 9 April 1946 and UN member state from 21 December 1945, The country was under Peruvian occupation from July 23, 1941 to February 12, 1942.
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Widely recognized independent state; LON member state to 9 April 1946 and UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state; UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state until June 1940, LON member state to 19 April 1946. Invaded and annexed by USSR in 1940; maintained diplomatic representatives and a government in exile.
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Widely recognized independent state and LON member state to 24 October 1945; UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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F

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 9 April 1946.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 18 April 1941 and from 20 August 1944 to 9 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945. France administered the foreign affairs of the following colonies and 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
Inini
Martinique

France administered the following League of Nations mandates:

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G

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German Reich
Greater German Reich

Widely recognized independent state to 8 May 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to April 1941, from Oct 13 1944 to 20 April 1946. Had a government in exile from April 1941 to October 1944. UN member state from 25 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state
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H

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to April 1942. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 17 December 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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I

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Widely recognized independent state. In personal union with Denmark to 17 June 1944. UN member state from 19 November 1946.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state. Commonwealth realm.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 12 November 1945. Under joint British military occupation from 30 August 1941 to 2 March 1946 and Soviet military occupation to May 1946.
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Widely recognized independent state and LON member state to 20 April 1946; UN member state from 21 December 1945. Under British military occupation from 31 May 1941 to 26 October 1947.
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Widely recognized independent state and LON member state to 20 April 1946. Commonwealth realm.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 11 May 1949.
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Widely recognized independent state under fascism to 3 September 1943.

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Empire of Japan
Japan

Widely recognized independent state under Allied occupation from 2 September 1945. Japan had sovereignty over the following dependencies and concessions:

Japan administered one League of Nations mandate:

South Seas Mandate

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K

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Widely recognized independent state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
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Widely recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
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L

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 5 August 1940 and in exile to 20 April 1946. Conquered by a Soviet offensive but maintained a government in exile.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state.LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 2 November 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state.LON member state to 5 August 1940 and in exile to 20 April 1946. Conquered by a Soviet offensive but maintained a government in exile.
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Widely recognized independent state; LON member state to 10 May 1940, from 11 Sept 1944 to 20 April 1946 and in exile from 10 May 1940 to 11 Sept 1944. Conquered by a German offensive but maintained a government in exile based in London and a UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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M

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 17 November 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state from January 5, 1946.
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De jure independent state. De facto a British protectorate.
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N

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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 10 December 1945. Under occupation by Germany from 10 May 1940 to 5 May 1945, also had a government in exile from 15 May 1940 to 5 May 1945. The Netherlands had sovereignty over three colonies:

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945. Dominion of the British Empire until 25 Nov 1947. Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had sovereignty over four dependent territories:

New Zealand administered one League of Nations mandate:

Western Samoa

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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
Under occupation by Germany from 9 April 1940 to 8 May 1945.
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P

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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state. Commonwealth realm.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 13 November 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 24 Oct 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 31 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state from 4 Jul 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945. The commonwealth was under Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945. The Philippine Government went into exile during that same time.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. UN member state from 24 October 1945. Poland's government was still in exile.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to 20 April 1946. The following were colonies and possession of Portugal:

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Widely recognized independent state under fascism from 14 September 1940 to 24 September 1944.
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S

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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state; UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 17 November 1945. Commonwealth realm. South Africa administered one League of Nations mandate:

South West Africa

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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 24 October 1945. The Soviet Union was a federation of 11 republics. Those republics being:

Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics include:

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Widely recognized independent state. Spain had sovereignty over the following overseas provinces:

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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state. Permanent observer at the UN.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from 24 October 1945.
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T

Kingdom of Thailand
Kingdom of Siam

Widely recognized independent state. LON member state. UN member state from 16 December 1946.
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Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Widely-recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to October 4, 1945. UN member state from October 4, 1945.
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U

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to October 4, 1945. UN member state from October 4, 1945. The United Kingdom was composed of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom had sovereignty over:

– Aden Colony and Protectorate
+ Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Ashanti
Bahrain |Bahrain] – State of Bahrain
Basutoland – Territory of Basutoland
Bechuanaland – Bechuanaland Protectorate
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
Burma
Canton and Enderbury Islands
Ceylon
Cyprus
Cyrenaica
Eritrea
→ Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands in World War II|Faroe Islands]
Federated Malay States
Gambia – Gambia Colony and Protectorate
– Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony
Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Hong Kong
– Indian Empire
Italian Somaliland
Jamaica
– Bailiwick of Jersey
Johor – State of Johor Darul Ta'zim
Kedah – State of Kedah Darul Aman
– State of Kelantan Darul Naim
Kenya – Kenya Colony and Protectorate
→ Kuwait – State of Kuwait
Labuan
Malaya
Malayan Union
Maldive Islands – Sultanate of the Maldive Islands
→ Malta
Mauritius
Muscat and Oman – Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
Newfoundland – Dominion of Newfoundland
Nigeria – Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
→ North Borneo
Northern Rhodesia – Protectorate of Northern Rhodesia
Northern Territories of the Gold Coast
Nyasaland – Nyasaland Protectorate
– State of Perlis Indera Kayangan
→ Qatar – State of Qatar
Redonda
Saint Helena
→ Sarawak – Kingdom of Sarawak
Seychelles
Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate
Sikkim
Singapore
South Orkney Islands
– Colony of Southern Rhodesia
South Shetland Islands
Suez Canal Zone
Swaziland – Swaziland Protectorate
Terengganu – State of Terengganu Darul Iman
Tientsin
Tripolitania
Trucial States
Uganda
Zanzibar – Sultanate of Zanzibar

United Kingdom administered the following League of Nations mandates:

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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from October 4, 1945. The United States had sovereignty over:

Alaska – Alaska Territory
American Samoa – Territory of American Samoa
Baker Island
Bonin Islands
Canton and Enderbury Islands
Clipperton Island
→ Guam – Territory of Guam
Hawaii – Territory of Hawaii
Howland Island
Jarvis Island
Johnston Atoll
Kingman Reef
Southern Korea
Midway Atoll
Navassa Island
Palmyra Atoll
Puerto Rico
Ryukyu Islands – United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands
Volcano Islands
Wake Island

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Widely recognized independent state. LON member state to December 18, 1945. UN member state from December 18, 1945.
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V

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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state.
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Y

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Widely recognized independent state.
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Widely recognized independent state. UN member state from October 24, 1945. Under occupation by Nazi Germany from April 6, 1941 to May 25, 1945. A government in exile was regarded as the legitimate government by the Allies.
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Other entities

Excluded from the list above are the following noteworthy entities which either were mostly unrecognized, not fully sovereign or did not claim to be independent:

Entities not claiming independence

' was divided into four zones of occupation by France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union. The Soviets quickly formed a new provisional government, which was recognized by the rest of the occupying nations in October 1945. In 1946, the occupying powers substantially loosened their dominance over the Austrian government, with a unanimous vote of the four occupying powers required to overturn a decision of the Austrian Parliament.
' was divided into four zones of occupation by France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union. The four occupying powers administered Germany through the Allied Control Council, through which they asserted sovereign authority over it. The Allied Control Council ceased to function after the Soviet Union withdrew from it in 1948. On 23 May 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was formed in the American, British, and French occupation zone, followed by the German Democratic Republic in the Soviet occupation zone on 7 October 1949.
' was occupied by Nazi Germany following the Invasion of Poland, which saw the overthrow of the Second Polish Republic. Polish territories not annexed by Germany and the Soviet Union were administered as a zone of occupation by Germany known as the General Government. Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union were added to the area of the General Government following Operation Barbarossa. Throughout this time, the Polish government-in-exile was maintained from abroad and exerted significant influence in Poland through the Polish Underground State and its military arm, the Home Army. The General Government collapsed in the closing stages of World War II as Soviet forces conquered the territory from the Germans. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland was created on 31 December 1944.
' 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.
' 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.
' 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 Arabian–Iraqi neutral zone was a strip of neutral territory between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Arabian–Kuwaiti neutral zone was a strip of neutral territory between Kuwait 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. 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.
Tangier was an international zone under the joint administration of France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Portugal and Belgium. Under Spanish occupation from 14 June 1940 to 11 October 1945.
The administered the southern half of Korea from September 1945 to 15 August 1948, when its territory became part of the new South Korean state.