List of sovereign states in the 1970s


This is a list of sovereign states in the 1970s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1970 and 31 December 1979. It contains 191 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 166 widely-recognized sovereign states, 2 constituent republics of another sovereign state that were UN members on their own right, 12 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto dependencies of other powers by the general international community, 4 associated states, and 7 transitional states.

Sovereign states

A

----
Transitional independent state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; Afghanistan was occupied by the Soviet Union from 27 December 1979.
----
Transitional independent state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
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 foreign states, in this case France and Spain.
----
Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 1 December 1976.
----
Associated state of the [|United Kingdom]. Antigua had two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Argentina was a federation of 22 provinces and two federal territories. It had a claim over Argentine Antarctica, which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. It also claimed the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, both of which were British overseas territories.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories. It had sovereignty over the following external territories:
Australia administered one United Nations Trust Territory:
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Austria was a federation of nine states.
----

B

----
Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 18 September 1973. Commonwealth realm.
----
Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 21 September 1971.
----
De facto independent state. Claimed by Pakistan. Permanent observer at the UN. Widely-recognized state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member.
----
----
Widely-recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN. UN member state. Bhutan was officially guided by India in its foreign affairs, but effectively pursued an independent foreign policy starting in the 1970s.
----
Partially recognized de facto independent state; claimed by Nigeria.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Nominally independent South African bantustan.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 22 states, four territories, and one federal district.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----

C

----
De facto independent state. Claimed by Portugal and Angola.
----
  • Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Khmer Republic
  • Kampuchea
  • Democratic Kampuchea
Widely-recognized UN member state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Kampuchea, despite being in exile from 10 January 1979.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Until 2 June 1972, Cameroon was a federation of two regions.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Canada was a federation of ten provinces and two territories.
----
Widely-recognized independent state. UN member state.
----
  • Central African Republic
  • Central African Empire
  • Central African Republic
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
----
Partially recognized de facto independent state. Widely-recognized UN member state. The People's Republic of China had five autonomous regions: Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet. The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, all of which were governed by the Republic of China. It also claimed the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, and South Tibet. The People's Republic of China administered Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract, which were within the disputed region of Kashmir.
----
De jure Widely-recognized UN member state under the name "China". Partially recognized de facto independent state. Taiwan claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China, but only administered Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and Itu Aba. 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 ; a small portion of Gilgit-Baltistan ; Aksai Chin ; eastern Bhutan; South Tibet ; and Kachin State.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Colombia claimed Quita Sueño Bank, Roncador Bank, and Serrana Bank ; Bajo Nuevo Bank ; and Serranilla Bank.
----
De facto independent state. Claimed by France to 31 December 1975. Widely-recognized UN member state from 12 November 1975. After 24 May 1978, the Comoros was a federation of three islands.
3 Islands: Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mohéli. Comoros claimed sovereignty over the French overseas territories of Mayotte and the Glorioso Islands. It also claimed Banc du Geyser.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
A state in free association with [|New Zealand]; it shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; the Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay was under the control of the United States.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Cyprus included one self-declared state which, although it did not claim independence, was de facto self-governing:
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics.
----

D

----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member from 1 January 1973. The Danish Realm also included two of its constituent countries:
----
Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 20 September 1977.
----
  • Dominica
  • Commonwealth of Dominica
Associated state of the United Kingdom.
Widely-recognized independent state from 3 November 1978; UN member state from 18 December 1978.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Transitional independent state.
----

E

----
De facto independent state from 28 November 1975 to 7 December 1975; claimed by Portugal and Indonesia from 29 November 1975.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state.
----

F

----
Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 13 October 1970. Commonwealth realm. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state. Finland had a neutral and demilitarized region:
----
Unrecognized breakaway state in Zaire. Claimed by Zaire.
----
Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member. France included five overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories:
It also co-administered one condominium:
France also claimed Banc du Geyser.
----
Transitional independent state.
----