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 |
"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.
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
Historical chart of United Nations Member States in time.
[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: