List_of_sovereign_states_in_the_1980s

List of sovereign states in the 1980s

List of sovereign states in the 1980s

Add article description

This is a list of sovereign states in the 1980s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1989. It contains 188 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 171 widely-recognized sovereign states, 2 constituent republics of another sovereign state that were UN members on their own right, 2 associated states, and 13 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto dependencies of other powers by the general international community.

Sovereign states

More information Name and capital city, Information on status and recognition of sovereignty ...

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:

  • Antarctica as a whole had no government and no permanent population. Seven states claimed portions of Antarctica and five of these had reciprocally recognised one another's claims.[38] These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.[39]
  •  East Timor was occupied and administered by Indonesia as Timor Timur, but this was not recognized by the United Nations, which considered it to be Portuguese territory under Indonesian occupation.
  •  Estonia was effectively a part of the Soviet Union, 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 Federal Republic of Mindanao was a short-lived, self-proclaimed, unrecognized breakaway state encompassing Mindanao, Palawan and the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines. The independence of the republic was to be proclaimed at a convention in Cagayan de Oro on April 25, 1986 by the Mindanao People's Democratic Movement led by Reuben Canoy but original plans to proclaim the proposed republic's independence were changed to avert arrest by the Corazon Aquino administration due to violation against sedition law.
  •  Latvia was effectively a part of the Soviet Union, 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.
  •  Lithuania 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 (to 26 December 1981).
  • 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.[40] The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions."[41] 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.
  • West Berlin was a political enclave that was closely aligned with – but not actually a part of – West Germany. It consisted of three occupied sectors administered by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

See also

Notes

  1. "Democratic" was dropped from the state's official name when a new constitution of Afghanistan was enacted by loya jirga on 30 November 1987.[1]
  2. Antigua and Barbuda gained independence from the United Kingdom on 1 November 1981.[2]
  3. The name "Argentine Nation" was also used for the purposes of legislation.
  4. 23 provinces: Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Córdoba, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquén, Río Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán. 2 territories: Buenos Aires, Tierra del Fuego.
  5. 6 states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia. 3 territories: Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory, Northern Territory.
  6. 9 states: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Vorarlberg, Vienna.
  7. 3 communities: Flemish Community, French Community, German-speaking Community (from 31 December 1983). 3 regions: Brussels-Capital Region (from 18 June 1989), Flemish Region, Walloon Region.
  8. Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981.[3]
  9. Belize was not recognized by Guatemala.
  10. The nominally "independent" bantustans of Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, and Venda were only recognized by South Africa and by each other. The rest of the world regarded them as part of South Africa.
  11. 26 states: Acre, Alagoas, Amapá (from 1 January 1989), Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia (from 22 December 1981), Roraima (from 1 January 1989), Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins (from 1 January 1989). 4 territories: Amapá (to 1 January 1989), Fernando de Noronha (to 1 January 1989), Rondônia (to 22 December 1981), Roraima (to 1 January 1989). 1 federal district: Federal District.
  12. The British Protectorate over Brunei came to an end on 1 January 1984.[4]
  13. The State Law and Order Restoration Council suspended the constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma on 18 September 1988.[5]
  14. The State Law and Order Restoration Council renamed Burma to Myanmar on 18 June 1989. This change was not internationally recognized, and the country's common name in English remained "Burma".[6]
  15. Cameroon was renamed when its new constitution came into effect on 4 February 1984.[7]
  16. 10 provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan. 2 territories: Northwest Territories, Yukon.
  17. The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China did not recognize each other, as both states claimed to be the sole legitimate government of China. The following states recognized the ROC instead of the PRC: Bahamas (from 1989), Belize (from 11 October 1989), Bolivia (to 9 July 1985), Colombia (to 7 February 1980), Costa Rica, Dominica (from 1983), Dominican Republic, Ecuador (to 2 January 1980), El Salvador, Guatemala, Grenada (from 19 July 1989), Haiti, Honduras, South Korea, Lesotho (30 April 1983), Liberia (from 9 October 1989), Malawi, Monaco, Nauru (from 1980), Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (from 1981), Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands (from 1983), South Africa, Swaziland, Tonga, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates (from 1 November 1984), Uruguay (to 3 February 1988), and Vatican City.
  18. Ciskei was proclaimed to be "independent" on 4 December 1981.[8]
  19. 3 islands: Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mohéli.
  20. Cyprus was not recognized by Turkey or Northern Cyprus.
  21. Owing to a dispute over lands seized during World War II, Liechtenstein and Czechoslovakia did not recognize each other.
  22. 2 republics: Czech Socialist Republic, Slovak Socialist Republic.
  23. Ethiopia enacted a new constitution on 22 February 1987.[9]
  24. Following a military coup, Fiji was declared a republic on 7 October 1987.[10]
  25. 10 states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Schleswig-Holstein.
  26. The United States invaded Grenada on 25 October 1983, removing the PRG regime from power and restored the pre-1979 government.
  27. The name "People's Republic of Hungary" was abandoned on 23 October 1989.[11]
  28. 25 states: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh (from 20 February 1987), Assam, Bihar, Goa (from 30 May 1987), Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram (from 1986), Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. 10 Union Territories: Arunachal Pradesh (to 20 February 1987), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (from 30 May 1987), Goa, Daman and Diu (to 30 May 1987), Lakshadweep, Mizoram (to 1986), National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Pondicherry.
  29. Ireland also had the legal description of "Republic of Ireland", although this was not its constitutional name.
  30. Israel was not recognized by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chad, Cuba, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, or Yemen.
  31. The official French name of Ivory Coast had been "République de Côte d'Ivoire" since its independence in 1960, but English sources typically translated the name as "Republic of Ivory Coast". On 12 October 1985, the Ivorian government officially requested that the name be translated as "Republic of Côte d'Ivoire".[12]
  32. The Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea was established on 22 June 1982.[13]
  33. Although the People's Republic of Kampuchea had near total control over the territory of Cambodia, the majority of the states in the world recognized the former government of Democratic Kampuchea, which retained Cambodia's UN membership. The People's Republic of Kampuchea was mainly recognized by Vietnam and states within the Soviet sphere of influence.
  34. The People's Republic of Kampuchea renamed itself to State of Cambodia on 1 May 1989.[14]
  35. North Korea was not recognized by Estonia, France, Japan, or South Korea.
  36. South Korea was not recognized by the Soviet Union, China, Romania or North Korea.
  37. Following an U.S. air strike against the Libyan regime, the word "Great" was added to the Libyan state's official name.[15]
  38. 13 states: Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu. 2 Federal Territories: Kuala Lumpur, Labuan (from 16 April 1984).
  39. The UN Trusteeship over the Marshall Islands came to an end on 21 October 1986.[16]
  40. 31 states: Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, and Zacatecas. 1 federal district: Federal District.
  41. The date the UN Trusteeship over Micronesia came to an end on.[17]
  42. 4 states: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap.
  43. The Constitution Act 1986 came into force on 1 January 1987, officially removing the phrase "Dominion of New Zealand" from use.[18]
  44. 21 states: Akwa Ibom (from 23 September 1987), Anambra, Bauchi, Bendel, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Gongola, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina (from 23 September 1987), Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, and Sokoto. 1 federal territory: Federal Capital Territory.
  45. The Turkish Federated State of Cyprus declared independence from Cyprus as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 15 November 1983.
  46. Northern Cyprus was recognized only by Turkey.
  47. 4 provinces: Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh. 4 territories: Azad Kashmir, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Islamabad Capital Territory, Northern Areas.
  48. The State of Palestine was declared on 15 November 1988.[19]
  49. The state was recognized by over 90 states by the end of 1989. See: United Nations Educational; Scientific and Cultural Organization; Executive Board (12 May 1989). "Hundred and thirty-first Session: Item 9.4 of the provisional agenda, Request for the Admission of the State of Palestine to UNESCO as a Member State" (PDF). United Nations. pp. 18, Annex II. Retrieved 2010-11-15. The list contains 92 entries, including a number of states which no longer exist.
  50. See the following on statehood criteria:
  51. Peru enacted a new constitution on 28 July 1980.[20]
  52. Poland's constitution was amended on 29 December 1989, changing the official name of the state from "People's Republic of Poland" to "Republic of Poland".[21]
  53. Rwanda's official French name was "République rwandaise".[24][25] It could be translated into English as "Rwandese Republic".,[26] "Rwandan Republic",[27] or "Republic of Rwanda".[28]
  54. Rwenzururu willingly renounced its independence on 15 August 1982.[29]
  55. Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence from the United Kingdom on 19 September 1983.[30]
  56. 2 islands: Saint Kitts, Nevis.14 parishes: Christ Church Nichola Town (Saint Kitts), Saint Anne Sandy Point (Saint Kitts), Saint George Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Saint George Gingerland (Nevis), Saint James Windward (Nevis), Saint John Capesterre (Saint Kitts), Saint John Figtree (Nevis), Saint Mary Cayon (Saint Kitts), Saint Paul Capisterre (Saint Kitts), Saint Paul Charlestown (Nevis), Saint Peter Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Saint Thomas Lowland (Nevis), Saint Thomas Middle Island (Saint Kitts), and Trinity Palmetto Point (Saint Kitts).
  57. 15 republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Byelorussia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Russian SFSR, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
  58. The constitution of the Democratic Republic of Sudan was suspended on 6 April 1985. An interim constitution was adopted on 10 October 1985, renaming the country to "Republic of the Sudan".[31]
  59. 26 cantons: Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, and Zürich.
  60. The Tafea Nation declared independence from Vanuatu on 15 February 1980. On 26 May 1980, the movement was put down by the colonial authorities.[32]
  61. 7 emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaiwain.
  62. 50 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 1 federal district: District of Columbia. 1 incorporated territory: Palmyra Atoll.
  63. President Thomas Sankara of Upper Volta renamed his country Burkina Faso on 4 August 1984.[33]
  64. Vanuatu became independent from an Anglo-French condominium on 30 July 1980.[34]
  65. The Republic of Vemerana declared independence on 27 May 1980.[35]} The Condominium, with the aid of troops from Papua New Guinea authorities seized Luganville on 24 July 1980.[36]
  66. President Jimmy Stevens of Vemerana was backed by the North American-based Phoenix Foundation.
  67. 20 states: Anzoátegui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolívar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Falcón, Guárico, Lara, Mérida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Táchira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia. 2 territories: Amazonas, and Delta Amacuro. 1 federal district: Federal District. 1 federal dependency: Federal Dependencies.
  68. 6 republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia.
  69. Zimbabwe attained its independence from the United Kingdom on 18 April 1980.[37]

References

  1. [1]
    "The Constitution of Afghanistan" (PDF). Afghanistan. 1987. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-03. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  2. [2]
    "Central America :: Antigua and Barbuda — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 7 June 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Belize - the World Factbook". Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  4. [4]
    "East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Brunei — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 6 June 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Burma (09/04)". 3 September 2004. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
  6. [6]
    Ap (20 June 1989). "Burma Takes Another Name: Now, the Union of Myanmar". The New York Times.
  7. [7]
    . 29 December 2005 https://web.archive.org/web/20051229035354/http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Cameroon.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2005. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. [8]
    "1981 - The O'Malley Archives". omalley.nelsonmandela.org.
  9. [9]
    "Ethiopia - The 1987 Constitution". countrystudies.us.
  10. [10]
    Ap (7 October 1987). "Fiji Coup Leader Declares Republic". The New York Times.
  11. [11]
    "Proclamation by the Republic of Hungary (23 October 1989)". 19 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 November 2009.
  12. [12]
    "Côte d'Ivoire". www.worldstatesmen.org.
  13. [13]
    Carney, Timothy. Kampuchea in 1982: Political and Military Escalation, p. 76
  14. [14]
    Erlanger, Steven; Times, Special to The New York (2 May 1989). "Quayle Meets Sihanouk to Back Him". The New York Times.
  15. [15]
    "Libya". www.worldstatesmen.org.
  16. [16]
    "Marshall Islands (11/03)". 11 December 2003. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
  17. [17]
    "Australia - Oceania :: Micronesia, Federated States of — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 6 June 2022.
  18. [18]
    "ICL - New Zealand - Constitution Act 1986". www.servat.unibe.ch.
  19. [19]
    Palestinian Declaration of Independence
  20. [20]
    "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-05-21. Retrieved 2010-05-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. [21]
    "CEJSH Publication information". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  22. [22]
    A Political Chronology of Europe. Europa Publications. 2001. p. 198. ISBN 0-203-40340-1. Retrieved 29 June 2023. 28 December 1989: The name of the country was changed by decree to Romania.
  23. [23]
    Binder, David; Times, Special to The New York (23 December 1989). "Upheaval in the East: Overview; Ceausescu Flees a Revolt in Rumania but Divided Security Forces Fight on". The New York Times.
  24. [24]
    "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2006-08-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. [25]
    "Constitution rwandaise du 10 juin 1991, Digithèque MJP". mjp.univ-perp.fr.
  26. [26]
    CIA World Fact Book, 2004/"Rwanda"
  27. [27]
    "Rwanda". 10 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
  28. [28]
    "The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Rwanda". www.umsl.edu.
  29. [29]
    "Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu". 5 January 2009. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009.
  30. [30]
    "Central America :: Saint Kitts and Nevis — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 8 June 2022.
  31. [31]
    "UNDP-POGAR: Arab Countries". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
  32. [32]
    "Footnotes to History- T". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  33. [33]
    "Upper Volta's Name Now Bourkina Fasso". The New York Times. Reuters. 4 August 1984.
  34. [34]
    "Australia - Oceania :: Vanuatu — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 6 June 2022.
  35. [35]
    MacQueen, Norman (1988). "Beyond Tok Win: The Papua New Guinea Intervention in Vanuatu, 1980". Pacific Affairs. 61 (2). University of British Columbia: 235–252. doi:10.2307/2759303. JSTOR 2759303.
  36. [36]
    "Vanuatu". www.worldstatesmen.org.
  37. [37]
    "Africa :: Zimbabwe — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. 6 June 2022.
  38. [38]
    Rogan-Finnemore, Michelle (2005), "What Bioprospecting Means for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean", in Von Tigerstrom, Barbara (ed.), International Law Issues in the South Pacific, Ashgate Publishing, p. 204, ISBN 0-7546-4419-7 "Australia, New Zealand, France, Norway and the United Kingdom reciprocally recognize the validity of each other's claims."
  39. [39]
    CIA – the World Factbook – Antarctica – accessed 19 January 2008
  40. [40]
    Bilateral relations with countries Archived 2008-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 22 December 2009
  41. [41]
    Chapter General of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (12 January 1998). Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, promulgated 27 June 1961, revised by the Extraordinary Chapter General 28–30 April 1997, Article 3 "Sovereignty," Paragraph 1 (PDF). Rome: Tipografia Arte della Stampa. p. 11.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article List_of_sovereign_states_in_the_1980s, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.