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 (including 4 associated states that gained full independence, 4 states which were initially unrecognized but then gained full recognition later in the decade, and 1 state which was initially widely-recognized but then lost full recognition later in the decade), 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 Name and capital cityInformation on status and recognition of sovereignty A – Emirate of Abu Dhabi Transitional independent state. → → → → Afghanistan Kingdom of Afghanistan Republic of Afghanistan Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Widely-recognized UN member state; Afghanistan was occupied by the Soviet Union from 27 December 1979. – State of Ajman Transitional independent state. → Albania People's Republic of Albania People's Socialist Republic of Albania Widely-recognized UN member state. – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Widely-recognized UN member state. → Andorra – Principality of Andorra 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. Angola – People's Republic of Angola Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 1 December 1976. Antigua Associated state of the United Kingdom. Antigua had two dependencies, Barbuda (from 23 December 1976) and Redonda. Argentine Republic (to 24 March 1976) National Reorganization Process (from 24 March 1976) Widely-recognized UN member state. Argentina was a federation of 22 provinces and two federal territories.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. 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. – Commonwealth of Australia Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Australia was a federation of six states and three territories.6 States: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia. 3 Territories: Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory, Northern Territory. It had sovereignty over the following external territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands (from 1 July 1978) Australian Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island Australia administered one United Nations Trust Territory: → → Papua and New Guinea (to 15 September 1975) – Republic of Austria Widely-recognized UN member state. Austria was a federation of nine states.9 States: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Vorarlberg, Vienna. B – Commonwealth of the Bahamas Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 18 September 1973. Commonwealth realm. → Bahrain – State of Bahrain Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 21 September 1971. → Provisional Government of Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh De facto independent state. Claimed by Pakistan (to 22 February 1974). Permanent observer at the UN (from 1973 to 17 September 1974). Widely-recognized state (from 1973). Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. – Kingdom of Belgium Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member.Benin Dahomey – Kingdom of Bhutan Widely-recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN (to 21 September 1971). UN member state (from 21 September 1971). Bhutan was officially guided by India in its foreign affairs, but effectively pursued an independent foreign policy starting in the 1970s. – Republic of Biafra Partially recognized de facto independent state; claimed by Nigeria. Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia Widely-recognized UN member state. – Republic of Bophuthatswana Nominally independent South African bantustan. – Republic of Botswana Widely-recognized UN member state. Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil Widely-recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 22 states, four territories, and one federal district. → Bulgaria – People's Republic of Bulgaria Widely-recognized UN member state. → Burma Union of Burma Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma Widely-recognized UN member state. Burundi – Republic of Burundi Widely-recognized UN member state. C Cabinda – Republic of Cabinda De facto independent state. Claimed by Portugal (to 11 November 1975) and Angola (on 11 November 1975). → → → Cambodia / Khmer Republic / Kampuchea, Democratic Kingdom of Cambodia Khmer Republic Kampuchea (Kingdom of Cambodia) Democratic Kampuchea Widely-recognized UN member state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Kampuchea, despite being in exile from 10 January 1979. → Federal Republic of Cameroon United Republic of Cameroon Widely-recognized UN member state. Until 2 June 1972, Cameroon was a federation of two regions.2 regions: East Cameroun and West Cameroun. – Dominion of Canada Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Canada was a federation of ten provinces and two territories.10 Provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan. 2 Territories: Northwest Territories, Yukon. – Republic of Cape Verde Widely-recognized independent state. UN member state (from 16 September 1975). / Central African Empire Central African Republic Central African Empire Central African Republic Widely-recognized UN member state. → Ceylon / Sri Lanka Dominion of Ceylon Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm (to 22 May 1972). – Republic of Chad Widely-recognized UN member state. – Republic of Chile 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 (disputed by the Republic of China and Vietnam), the Spratly Islands (disputed by the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia), and South Tibet (controlled by India). 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 (administered by the Soviet Union); The majority of Gorno-Badakhshan (administered by the Soviet Union); The eastern tip of the Wakhan Corridor (administered by Afghanistan); a small portion of Gilgit-Baltistan (administered by Pakistan and part of the disputed Kashmir region); Aksai Chin (administered by the People's Republic of China and part of the disputed Kashmir region); eastern Bhutan; South Tibet (controlled by India); and Kachin State (administered by Burma). – Republic of Colombia Widely-recognized UN member state. Colombia claimed Quita Sueño Bank, Roncador Bank, and Serrana Bank (disputed by the United States); Bajo Nuevo Bank (disputed by Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States); and Serranilla Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States). → → State of the Comoros Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros 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 (disputed by Madagascar and France). → Congo, Democratic Republic of the / Zaire Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of Zaire Widely-recognized UN member state. → Congo, Republic of the / Congo Republic of the Congo People's Republic of the Congo 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. – Republic of Costa Rica Widely-recognized UN member state. – Republic of Cuba Widely-recognized UN member state; the Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay was under the control of the United States. – Republic of Cyprus Widely-recognized UN member state. Cyprus included one self-declared state which, although it did not claim independence, was de facto self-governing: Turkish Federated State of Cyprus (from 13 February 1975) Czechoslovakia – Czechoslovak Socialist Republic Widely-recognized UN member state. Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics.2 Republics: Czech Socialist Republic, Slovak Socialist Republic. D → Dahomey / Benin Republic of Dahomey People's Republic of Benin Widely-recognized UN member state. – Kingdom of Denmark Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member from 1 January 1973. The Danish Realm also included two of its constituent countries: Greenland (from 1 May 1979) – Republic of Djibouti Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 20 September 1977. → Dominica Commonwealth of Dominica Associated state of the United Kingdom (to 2 November 1978). Widely-recognized independent state from 3 November 1978; UN member state from 18 December 1978. Widely-recognized UN member state. – State of Dubai Transitional independent state. E – Democratic Republic of East Timor De facto independent state from 28 November 1975 to 7 December 1975; claimed by Portugal and Indonesia from 29 November 1975. Ecuador Republic of Ecuador (to 10 August 1979) Republic of Ecuador (from 10 August 1979) Widely-recognized UN member state.Egypt United Arab Republic Military dictatorship Revolutionary Government Junta Widely-recognized UN member state. → → Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea Widely-recognized UN member state. → → Ethiopia Ethiopian Empire Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia (Derg) Widely-recognized UN member state. F Fiji – Dominion of Fiji Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state from 13 October 1970. Commonwealth realm. Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma. – Republic of Finland Widely-recognized UN member state. Finland had a neutral and demilitarized region: Fizi – Maquis of Fizi Unrecognized breakaway state in Zaire. Claimed by Zaire. → – French Republic