List of sovereign states in the 1980s

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.

Map of the World in 1980's

Sovereign states

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
A
→ → Afghanistan Capital: Kabul Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (to 30 November 1987) Republic of Afghanistan (from 30 November 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Afghanistan was occupied by the Soviet Union (to 15 February 1989).
Albania – People's Socialist Republic of Albania Capital: Tirana	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Capital: Algiers	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Andorra – Principality of Andorra Capital: Andorra la Vella	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.
Angola – People's Republic of Angola Capital: Luanda	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Antigua and Barbuda Capital: St. John's Antigua (to 31 October 1981) Antigua and Barbuda (from 1 November 1981)	Associated state of the United Kingdom (to 31 October 1981); widely-recognized independent state (from 1 November 1981). UN member state (from 11 November 1981); Commonwealth realm. Antigua and Barbuda had two dependencies: Barbuda and Redonda.
Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires National Reorganization Process (to 30 October 1983) Argentine Republic (from 30 October 1983)	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.
Australia – Commonwealth of Australia Capital: Canberra	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: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island
Austria – Republic of Austria Capital: Vienna	Widely-recognized UN member state. Austria was a federation of nine states.
B
The Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas Capital: Nassau	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Bahrain – State of Bahrain Capital: Manama	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Barbados Capital: Bridgetown	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium Capital: Brussels	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member. After 8 August 1980, Belgium was a federation of three communities and three regions.
Belize (from 21 September 1981) Capital: Belmopan	Widely-recognized independent state. UN member state (from 25 September 1981); Commonwealth realm.
Benin – People's Republic of Benin Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (seat of government)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan Capital: Thimphu	Widely-recognized UN member state. Bhutan was officially guided by India in its foreign affairs, but effectively pursued an independent foreign policy.
Bolivia Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative) Republic of Bolivia (to 10 October 1982) Republic of Bolivia (from 10 October 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Bophuthatswana – Republic of Bophuthatswana Capital: Mmabatho	Nominally independent South African bantustan.
Botswana – Republic of Botswana Capital: Gaborone	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil Capital: Brasília Military dictatorship (to 15 March 1985) Sixth Brazilian Republic (from 15 March 1985)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Brazil was a federation of 26 states, four territories (none from 1 January 1989), and one federal district.
Brunei – State of Brunei, Abode of Peace (from 1 January 1984) Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan	Widely-recognized independent state. UN member state (from 21 September 1984). Brunei claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
Bulgaria – People's Republic of Bulgaria Capital: Sofia	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Burkina Faso → Upper Volta
Burma / Myanmar Capital: Rangoon (renamed Yangon in 1989) Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (to 18 September 1988) Union of Burma (from 18 September 1988 to 18 June 1989) Union of Myanmar (from 18 June 1989)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ Burundi – Republic of Burundi Capital: Bujumbura	Widely-recognized UN member state.
C
Cambodia, State of → Kampuchea, People's Republic of
Cameroon Capital: Yaoundé United Republic of Cameroon (to 4 February 1984) Republic of Cameroon (from 4 February 1984)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Canada Capital: Ottawa Dominion of Canada (to 17 April 1982) Canada (from 17 April 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Canada was a federation of ten provinces and two territories.
Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde Capital: Praia	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Central African Republic Capital: Bangui	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Chad – Republic of Chad Capital: N'Djamena	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Chile – Republic of Chile Capital: Santiago	Widely-recognized UN member state. It had a claim over Chilean Antarctic Territory, which is suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
China, People's Republic of Capital: Beijing	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, Malaysia and Brunei), 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.
China, Republic of Capital: Taipei (seat of government), Nanjing (claimed)	Partially-recognized de facto independent state. The Republic of China 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 Myanmar).
Ciskei – Republic of Ciskei (from 4 December 1981) Capital: Bisho	Nominally independent South African bantustan.
Colombia – Republic of Colombia Capital: Bogotá	Widely-recognized UN member state. Colombia administered Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank (disputed by Nicaragua and the United States).
Comoros – Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros Capital: Moroni	Widely-recognized UN member state. The Comoros was a federation of three islands. 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 – People's Republic of the Congo Capital: Brazzaville	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Cook Islands Capital: Avarua	A state in free association with New Zealand. It shares a head of state with New Zealand as well as having shared citizenship.
Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San José	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Cuba – Republic of Cuba Capital: Havana	Widely-recognized UN member state. The Cuban area of Guantánamo Bay was under the control of the United States.
Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus Capital: Nicosia	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 (to 15 November 1983) After 15 November 1983, The northeastern part of the island was the de facto independent state of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey.
Czechoslovakia – Czechoslovak Socialist Republic Capital: Prague	Widely-recognized UN member state. Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics.
D
Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark Capital: Copenhagen	Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member. The Danish Realm also included two of its constituent countries: Greenland Faroe Islands
Derg → Ethiopia
Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti Capital: Djibouti	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ → Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica Capital: Roseau	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Dominican Republic Capital: Santo Domingo	Widely-recognized UN member state.
E
Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador Capital: Quito	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt Capital: Cairo	Widely-recognized UN member state. Egypt included the Sinai Peninsula, which was occupied by Israel until 25 April 1982.
El Salvador Capital: San Salvador Revolutionary Government Junta (to 2 May 1982) Republic of El Salvador (from 2 May 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia (Derg or Socialist Ethiopia) (to 22 February 1987) People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (from 22 February 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
F
Fiji Capital: Suva Dominion of Fiji (to 7 October 1987) Republic of Fiji (from 7 October 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm (to 7 October 1987). Fiji had an autonomous dependency, Rotuma.
Finland – Republic of Finland Capital: Helsinki	Widely-recognized UN member state. Finland had a neutral and demilitarised region: Åland
France – French Republic Capital: Paris	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member. France included five overseas departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (to 11 June 1985). It also had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: French Polynesia, with one dependency: Clipperton Island French Southern and Antarctic Lands (including a claim to Adélie Land which was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.) Mayotte New Caledonia New Hebrides (to 29 July 1980, jointly with the United Kingdom) Saint Pierre and Miquelon (from 11 June 1985) The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, consisting of five uninhabited possessions: Bassas da India (disputed by Madagascar) Europa Island (disputed by Madagascar) Glorioso Islands (disputed by Madagascar, Comoros, and the Seychelles) Juan de Nova Island (disputed by Madagascar) Tromelin Island (disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles) Wallis and Futuna France also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and the Comoros).
G
Gabon – Gabonese Republic Capital: Libreville	Widely-recognized UN member state.
The Gambia – Republic of the Gambia Capital: Banjul	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Germany, East – German Democratic Republic Capital: East Berlin (disputed)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Germany, West – Federal Republic of Germany Capital: Bonn	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member. West Germany was a federation of ten states.
Ghana – Republic of Ghana Capital: Accra	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Greece – Hellenic Republic Capital: Athens	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member (from 1 January 1981). Greece had sovereignty over Mount Athos, an autonomous monastic state that was jointly governed by the multi-national "Holy Community" on the mountain and the Civil Governor appointed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spiritually came under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Grenada Capital: St. George's People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada (to 25 October 1983) Grenada (from 25 October 1983)	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Grenada had one autonomous dependency, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Guinea Capital: Conakry People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea (to April 3, 1984) Republic of Guinea (from April 3, 1984)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau Capital: Bissau	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana Capital: Georgetown	Widely-recognized UN member state.
H
→ Haiti – Republic of Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince Duvalier dynasty (to 7 February 1986) Third Haitian Republic (from 7 February 1986)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Haiti claimed the uninhabited United States possession of Navassa Island.
Holy See → Vatican City
Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa Republic of Honduras (to January 27, 1982) Republic of Honduras (from January 27, 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Hungary Capital: Budapest People's Republic of Hungary (to 23 October 1989) Republic of Hungary (from 23 October 1989)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
I
Iceland – Republic of Iceland Capital: Reykjavík	Widely-recognized UN member state.
India – Republic of India Capital: New Delhi	Widely-recognized UN member state. India was a federation of twenty-eight states and ten union territories. Indian sovereignty over South Tibet was disputed by China. India administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia Capital: Jakarta	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ → Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran Capital: Tehran	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Iraq – Iraqi Republic Capital: Baghdad	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Ireland Capital: Dublin	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member.
Israel – State of Israel Capital: Jerusalem	Widely-recognized UN member state. Israel occupied the Gaza Strip the Golan Heights, the Israeli Security Zone in Southern Lebanon (from 6 June 1982), the Sinai Peninsula (to 25 April 1982), and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These areas were not recognized as being part of Israel.
Italy – Italian Republic Capital: Rome	Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member. Italy had 5 autonomous regions and they were the Aosta Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
Ivory Coast Capital: Yamoussoukro (official, from 21 March 1983), Abidjan (seat of government) Republic of Ivory Coast (to 12 October 1985) Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (from 12 October 1985)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
J
Jamaica Capital: Kingston	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Japan Capital: Tokyo	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Capital: Amman	Widely-recognized UN member state. Until 31 July 1988, Jordan claimed West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which were Israeli-occupied territories.
K
Kampuchea, Democratic Capital: Phnom Penh Democratic Kampuchea (to 22 June 1982) Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (from 22 June 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Kampuchea, despite being in exile.
→ Kampuchea, People's Republic of / Cambodia, State of Capital: Phnom Penh People's Republic of Kampuchea (to 1 May 1989) State of Cambodia (from 1 May 1989)	Partially recognized de facto independent state. Claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Kampuchea. The People's Republic of Kampuchea was occupied by Vietnam until 25 September 1989.
Kenya – Republic of Kenya Capital: Nairobi	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati Capital: South Tarawa	Widely-recognized independent state.
Korea, North – Democratic People's Republic of Korea Capital: Pyongyang	Widely-recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN; claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
→ Korea, South Capital: Seoul Fourth Republic (to 25 February 1981) Fifth Republic (from 25 February 1981 to 25 February 1988) Sixth Republic (from 25 February 1988)	Widely-recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN; claimed to be the sole legitimate government of Korea.
Kuwait – State of Kuwait Capital: Kuwait City	Widely-recognized UN member state.
L
Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic Capital: Vientiane	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Lebanon – Lebanese Republic Capital: Beirut	Widely-recognized UN member state; Lebanon was occupied by Syria. Some of Southern Lebanon was occupied by Israel (from 6 June 1982).
→ Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho Capital: Maseru	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Liberia – Republic of Liberia Capital: Monrovia	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Libya Capital: Tripoli Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (to 15 April 1986) Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (from 15 April 1986)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein Capital: Vaduz	Widely-recognized independent state. The defense of Liechtenstein was the responsibility of Switzerland.
Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Capital: Luxembourg	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member.
M
Madagascar – Democratic Republic of Madagascar Capital: Antananarivo	Widely-recognized UN member state. Madagascar claimed the French possessions of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island. It also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Comoros and France)
Malawi – Republic of Malawi Capital: Lilongwe	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur	Widely-recognized UN member state. Malaysia was a federation of thirteen states and two federal territories. Malaysia claimed part of the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei).
Maldives – Republic of Maldives Capital: Malé	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Mali – Republic of Mali Capital: Bamako	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Malta – Republic of Malta Capital: Valletta	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands (from 21 October 1986) Capital: Majuro	Widely-recognized state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands claimed the United States territory of Wake Island.
Mauritania Capital: Nouakchott Islamic Republic of Mauritania (to 1984) Islamic Republic of Mauritania (from 1984)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Mauritius Capital: Port Louis	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. Mauritius had three dependencies: Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos and Rodrigues. It claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territory of Tromelin Island.
Mexico – United Mexican States Capital: Mexico City	Widely-recognized UN member state. Mexico was a federation of 31 states and one federal district.
Federated States of Micronesia (from 3 November 1986) Capital: Kolonia (to 1989) Palikir (from 1989)	Widely-recognized state under Compact of Free Association with the United States. The FSM was a federation of four states.
Monaco – Principality of Monaco Capital: Monaco	Widely-recognized independent state. Permanent observer at the UN.The defense of Monaco was the responsibility of France.
Mongolia – Mongolian People's Republic Capital: Ulaanbaatar	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco Capital: Rabat	Widely-recognized UN member state. Morocco claimed sovereignty over and controlled most of the disputed Western Sahara, which was home to the de facto independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco disputed the Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, and Peñón de Alhucemas.
→ → Mozambique – People's Republic of Mozambique Capital: Maputo	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Myanmar → Burma
N
Nauru – Republic of Nauru Capital: Yaren (unofficial)	Widely-recognized independent state. The defense of Nauru was the responsibility of Australia.
Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal Capital: Kathmandu	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (seat of government)	Widely-recognized UN member state. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consisted of three autonomous countries: Aruba (from 1 January 1986) Netherlands → Netherlands Antilles The Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole was a member of the EEC, but Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles were not.
New Zealand Capital: Wellington Dominion of New Zealand (to 1 January 1987) New Zealand (from 1 January 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm. New Zealand had responsibilities for the two free associated states of: Cook Islands Niue It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories: Ross Dependency (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Tokelau The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand did not recognize this claim since 25 March 1981.
Nicaragua Capital: Managua Junta of National Reconstruction (to 10 January 1985) Republic of Nicaragua (from 10 January 1985)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Nicaragua had two autonomous regions: Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte (from 1987) and Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur (from 1987).
Niger – Republic of Niger Capital: Niamey	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Nigeria Capital: Lagos Second Nigerian Republic (to 31 December 1983) Military dictatorship (from 31 December 1983)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Nigeria was a federation of 21 states and one federal territory.
Niue Capital: Alofi	A state in free association with New Zealand. Niue is a member of multiple UN agencies with full treaty making capacity. It had shared citizenship with New Zealand.
Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (from 15 November 1983) Capital: Lefkoşa	Partially recognized de facto independent state. Claimed by the Republic of Cyprus.
Norway – Kingdom of Norway Capital: Oslo	Widely-recognized UN member state. Norway had two integral overseas areas: Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The latter of area had a special status due to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Norway had sovereignty over the following dependencies: Bouvet Island Peter I Island (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) Queen Maud Land (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty)
O
Oman – Sultanate of Oman Capital: Muscat	Widely-recognized UN member state.
P
Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan Capital: Islamabad	Widely-recognized UN member state. Pakistan was a federation of four provinces and four territories; it administered part of the disputed region of Kashmir as the territories of Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas.
Palestine – State of Palestine (from 15 November 1988) (non-sovereign, non-UN member nation) Capital: Ramallah (administrative), Gaza City (administrative), Jerusalem (claimed)	Disputed region consisting of two occupied territories: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The declared State of Palestine, which claimed independence for all the Palestinian territories from 15 November 1988, was recognized by a large number of countries. In foreign relations, Palestine was represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was a permanent observer at the United Nations.
Panama – Republic of Panama Capital: Panama City	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea Capital: Port Moresby	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
→ Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay Capital: Asunción	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Peru Capital: Lima Peruvian Republic (to 28 July 1980) Republic of Peru (from 28 July 1980)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ → Philippines Capital: Manila Philippines under martial law (to 30 June 1981) Fourth Republic of the Philippines (from 30 June 1981 to 25 February 1986) Provisional Government of the Philippines (from 25 February 1986 to 2 February 1987) Fifth Republic of the Philippines (from 2 February 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state. The Philippines had one autonomous region: Muslim Mindanao (from 1 August 1989). The Philippines administered Scarborough Shoal, which was disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. It also claimed sovereignty over the Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia) and the Malaysian territory of Sabah.
→ Poland Capital: Warsaw Polish People's Republic (to 29 December 1989) Republic of Poland (from 29 December 1989)	Widely-recognized UN member state. Poland's government was still in exile.
Portugal – Portuguese Republic Capital: Lisbon	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member (from 1 January 1986). Portugal had two autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira. Portugal had one Chinese territory which it administered as a dependency: Macau Portugal claimed sovereignty over the former colony of Portuguese Timor, which had been annexed by Indonesia. It also claimed the Spanish municipalities of Olivenza and Táliga.
Q
Qatar – State of Qatar Capital: Doha	Widely-recognized UN member state.
R
→ Romania Capital: Bucharest Socialist Republic of Romania (to 28 December 1989) Romania (from 28 December 1989)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Rwanda – Rwandese Republic Capital: Kigali	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Rwenzururu – Kingdom of Rwenzururu (to 15 August 1982) Capital: Kasese	De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by Uganda.
S
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Capital: Bir Lehlou (official), Rabouni (seat of government-in-exile), El Aaiún (claimed)	Partially recognized de facto independent state. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claimed the disputed territory of Western Sahara, most of which was under control of Morocco. The territories under its control, the so-called Free Zone, were claimed by Morocco. Its government resided in exile in Tindouf, Algeria.
→ Saint Kitts and Nevis Capital: Basseterre Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (to 19 December 1980) Saint Christopher and Nevis (from 19 December 1980 to 18 September 1983) Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (from 19 September 1983)	Associated state of the United Kingdom (to 18 September 1983); widely-recognized independent state (from 19 September 1983). UN member state (from 23 September 1983); Commonwealth realm. Saint Kitts and Nevis was a federation of fourteen parishes within two islands. Nevis (which was one of the islands) had autonomy.
Saint Lucia Capital: Castries	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
→ → Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Capital: Kingstown	Widely-recognized independent state. UN member state (from 16 September 1980); Commonwealth realm.
San Marino – Republic of San Marino Capital: San Marino	Widely-recognized independent state.
São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe Capital: São Tomé	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Senegal – Republic of Senegal Capital: Dakar	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles Capital: Victoria	Widely-recognized UN member state; the Seychelles claimed the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French territories of Tromelin Island and the Glorioso Islands.
Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone Capital: Freetown	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Singapore – Republic of Singapore Capital: Singapore	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Solomon Islands Capital: Honiara	Widely-recognized UN member state; Commonwealth realm.
Somalia – Somali Democratic Republic Capital: Mogadishu	Widely-recognized UN member state.
→ South Africa – Republic of South Africa Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)	Widely-recognized UN member state. South Africa had seven autonomous bantustans: Ciskei (to 4 December 1981), Gazankulu, KaNgwane (from 31 August 1984), KwaNdebele (from 1 April 1981), KwaZulu, Lebowa, and QwaQwa. There were also four bantustans which were nominally independent: Bophuthatswana, Ciskei (from 4 December 1981), Transkei, and Venda. South Africa administered one League of Nations mandate: South-West Africa
Soviet Union – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Capital: Moscow	Widely-recognized UN member state. The Soviet Union was a federation of 15 republics, two of which (Byelorussia and Ukraine) were UN members in their own right.
→ Spain Capital: Madrid Transitional Spanish Kingdom (to October 28, 1982) Kingdom of Spain (from October 28, 1982)	Widely-recognized UN member state; EEC member (from 1 January 1986). Spain consisted of seventeen autonomous communities. Its sovereignty over Ceuta, Isla de Alborán, Isla Perejil, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla and Peñón de Alhucemas was disputed by Morocco. Its sovereignty over Olivenza and Táliga was disputed by Portugal. It claimed the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.
Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Sudan Capital: Khartoum Democratic Republic of the Sudan (to 10 October 1985) Republic of the Sudan (from 10 October 1985)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Suriname – Republic of Suriname Capital: Paramaribo	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland Capital: Mbabane (administrative), Lobamba (royal and legislative)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden Capital: Stockholm	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Switzerland – Swiss Confederation Capital: Bern	Widely-recognized independent state; permanent observer at the UN. Switzerland was a federation of 26 cantons.
→ Syria – Syrian Arab Republic Capital: Damascus	Widely-recognized UN member state. Syria included the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Israel. It disputed the Turkish sovereignty over Hatay Province.
T
Tafea – Nation of Tafea (15 February 1980 to 26 May 1980) Capital: Isangel	De facto independent state. Claimed by the Anglo-French New Hebrides Condominium.
Tamil Eelam (from 23 July 1983) Capital: Trincomalee	Unrecognized de facto self-governing entity. Claimed by Sri Lanka.
Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania Capital: Dar es Salaam	Widely-recognized UN member state. Tanzania had one autonomous region: Zanzibar.
Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand Capital: Bangkok	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Togo – Togolese Republic Capital: Lomé	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga Capital: Nukuʻalofa	Widely-recognized independent state.
Transkei – Republic of Transkei Capital: Umtata	Nominally independent South African bantustan.
Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Capital: Port of Spain	Widely-recognized UN member state. Trinidad and Tobago had one autonomous island: Tobago (from 23 September 1980).
Tunisia – Tunisian Republic Capital: Tunis	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Turkey – Republic of Turkey Capital: Ankara	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Tuvalu Capital: Funafuti	Widely-recognized independent state; Commonwealth realm.
U
Uganda Capital: Kampala Third Republic of Uganda (to 26 January 1986) Fourth Republic of Uganda (from 26 January 1986)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
United Arab Emirates Capital: Abu Dhabi	Widely-recognized UN member state; the United Arab Emirates was a federation of seven emirates.
United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Capital: London	Widely-recognized UN member state. EEC member. The United Kingdom was composed of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom had responsibilities for the following self-governing free associated states: Antigua (to 31 October 1981), with two dependencies Barbuda Redonda Saint Christopher and Nevis (from 19 December 1980 to 18 September 1983) Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (to 19 December 1980) The United Kingdom administered the foreign affairs of the following protected states: Brunei (to 31 December 1983) New Hebrides (to 29 July 1980, jointly with France) It also had sovereignty over the following crown colonies (dependent territories after 1 January 1983): Anguilla (from 19 December 1980) Belize (to 20 September 1981) Bermuda British Antarctic Territory (suspended under the Antarctic Treaty) British Indian Ocean Territory (disputed by Mauritius and the Seychelles) British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands (disputed by Argentina), with one dependency Falkland Islands Dependencies (to 3 October 1985) → Gibraltar Hong Kong Montserrat Pitcairn Islands → Saint Helena, with two dependencies Ascension Island Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (from 3 October 1985, disputed by Argentina) Southern Rhodesia (to 17 April 1980) Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Turks and Caicos Islands In addition, the British Monarch had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies: → Guernsey, with three dependencies: Alderney Sark Herm Isle of Man → Jersey
United States – United States of America Capital: Washington, D.C.	Widely-recognized UN member state; the United States was a federation of 50 states, one federal district, and one incorporated territory. It asserted sovereignty over the following inhabited insular areas: American Samoa (including Swains Island, disputed by Tokelau) Guam → Northern Mariana Islands (from 4 November 1986) Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands In addition, the United States administered one United Nations Trust Territory: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, consisting of four territories: Marshall Islands (to 20 October 1986) Federated States of Micronesia (to 2 November 1986) Northern Mariana Islands (to 3 November 1986) Palau (from 1 January 1981) The United States ceded Roncador Bank and Serrana Bank to Colombia and abandoned its claim to Quita Sueño Bank on 17 September 1981, but it did not explicitly renounce its claims to Serranilla Bank or Bajo Nuevo Bank. According to some government sources, these islands are still considered to be unincorporated territories of the United States.
→ Upper Volta / Burkina Faso Capital: Ouagadougou Republic of Upper Volta (to 4 August 1984) Burkina Faso (from 4 August 1984 to 15 October 1987) Burkina Faso (from 15 October 1987)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Uruguay Capital: Montevideo Civic-military dictatorship (to 1 March 1985) Eastern Republic of Uruguay (from 1 March 1985)	Widely-recognized UN member state.
V
Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu (from 30 July 1980) Capital: Port Vila	Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state (from 15 September 1981).
Vatican City – Vatican City State Capital: Vatican City	Widely-recognized independent state. Vatican City was administered by the Holy See, a sovereign entity recognized by a large number of countries and a Permanent observer at the United Nations. The Holy See also administered a number of extraterritorial properties in Italy. The Pope was the ex officio head of state of Vatican City.
Vemerana – Republic of Vemerana (from 27 May 1980 to 24 July 1980) Capital: Luganville	De facto independent state. Not recognized by any other state. Claimed by the Anglo-French New Hebrides Condominium.
Venda – Republic of Venda Capital: Thohoyandou	Nominally independent South African bantustan.
Venezuela – Republic of Venezuela Capital: Caracas	Widely-recognized UN member state. Venezuela was a federation of 20 states, two territories, one federal dependency, and one federal district.
Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam Capital: Hanoi	Widely-recognized UN member state. Vietnam claimed sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China) and Spratly Islands (disputed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, Brunei, the Philippines, and Malaysia).
W
Western Samoa – Independent State of Western Samoa Capital: Apia	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Y
Yemen, North – Yemen Arab Republic Capital: Sana'a	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Yemen, South – People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Capital: Aden	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Yugoslavia – Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Capital: Belgrade	Widely-recognized UN member state; Yugoslavia was a federation of six republics.
Z
Zaire – Republic of Zaire Capital: Kinshasa	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Zambia – Republic of Zambia Capital: Lusaka	Widely-recognized UN member state.
Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe (from 18 April 1980) Capital: Salisbury (renamed Harare in 1982)	Widely-recognized independent state; UN member state (from 25 August 1980).

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. These claims, which were regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, were neither recognised nor disputed by any other signatory state.
• 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. The order's Constitution stated: "The Order is a subject of international law and exercises sovereign functions." 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

• List of sovereign states
• List of sovereign states by year
• List of state leaders in 1980
• List of state leaders in 1981
• List of state leaders in 1982
• List of state leaders in 1983
• List of state leaders in 1984
• List of state leaders in 1985
• List of state leaders in 1986
• List of state leaders in 1987
• List of state leaders in 1988
• List of state leaders in 1989