This is a list of sovereign states in the 2010s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. It contains 212 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 195 widely recognized sovereign states, 2 associated states, and 15 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto constituents of other powers by the general international community.
The People's Republic of China claimed Taiwan, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands, Pratas Island and the Vereker Banks, and Itu Aba, 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.
France also claimed Banc du Geyser (disputed by Madagascar and Comoros).
Capital: Tripoli (disputed, from 29 August 2011 to 23 October 2011), Sirte (disputed, from 29 August 2011 to 23 October 2011)
It also had sovereignty over one non-autonomous region (consisting of three special municipalities that are part of the Netherlands):
The Kingdom of the Netherlands, excluding Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, was a member of the EU.
It also had sovereignty over two dependent territories:
The government of Tokelau claimed Swains Island, part of American Samoa (a U.S. dependence). New Zealand did not recognize this claim.
There were also areas of the country which at various times had no effective government at all or that were ruled by local clans. In addition, there was one state that declared and established de facto independence from Somalia, Somaliland.
In addition, the British Monarch (not the United Kingdom) had direct sovereignty over three self-governing Crown dependencies:
It also had sovereignty over eight uninhabited unincorporated territories: These islands were sometimes designated for statistical purposes as the United States Minor Outlying Islands
The United States claimed Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank. Its claim to Serranilla was disputed by Colombia and Nicaragua and its claim to Bajo Nuevo was disputed by Colombia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Some government sources stated that these two areas were unincorporated territories of the United States.
Debellation by Ansar Dine and MUJAO completed on 12 July 2012.[8]
Bangsamoro Republik dissolved after the Zamboanga City crisis ended in Philippine government victory on 28 September 2013.[9][10]
Excluded from the list above are the following noteworthy entities which either were not fully sovereign or did not claim to be independent:
Note: The territories of the Crimean peninsula, comprising Sevastopol City and the Republic of Crimea, remained internationally recognized as constituting part of Ukraine, following their annexation by Russia in March 2014.
Australia, New Zealand, France, Norway and the United Kingdom reciprocally recognize the validity of each other's claims.