List of sovereign states and dependent territories by continent

This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories of the world by continent, displayed with their respective national flags, including the following entities:

• By association within the UN system:
  • The 193 United Nations member states (UN).
  • Vatican City (administered by the Holy See, a UN observer state), which has diplomatic relations with 183 countries as of 7 January 2019.
  • Palestine (a UN observer state), which has diplomatic relations with 145 countries as of 21 June 2024.
• By Other States
  • Generally this contains states with limited recognition and associated states not members of the United Nations
  • Partially recognised de facto sovereign states without UN membership, such as the Republic of Kosovo and Taiwan (Republic of China)
  • De facto sovereign states lacking general international recognition
  • Cook Islands and Niue, two associated states of New Zealand without UN membership
• By Dependent Territories of other UN member states:
  • Generally this contains non-sovereign territories that are recognized by the UN as part of some member state.
  • Dependent territories.
  • Special territories recognized by international treaty (such as the special administrative regions of China).
  • Other territories often regarded as separate geographical territories even though they are integral parts of their mother countries (such as the overseas departments of France).

This list divides the world using the seven-continent model, with islands grouped into adjacent continents. Variations on are noted below and discussed in the following articles: Continent, Boundaries between the continents of Earth, and List of transcontinental countries.

Africa

Main articles: Africa and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa

Further information: Geography of Africa

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in Africa with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see Africa: territories and regions.

Geologically, Africa is connected to Eurasia by the Isthmus of Suez and forms part of Afro-Eurasia.

• Transcontinental countries in Europe and Africa, classified as Southern European countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Italy (Pelagie Islands, Sicily, and Pantelleria), Malta, Portugal (Madeira and the Savage Islands), and Spain (Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, Alboran Island, and Spain's plazas de soberanía).
• Transcontinental country in Europe and Africa, classified as a Western European country by the United Nations Statistics Division: France (Mayotte, and Réunion).
• Transcontinental country in Asia and Africa, classified as a Western Asian country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Yemen (Socotra).

Asia

Main articles: Asia and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia

See also: Eurasia and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Eurasia

Further information: Geography of Asia

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see Asia: territories and regions.

Geologically, Asia is part of Eurasia and due to the Isthmus of Suez forms part of Afro-Eurasia.

• Transcontinental country in Africa and Asia, classified as a Northern African country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Egypt (Sinai).
• Transcontinental country in Europe and Asia, classified as an Eastern European country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Russia (North Asia).
• States mostly or entirely in West Asia, but commonly associated with Europe, and a member of the Council of Europe: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, and Turkey.
• States with limited recognition, entirely in West Asia, but commonly associated with Europe: Abkhazia, Artsakh, North Cyprus, and South Ossetia.
• Entirely in Southeast Asia, but commonly associated with Oceania, and lying east of the biogeographical Wallace Line: East Timor.
• Transcontinental country in Europe and Asia, classified as a Southern European country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Greece (Kastellorizo, Strongyli Megistis, and Ro).
• Transcontinental country in Asia and North America, classified as a Northern American country by the United Nations Statistics Division: United States (Little Diomede, Near Islands, St. Lawrence Island).

Europe

Main articles: Europe and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe

See also: Eurasia and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Eurasia

Further information: Geography of Europe

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see Europe: political geography.

Geologically, Europe is part of Eurasia and due to the Isthmus of Suez forms part of Afro-Eurasia.

• Transcontinental countries in Europe and Asia, classified as West Asian countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey (all but Kazakhstan are members of the Council of Europe).
• Entirely in West Asia, but commonly associated with Europe, and a member of the Council of Europe: Armenia and Cyprus.
• States with limited recognition, entirely in West Asia, but commonly associated with Europe: Abkhazia, Artsakh, North Cyprus, and South Ossetia.

North America

Main articles: North America and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in North America

See also: Americas and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in the Americas

Further information: Geography of North America

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in North America with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see North America: countries and territories.

Geologically, North America is joined with South America by the Isthmus of Panama to form the Americas.

• Transcontinental countries in North America or South America (depending on the boundary definition), classified as South American countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Colombia (San Andrés and Providencia) and Venezuela (Nueva Esparta, the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, and Isla Aves).
• Transcontinental countries in Europe and North America, classified as Western European countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius) and France (Guadeloupe and Martinique).
• States partially lying on the North American Plate, but commonly associated with Europe, and a member of the Council of Europe: Iceland, Portugal (Azores), and Russia (Commander Islands and Big Diomede).

Oceania

Main articles: Oceania and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Oceania

See also: Australia (continent) and Pacific Islands

Further information: Geography of Oceania

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in Oceania with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see Oceania: territories and regions.

• Transcontinental country in Asia and Oceania, classified as an Eastern Asian country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Japan (Bonin Islands).
• Transcontinental country in Asia and Oceania, classified as a Southeastern Asian country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Indonesia (Western New Guinea).
• Entirely in Southeast Asia, but commonly associated with Oceania, and lying east of the biogeographical Wallace Line: East Timor.
• Transcontinental country in North America and Oceania, classified as a Northern American country by the United Nations Statistics Division: United States (Hawaii).
• Transcontinental countries in Oceania and South America, classified as South American countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Chile (Desventuradas Islands, Easter Island, Isla Salas y Gómez, and Juan Fernández Islands) and Ecuador (Galapagos).

South America

Main articles: South America and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in South America

See also: Americas and List of sovereign states and dependent territories in the Americas

Further information: Geography of South America

For a table of sovereign states and dependent territories in South America with geographical data such as area, population, and population density, see South America: demographics.

Geologically, South America is joined with North America by the Isthmus of Panama to form the Americas.

• Transcontinental country in North America and South America, classified as a Central American country by the United Nations Statistics Division: Panama (South East Panama).
• Transcontinental island countries and dependencies in South America or North America (depending on the boundary definition), classified as Caribbean countries and dependencies by the United Nations Statistics Division: Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad and Tobago (Only Trinidad and Tobago is an independent state).
• Transcontinental countries in Europe and South America, classified as Western European countries by the United Nations Statistics Division: Netherlands (Bonaire) and France (French Guiana).

Antarctica

Main article: Antarctica

Further information: Geography of Antarctica

Antarctica is regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, which defines it as all land and ice shelves south of 60°S, and has no government and belongs to no country. However, the following territorial claims in Antarctica have been made:

• Argentina: Argentine Antarctica
• Australia: Australian Antarctic Territory
• Chile: Chilean Antarctic Territory
• France: Adélie Land (part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
• New Zealand: Ross Dependency
• Norway: Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land
• United Kingdom: British Antarctic Territory
• (Unclaimed: Marie Byrd Land)

The United States and Russia have reserved the right to claim territory on Antarctica.

Subantarctic islands

Unlike Antarctica itself, other nearby subantarctic island territories most commonly associated with the Antarctic continent, but lying north of 60°S, have had full sovereignty established over them by a governing state. The following dependent territories are situated within in the wider Antarctic Region, but are not directly part of the Antarctic Treaty System:

Flag	Name	Status	Region	Capital
	Bouvet Island	Dependent territory of Norway	Atlantic Ocean	—
	French Southern and Antarctic Lands	Overseas territory of France	Indian Ocean	Alfred Faure (Crozet Islands) Port-aux-Français (Kerguelen Islands) Martin-de-Viviès (Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands)
	Heard Island and McDonald Islands	External territory of Australia	Indian Ocean	—
	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	Overseas territory of the United Kingdom	Atlantic Ocean	King Edward Point

In addition to the dependent territories listed above, the following islands are governed as a direct part of a controlling state. Thus they are fully and legally integrated within the governance structure of the respective state. They are similarly also not part of the Antarctic Treaty System.

Administering Country	Name	Status	Region	Subdivisions
Australia	Macquarie Island	Part of Tasmania.	Oceania	—
New Zealand	New Zealand Subantarctic Islands	Governed directly, not within local municipal structure.	Oceania	The Antipodes Islands, the Auckland Islands, the Bounty Islands, the Campbell Islands, and the Snares Islands.
South Africa	Prince Edward Islands	Part of the City of Cape Town.	Africa	Prince Edward Island and Marion Island.

See also

• Boundaries between the continents of Earth
• Continental union
• Gallery of dependent territory flags
• Gallery of sovereign state flags
• List of sovereign states and dependent territories by continent (data file) — this data in a plain text format suitable for automated processing
• List of transcontinental countries

External links

• UN List of Territories
• CIA – The World Factbook
• U.S. Department of State: Background notes
• European Commission: List of countries, territories and currencies
• Administrative Divisions of Countries ("Statoids")
• World Gazetteer at archive.today (archived 2012-12-04)