United Nations member states

UN members by date of admission

Founding members (1945)

1946-1959

1960-1989

1990 until today

Non-members, states with observer status

193 states belong to the United Nations .

Accession process

→ Main article : Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations

The accession procedure is regulated in Article 4 of Chapter II of the Charter of the United Nations . The applicant must be recommended by the Security Council . The General Assembly can then adopt it by resolution.

List of current and former member states

The following table shows all member states with their accession date:

Founding members

Founding members (states that no longer exist or similar)

Former members (states that no longer exist or similar)

flag	country	Security Council resolution	Date of joining	comment
	Afghanistan	Resolution 8	November 19, 1946
	Egypt		October 24, 1945	Egypt was a founding member of the United Nations. On February 21, 1958, the country merged with Syria to form the United Arab Republic (UAR), which continued to belong to the UN as a single state. After Syria left the UAR on October 13, 1961, both states became individual members of the UN again, and the UAR was renamed the Arab Republic of Egypt on September 2, 1971.
	Albania	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Algeria	Resolution 176 (October 4, 1962)	October 8, 1962
	Andorra	Resolution 848 (July 8, 1993)	July 28, 1993
	Angola	Resolution 397 (November 22, 1976)	1st December 1976
	Antigua and Barbuda	Resolution 492 (November 10, 1981)	November 11, 1981
	Equatorial Guinea	Resolution 260 (November 6, 1968)	November 12, 1968
	Argentina		October 24, 1945
	Armenia	Resolution 735 (January 29, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Azerbaijan	Resolution 742 (February 14, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Ethiopia		November 13, 1945
	Australia		November 1, 1945
	Bahamas	Resolution 336 (July 18, 1973)	18th September 1973
	Bahrain	Resolution 296 (August 18, 1971)	September 21, 1971
	Bangladesh	Resolution 351 (June 10, 1974)	17th September 1974
	Barbados	Resolution 230 (December 7, 1966)	December 9, 1966
	Belgium		December 27, 1945
	Belize	Resolution 491	September 25, 1981
	Benin	Resolution 147	20th September 1960	until November 30, 1975 as Dahomey
	Bhutan	Resolution 292 (February 10, 1971)	September 21, 1971
	Bolivia		November 14, 1945
	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Resolution 755 (May 20, 1992)	May 22, 1992	The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina became a new member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992 after the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , one of the founding members, collapsed.
	Botswana	Resolution 224 (October 14, 1966)	17th October 1966
	Brazil		October 24, 1945
	Brunei	Resolution 548 (February 24, 1984)	September 21, 1984
	Bulgaria	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Burkina Faso	Resolution 149	20th September 1960	until August 4, 1984 as Upper Volta
	Burundi	Resolution 173 (July 26, 1962)	September 18, 1962
	Chile		October 24, 1945
	China, Republic		October 24, 1945	The Republic of China was a founding member of the United Nations and was the official seat of China. The Republic of China on Taiwan lost its importance after more and more states recognized the People's Republic of China . On October 21, 1971, both the seat in the General Assembly and in the Security Council were transferred to the People's Republic ( UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 ). Since then, the United Nations has only viewed the Republic of China as a stabilized de facto regime .
	China, People's Republic		October 21, 1971	On October 21, 1971, the seats of China in the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations were transferred from the founding member Republic of China to the People's Republic of China ( Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly ) after more and more states had recognized the People's Republic.
	Costa Rica		November 2, 1945
	Denmark		October 24, 1945
	German Democratic Republic	Resolution 335 (June 22, 1973)	18th September 1973	The German Democratic Republic became a member of the United Nations on September 18, 1973. When it joined the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990, the GDR ceased to exist as a state and subject to international law .
	Germany, Federal Republic	Resolution 335 (June 22, 1973)	18th September 1973	The Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR became two independent members of the United Nations on September 18, 1973. With the entry into force of the GDR on October 3, 1990, which left the statehood of the Federal Republic unaffected by law, the states of the GDR were transformed into states of the Federal Republic of Germany ; this became (with all of Berlin ) fully sovereign and now forms the united Germany . See also : Germany in the United Nations
	Dominica	Resolution 442 (December 6, 1978)	December 18, 1978
	Dominican Republic		October 24, 1945
	Djibouti	Resolution 412 (July 7, 1977)	20th September 1977
	Ecuador		December 21, 1945
	Ivory Coast	Resolution 150	20th September 1960	Official name: Côte d'Ivoire
	El Salvador		October 24, 1945
	Eritrea	Resolution 828	May 28, 1993
	Estonia	Resolution 709 (September 12, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Eswatini	Resolution 257 (September 11, 1968)	September 24, 1968	Following a communication from the Permanent Mission to the Protocol and Liaison Service on May 30, 2018, the name of the country was changed from the previous name, Kingdom of Swaziland (short form: Swaziland), to Kingdom of Eswatini (short form: Eswatini). Effective Date: April 19, 2018.
	Fiji	Resolution 287 (October 10, 1970)	October 13, 1970
	Finland	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	France		October 24, 1945
	Gabon	Resolution 153	20th September 1960
	Gambia	Resolution 200	September 21, 1965
	Georgia	Resolution 763 (July 6, 1992)	July 31, 1992
	Ghana	Resolution 124	March 8, 1957
	Grenada	Resolution 351 (June 21, 1974)	17th September 1974
	Greece		October 25, 1945
	Guatemala		November 21, 1945
	Guinea	Resolution 131 (December 9, 1958)	December 12, 1958
	Guinea-Bissau	Resolution 356 (August 12, 1974)	17th September 1974
	Guyana	Resolution 223 (June 21, 1966)	20th September 1966
	Haiti		October 24, 1945
	Honduras		December 17, 1945
	India		October 30, 1945	until August 15, 1947 under British rule
	Indonesia	Resolution 86 (September 26, 1950)	September 28, 1950	Indonesia left the United Nations on January 20, 1965, but declared on September 19, 1966 that it wanted to resume cooperation. After the invitation of the General Assembly on September 28, 1966, the representatives of Indonesia resumed their seats.
	Iraq		December 21, 1945
	Iran		October 24, 1945
	Ireland	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Iceland	Resolution 8	November 19, 1946
	Israel	Resolution 69 (March 4, 1949)	May 11, 1949
	Italy	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Jamaica	Resolution 174 (September 12, 1962)	September 18, 1962
	Japan	Resolution 121 (December 12, 1956)	18th December 1956
	Yemen, South	Resolution 243	December 14, 1967	The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) had been a member of the United Nations since December 14, 1967. By letter of May 19, 1990, North and South Yemen announced their decision to "unite into a common state called the ' Republic of Yemen '". The union took place on May 22, 1990.
	Yemen, Northern		September 30, 1947	The Kingdom of Yemen (from 1962 Yemeni Arab Republic) (Northern Yemen) had been a member of the United Nations since September 30, 1947. By letter of May 19, 1990, North and South Yemen announced their decision to "unite into a common state called the ' Republic of Yemen '". The union took place on May 22, 1990.
	Yemen		September 30, 1947 (May 22, 1990)	North Yemen had been a member of the United Nations since September 30, 1947, and South Yemen since December 14, 1967. By letter dated May 19, 1990, the two states announced their decision to "unite to form a common state called the 'Republic of Yemen'". The unification took place on May 22, 1990. The UN uses the date of accession of North Yemen as the accession date of the United States.
	Jordan	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Yugoslavia		October 24, 1945	The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was one of the founding members of the United Nations, which signed the Charter on June 26, 1945 and ratified it on October 19, 1945. From 1991, the SFR Yugoslavia collapsed until it ceased to exist on April 27, 1992, and the states Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia , Slovenia , the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were re-established . The former republics were gradually accepted as independent states as independent members of the United Nations. Most of them already in 1992, Macedonia only in 1993 due to a name dispute . Due to Resolution 777 of the UN Security Council, Serbia-Montenegro was not allowed to automatically continue membership of the SFRY and was only accepted in 2000. In 2006, Montenegro split off and became an independent member.
	Cambodia	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Cameroon	Resolution 133	20th September 1960
	Canada		November 9, 1945
	Cape Verde	Resolution 372 (August 18, 1975)	16th September 1975	The Republic of Cape Verde has changed its official name to the Republic of Cabo Verde. The request was presented to the Secretary General on October 24, 2013 by the Permanent Representative of the country.
	Kazakhstan	Resolution 732 (January 23, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Qatar	Resolution 297 (September 15)	September 21, 1971
	Kenya	Resolution 185 (December 16, 1963)	December 16, 1963
	Kyrgyzstan	Resolution 736 (January 29, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Kiribati	Resolution 1248 (June 25, 1999)	September 14, 1999
	Colombia		November 5, 1945
	Comoros	Resolution 376 (October 17, 1975)	November 12, 1975
	Congo, Republic	Resolution 152	20th September 1960
	Congo, Democratic Republic	Resolution 142	20th September 1960	from October 27, 1971 to May 17, 1997 as Zaire
	Korea, North		17th September 1991
	Korea, South	Resolution 702 (August 8, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Croatia	Resolution 753 (May 18, 1992)	May 22, 1992	The Republic of Croatia was admitted to the United Nations as a new member on May 22, 1992 after the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , one of the founding members, collapsed.
	Cuba		October 24, 1945
	Kuwait		May 14, 1963
	Laos	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Lesotho	Resolution 225 (October 14, 1966)	17th October 1966
	Latvia	Resolution 710 (September 12, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Lebanon		October 24, 1945
	Liberia		November 2, 1945
	Libya	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Liechtenstein	Resolution 663 (August 14, 1990)	September 18, 1990
	Lithuania	Resolution 711 (September 12, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Luxembourg		October 24, 1945
	Madagascar	Resolution 140	20th September 1960
	Malawi	Resolution 195 (October 9, 1964)	December 1, 1964
	Malaysia	Resolution 125 (September 5, 1957)	17th September 1957	On September 17, 1957, the Malay Federation became a member of the United Nations. Following the admission of Singapore , Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak to the federal government, it was renamed on September 16, 1963 and has been called Malaysia since then. Singapore gained independence on August 9, 1965 and joined the United Nations on September 21, 1965.
	Maldives	Resolution 212 (September 20, 1965)	September 21, 1965
	Mali	Resolution 159	September 28, 1960
	Malta	Resolution 196 (October 30, 1964)	December 1, 1964
	Morocco	Resolution 115 (June 20, 1956)	November 12, 1956
	Marshall Islands	Resolution 704 (August 9, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Mauritania	Resolution 167 (October 25, 1961)	October 27, 1961	A first application for admission had been prevented in November 1960 by the Arab Member States which Morocco claims to Mauritania had supported
	Mauritius	Resolution 249 (April 18, 1968)	April 24, 1968
	Mexico		November 7, 1945
	Micronesia	Resolution 703 (August 9, 1991)	17th September 1991
	Moldova	Resolution 739 (February 5, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Monaco	Resolution 829	May 28, 1993
	Mongolia	Resolution 166 (October 25, 1961)	October 27, 1961
	Montenegro	Resolution 1691	June 28, 2006	The Republic of Montenegro became a new member of the United Nations on June 28, 2006. Previously, Montenegro was a member of the UN as part of various predecessor states: until its disintegration in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , from November 1, 2000 until the renaming on February 4, 2003 in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and from the renaming in Serbia and Montenegro . On June 3, 2006, Montenegro finally declared its independence.
	Mozambique	Resolution 374 (August 18, 1975)	16th September 1975
	Myanmar	Resolution 45 (April 10, 1948)	April 19, 1948	until June 18, 1989 as Burma
	Namibia	Resolution 652 (April 17, 1990)	April 23, 1990
	Nauru	Resolution 1249 (June 25, 1999)	September 14, 1999
	Nepal	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	New Zealand		October 24, 1945
	Nicaragua		October 24, 1945
	Netherlands		December 10, 1945
	Niger	Resolution 148	20th September 1960
	Nigeria	Resolution 160	October 7, 1960
	North Macedonia	Resolution 817 (April 7, 1993)	April 8, 1993	Macedonia became independent after the disintegration of the founding member Yugoslavia and applied for membership in the General Assembly. Due to disagreements with Greece over the name of the state, the General Assembly decided on April 8, 1993 to admit the state with the provisional designation "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". This provisional name was used in the United Nations until the name dispute was settled.
	Norway		November 27, 1945
	Oman	Resolution 299 (September 30)	7th October 1971
	Austria	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955	See also : Austria in the United Nations
	East Timor	Resolution 1414	September 27, 2002
	Pakistan		September 30, 1947
	Palau	Resolution 963 (November 29, 1994)	December 15, 1994
	Panama		November 13, 1945
	Papua New Guinea	Resolution 375 (September 22, 1975)	October 10, 1975
	Paraguay		October 24, 1945
	Peru		October 31, 1945
	Philippines		October 24, 1945	until July 4, 1946 under US rule
	Poland		October 24, 1945
	Portugal	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Rwanda	Resolution 172 (July 26, 1962)	September 18, 1962
	Romania	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Russia		December 24, 1991	The Soviet Union was a founding member of the United Nations on October 24, 1945. In a letter dated December 24, 1991, Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation, informed the Secretary General that the membership of the Soviet Union in the Security Council and all other organs of the United Nations, with the support of the 11 member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, would be maintained by the Russian Federation .
	Solomon Islands	Resolution 433 (August 17, 1978)	September 19, 1978
	Zambia	Resolution 197 (October 30, 1964)	December 1, 1964
	Samoa	Resolution 399 (December 1, 1976)	15th December 1976
	San Marino	Resolution 744 (February 25, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Zanzibar	Resolution 184 (December 16, 1963)	December 16, 1963	Zanzibar joined the United Nations on December 16, 1963. On April 26, 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar and continued membership of the United Nations as one state. The republic was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania on November 1, 1964 .
	Sao Tome and Principe	Resolution 373 (August 18, 1975)	16th September 1975
	Saudi Arabia		October 24, 1945
	Sweden	Resolution 8	November 19, 1946
	Switzerland	Resolution 1426 (July 24, 2002)	September 10, 2002	Switzerland is the only country that has acceded to the United Nations through a referendum , the " Federal People's Initiative 'for Switzerland to join the United Nations Organization (UN)' ". Switzerland has had observer status since 1948. See also : Switzerland in the United Nations
	Senegal	Resolution 158	September 28, 1960
	Serbia	Resolution 1326 (October 31, 2000)	November 1, 2000	In the course of the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , the "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" was re-established on April 27, 1992. The legal succession she claimed for the former Yugoslavia was rejected by the UN in Resolution 777 of the UN Security Council . The new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was instead asked for a new application like the other states of former Yugoslavia. On February 4, 2003 the state renamed itself “Serbia and Montenegro”. This was admitted to the UN on November 1, 2000. On June 3, 2006, Montenegro declared itself independent after a referendum. The legal successor of Serbia and Montenegro is the Republic of Serbia, which thus also retained the associated UN membership.
	Seychelles	Resolution 394 (August 16, 1976)	September 21, 1976
	Sierra Leone	Resolution 165 (September 26, 1961)	September 27, 1961
	Zimbabwe	Resolution 477 (July 30, 1980)	August 25, 1980
	Singapore	Resolution 213 (September 20, 1965)	September 21, 1965
	Slovakia	Resolution 800	January 19, 1993	The Czechoslovakia was a founding member of the United Nations. After the country was divided on December 31, 1992, the Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent members.
	Slovenia	Resolution 754 (May 18, 1992)	May 22, 1992	The Republic of Slovenia became a new member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992 after the founding member, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , collapsed.
	Somalia	Resolution 141	20th September 1960
	Soviet Union		October 24, 1945	The Soviet Union was a founding member of the United Nations on October 24, 1945. The rights and obligations under international law and thus the seat on the Security Council and all other organs of the United Nations, with the support of the 11 member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, were taken over by the Russian Federation (as the "continuation state").
	Spain	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Sri Lanka	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955	until May 22, 1972 as Ceylon
	St. Kitts and Nevis	Resolution 537 (September 22, 1983)	September 23, 1983
	St. Lucia	Resolution 453 (September 12, 1979)	18th September 1979
	St. Vincent and the Grenadines	Resolution 464 (February 19, 1980)	September 16, 1980
	South Africa		November 7, 1945
	Sudan	Resolution 112 (February 6, 1956)	November 12, 1956
	South Sudan	Resolution 1999	July 14, 2011
	Suriname	Resolution 382 (December 1, 1975)	4th December 1975
	Syria		October 24, 1945	Syria was a founding member of the United Nations. On February 21, 1958, the country merged with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic (UAR), which continued to belong to the UN as a single state. After Syria left the VAR on October 13, 1961, both states became individual members of the UN again.
	Tajikistan	Resolution 738 (January 29, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Tanganyika	Resolution 170 (December 14, 1961)	December 14, 1961	Tanganyika joined the United Nations on December 14, 1961. On April 26, 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar and continued membership of the United Nations as one state. The republic was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania on November 1, 1964 .
	Tanzania		April 26, 1964	On April 26, 1964 Tanganyika (member since December 14, 1961) and Zanzibar (member since December 16, 1963) merged to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar and continued the membership of the individual states as one state. The republic was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania on November 1, 1964.
	Thailand	Resolution 13	December 16, 1946	until May 11, 1949 as Siam
	Togo	Resolution 136	20th September 1960
	Tonga	Resolution 1253	September 14, 1999
	Trinidad and Tobago	Resolution 175 (September 12, 1962)	September 18, 1962
	Chad	Resolution 151	20th September 1960
	Czech Republic	Resolution 801 (January 8, 1993)	January 19, 1993	The Czechoslovakia was a founding member of the United Nations. After the country was divided on December 31, 1992, the Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent members.
	Czechoslovakia		October 24, 1945	Czechoslovakia was a founding member of the United Nations. After the country was divided on December 31, 1992, the Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent members.
	Tunisia	Resolution 116 (June 26, 1956)	November 12, 1956
	Turkey		October 24, 1945	Turkey is the only country that has been invited by the UN.
	Turkmenistan	Resolution 741 (February 7, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Tuvalu	Resolution 1290 (February 17, 2000)	September 5, 2000
	Uganda	Resolution 177 (October 15, 1962)	October 25, 1962
	Ukraine		October 24, 1945	The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was a part of the Soviet Union in 1945 . This made the Soviet Union, along with Ukraine and Belarus, the only country to have effectively three seats at the United Nations. Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991.
	Hungary	Resolution 109 (December 14, 1955)	December 14, 1955
	Uruguay		December 18, 1945
	Uzbekistan	Resolution 737 (January 29, 1992)	March 2, 1992
	Vanuatu	Resolution 489 (July 8, 1981)	September 15, 1981
	Venezuela		November 15, 1945
	United Arab Emirates	Resolution 304 (December 8, 1971)	December 9, 1971
	United Arab Republic		February 21, 1958	Egypt and Syria were founding members of the United Nations on October 24, 1945. In a referendum on February 21, 1958, Egypt and Syria merged and founded the United Arab Republic , which continued membership as a single state. After Syria became an independent state again on October 13, 1961, it also resumed its membership in the United Nations. The United Arab Republic was renamed the Arab Republic of Egypt on September 2, 1971.
	United States		October 24, 1945
	United Kingdom		October 24, 1945
	Vietnam	Resolution 413 (July 20, 1977)	20th September 1977
	Belarus (Belarus)		October 24, 1945	The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was part of the Soviet Union in 1945 . This made the Soviet Union, along with Ukraine and Belarus, the only country to have effectively three seats at the United Nations. On August 25, 1991 Belarus declared its independence from the Soviet Union. The official name of the member state Byelorussia was changed to Belarus on September 19, 1991.
	Central African Republic	Resolution 154	20th September 1960
	Republic of Cyprus	Resolution 155	20th September 1960

Observer states

The Holy See and the State of Palestine have permanent observer status to the General Assembly of the United Nations . With the exception of voting rights, you have the rights of a member state.

See also

UN press release of July 3, 2006

• European Union at the United Nations
• Regional groups of the UN
• Chapter II of the Charter of the United Nations
• List of states in the world
• List of areas not recognized as independent states by the United Nations
• List of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in New York
• Organization of the unrepresented nations and peoples
• Directory of the member countries of the Universal Postal Union

Web links

• The 194 member states in alphabetical order (with date of accession)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} infopoint: UN member states. March 2, 2020, accessed on August 26, 2020 (German). 
2. ↑ Permanent Observers: Non-member States , accessed September 28, 2015.