Annex to the list of countries

In this Annex to the List of countries an outline is given on the entities not included in that list.

Entities not included

• Confederations and international / intergovernmental organizations which are associations of countries, such as The Commonwealth, European Union and Commonwealth of Independent States.

• Sovereign entities without territorial possessions, all permanent observers of the United Nations:
  • Holy See, a unique sovereign entity under international law vis-à-vis Vatican City with the Pope as the head of both, maintaining diplomatic/official relations with over 170 states/entities and participating in various international organizations either in its own capacity or on behalf of Vatican City.
  • Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), a sovereign entity under international law that maintains diplomatic/official relations with over 100 states/entities and particpating in various international organizations.
  • International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an independent non-state entity under international law which maintains delegations worldwide, founding body of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and guardian of international humanitarian law in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

• Mount Athos (Regime of Aghion Oros or Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain), a monastic republic in Greece politically self-governed by the international Holy Community of the Orthodox Church residing there and spiritually under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch in accordance with the constitution of Greece.

• Entities considered integral part of other countries:
  • Component states of federations, such as states of Australia, provinces of Canada, Bundesländer of Germany, estados of México, and states of the United States.
  • Constituent countries of the United Kingdom, i.e. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Autonomous areas legally part of sovereign states, such as Catalonia (Spain) and Tibet (People's Republic of China); but excluding Åland, which is recognized by international treaties.
  • Special Administrative Regions established within countries, like Aceh (Indonesia), excluding Hong Kong and Macau which are recognized by international treaties.
  • Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in sovereign states with economic laws different from the rest of the states, such as Shenzhen SEZ of the People's Republic of China.
  • Areas leased by countries like Russian part of Saimaa Canal and Malyj Vysotskij Island (leased by Finland from Russia).
  • Enclaves / Exclaves that belong to one country but are not connected to it by land (islands are not included) and are surrounded by other countries, like Alaska (United States) and Kaliningrad (Russia).
  • Overseas regions of countries legally integrated into the country, like:
    • France: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion (overseas departments).
    • Portugal: Azores and Madeira Islands (autonomous regions).
    • Spain: Canary Islands (autonomous community) and the Plazas de soberanía (including the autonomous cities Ceuta and Melilla).
    • United States: Hawaii (state).
  • Other subnational entities of countries.

• Dependent territories without indigenous inhabitation:
  • Australia: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands and Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
  • France: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Southern Territories (excluding the French claim of Adélie Land in Antarctica), Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island.
  • Norway: Bouvet Island and Jan Mayen.
  • United Kingdom: British Indian Ocean Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
  • United States: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.

• Places where extraterritoriality is applied such as embassies, consulates and military bases of foreign countries, and most notably:
  • United Nations headquarters at New York which is an international zone governed by its own.
  • The SMOM headquarters at Rome.
  • The ICRC headquarters at Geneva.
  • The specified Properties of the Holy See in Italy.
  • Pavillon de Breteuil in France used by the General Conference on Weights and Measures.
  • Guantanamo Bay, a territory of Cuba under the permanent control (with no claim of sovereignty) of the United States which pays rent under terms of treaties with Cuba.

• International waters, international seabed area and outerspace that are open to all countries.

• Territorial claims of sovereign states to Antarctica and its outlying islands south of 60°S which are held in abeyance under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty:
  • Argentina: Argentine Antarctica (25°W to 74°W, overlapping British and Chilean claims).
  • Australia: Australian Antarctic Territory (160°E to 142°02' E and 136°11' E to 44°38' E).
  • Chile: Antártica Chilena Province (53°W to 90°W, overlapping Argentine and British Claims).
  • France: Adélie Land (142°02' E to 136°'11 E)
  • New Zealand: Ross Dependency (150°W to 160°E).
  • Norway: Queen Maud Land (44°38' E to 20°W) and Peter I Island (at 68°50' S, 90°35'W).
  • United Kingdom: British Antarctic Territory (20°W to 80°W, overlapping Argentine and Chilean claims).
  • (No formal claims have been made in the sector between 90°W and 150°W, except for the Norway's claim to Peter I Island.)
  • Brazil's Zone of Interest: Brazilian Antarctica (28°W to 53°W, overlapping Argentine and British claims, informal claim).

• Territorial claims to the Arctic made by sovereign states which are all members of the Arctic Council.

• Various disputed or occupied territories, such as West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, Jubaland, Cabinda, Kurdistan, Dokdo, Diaoyutai Islands, Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands, see the List of territorial disputes.

• Demilitarized or neutral zones between two warring countries (the two sides of the demarcation line in the zones are considered parts of the respective warring countries, with the exception of the neutral ground between Gibraltar and Spain and the UN buffer zone between Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which do not belong to either of the warring countries).

• Places under the control of UN Peacekeeping Missions (except Kosovo currently under UN interim civilian administration).

• Places under the control of secessionist or guerrilla movements, like Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Lord's Resistance Army.

• Entities not claiming sovereignty with de facto control over their territory, for example Puntland and Southwestern Somalia.

• Governments in exile, such as Government of Free Vietnam and Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

• Surviving monarchs and pretenders of abolished monarchies.

• Subnational traditional monarchies, tribes and indigenous peoples, with their heads holding traditional (mostly ceremonial) roles and/or exercising limited jurisdiction, such as American Indians of the United States, First Nations of Canada, Aborigines of Australia and Māori of New Zealand.

• Nations without their own states, many of which are members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).

• Self-proclaimed micronations that are not recognized internationally like Sealand, Minerva and Seborga.

• Extinct political entities, such as the Soviet Union.

• All forms of land claims.

• Organizations that attempt to establish a world government like World Service Authority.

• Fictional, imaginary and proposed countries as well as space and ocean colonization projects and extraterrestrial real estate that do not exist in the real world.

Categories

Find

Find