This is alist of sovereign states in the 1920s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1920 and 31 December 1929. It contains entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status andrecognition of theirsovereignty. It includes 90 widely recognized sovereign states, and entities which werede facto sovereign but which were not widely recognized by other states.
| Name and capital city | Information on status and recognition of sovereignty | |
|---|---|---|
A[edit] | ||
 Abkhazia – Socialist Soviet Republic of Abkhazia(from March 31, 1921 to December 16, 1921)Capital:Sukhumi | Recognized independent state. It was subordinate to theGeorgian SSR from December 16, 1921.[a] | |
 → → → → → → → AfghanistanCapital:Kabul
| Reign ofAmanullah Khan,Inayatullah Khan, andMohammed Nadir Shah: Widely-recognized independent state. Reign ofHabibullāh Kalakāni,[4]Ali Ahmad Khan andAbd-al Karim: Not recognized by any state. | |
 → → → AlbaniaCapital:Tirana
| Widely-recognized independent state.De factoItalian protectorate to August 2, 1920.LON member state from December 17, 1920. | |
 Andorra – Principality of AndorraCapital:Andorra La Vella | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Argentina – Argentine RepublicCapital:Buenos Aires | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → Armenia(to March 12, 1922)Capital:Yerevan
| Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of theTranscaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922. | |
 Asir – Idrisid Emirate of Asir(to October 21, 1926)Capital:Sabya | Widely-recognized independent state. Vassal state ofKingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from October 21, 1926. | |
 Asir, Upper – Sheikdom of Upper Asir(to August 30, 1920)Capital:Abha | Widely-recognized independent state. Partitioned betweenSultanate of Nejd andIdrisid Emirate of Asir from August 30, 1920. | |
 Aussa – Sultanate of AussaCapital:Aussa | Widely recognized state. | |
 Australia – Commonwealth of AustraliaCapital:Melbourne (to 9 May, 1927),Canberra (from May 9, 1927) | Widely-recognized independent state after15 November, 1926.LON founding member state from 10 January, 1920. Australia had two external territories: Australia administered twoLeague of Nations mandates:
| |
 Austria – Republic of AustriaCapital:Vienna | Widely-recognized independent state and aLON member state from December 15, 1920. | |
 → → Azerbaijan(to March 12, 1922)Capital:Baku
| Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of theTranscaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922. Azerbaijan had one protectorate:
| |
B[edit] | ||
 Belgium – Kingdom of BelgiumCapital:Brussels | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Belgium had sovereignty over one colony and one concession:
Belgium administered oneLeague of Nations mandate:
| |
 BoliviaCapital:Sucre
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Brazil – Republic of the United States of BrazilCapital:Rio de Janeiro | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920; withdrew in June 14, 1926. Brazil was afederation of20 states, one territory, and one federal district.[b] | |
 Bulgaria – Tsardom of BulgariaCapital:Sofia | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from December 16, 1920. | |
C[edit] | ||
 → Canada – Dominion of CanadaCapital:Ottawa | Widely-recognized independent state afterNovember 15, 1926.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Chile – Republic of ChileCapital:Santiago | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → China – Republic of China | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Colombia – Republic of ColombiaCapital:Bogotá | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Costa Rica – Republic of Costa RicaCapital:San José | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from December 16, 1920; withdrew in January 22, 1925. | |
 Cuba –Republic of CubaCapital:Havana | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → CzechoslovakiaCapital:Prague
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
D[edit] | ||
 Danzig – Free City of Danzig(from November 15, 1920)Capital:Danzig | Widely-recognized independent. UnderLeague of Nations protection. | |
 Denmark –Kingdom of DenmarkCapital:Copenhagen | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Dominican Republic – Third Dominican RepublicCapital:Santo Domingo | Widely-recognized independent state underUnited States military occupation to 18 September 1924.LON member state from September 28, 1924. | |
E[edit] | ||
 EcuadorCapital:Quito
| Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Egypt – Kingdom of Egypt(from February 28, 1922)Capital:Cairo | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 El Salvador – Republic of El SalvadorCapital:San Salvador | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Estonia – Republic of EstoniaCapital:Tallinn | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 22, 1921. | |
 Ethiopia – Ethiopian EmpireCapital:Addis Ababa | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 28, 1923. | |
F[edit] | ||
 Finland – Republic of FinlandCapital:Helsinki | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from December 16, 1920. | |
 Fiume – Free State of Fiume(from November 12, 1920 to February 22, 1924)Capital:Fiume | Widely-recognized independent. Annexed byItaly from February 22, 1924. | |
 France – French RepublicCapital:Paris | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. France administered the foreign affairs of the following protectorates:
France administered the followingLeague of Nations mandates:
| |
G[edit] | ||
 → → Georgia(to March 12, 1922)Capital:Tiflis
| Widely-recognized independent state. Georgian SSR had one autonomous republic (from July 16, 1921):Adjarian ASSR. Became part of theTranscaucasian SFSR from March 12, 1922.
| |
 Germany – German RealmCapital:Berlin | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 8, 1926. | |
 →GreeceCapital:Athens
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Guatemala – Republic of GuatemalaCapital:Guatemala City | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
H[edit] | ||
 → Ha'il / Jabal Shammar – Emirate of Ha'il(to November 2, 1921)Capital:Ha'il | Widely-recognized independent state. It was completely conquered bySaudi forces from November 2, 1921 and subsequently incorporated into theSultanate of Nejd. | |
 Haiti – Republic of HaitiCapital:Port-au-Prince | Widely-recognized independent state underUnited States occupation.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → Hejaz – Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz(to January 8, 1926)Capital:Mecca | Widely-recognized independent state. Annexed bySultanate of Nejd, creating theKingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from January 8, 1926. | |
 Hejaz and Nejd – Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd(Personal Union, from January 8, 1926)Capital:Mecca (Hejaz),Riyadh (Nejd)
| Widely-recognized independent state. Nejd and Hejaz had one protectorate:
| |
 Honduras – Republic of HondurasCapital:Tegucigalpa | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → HungaryCapital:Budapest
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 18, 1922. | |
I[edit] | ||
 Iceland – Kingdom of IcelandCapital:Reykjavík | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Ireland – Irish Free State(from December 6, 1922)Capital:Dublin | Widely-recognized independent state afterNovember 15, 1926.LON member state from September 10, 1923. | |
 Italy – Kingdom of ItalyCapital:Rome | Widely-recognized independent state underfascism from 31 October 1922.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Italy had four colonies and three concessions:
| |
J[edit] | ||
 Japan – Empire of JapanCapital:Tokyo | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Japan had sovereignty over the following dependencies and concessions:
Japan administered oneLeague of Nations mandate: | |
L[edit] | ||
 & Latvia(disputed between two governments to January 13, 1920)Capital:Riga
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 22, 1921. | |
 Liberia – Republic of LiberiaCapital:Monrovia | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → Liechtenstein – Principality of LiechtensteinCapital:Vaduz | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Lithuania – Republic of LithuaniaCapital:Vilnius | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from September 22, 1921. | |
 Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of LuxembourgCapital:Luxembourg City | Widely-recognized independent state.LON member state from December 16, 1920. | |
M[edit] | ||
 Mexico – United Mexican StatesCapital:Mexico City | Widely-recognized independent state. Mexico had sovereignty over one territory:
| |
 Monaco – Principality of MonacoCapital:Monaco City | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Mountain Republic – Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus(to January 20, 1921)Capital:Temir-Khan-Shura | Widely-recognized independent state. Incorporated into theRussian SFSR as theMountain ASSR from January 20, 1921. | |
 Muscat and Oman – Sultanate of Muscat and OmanCapital:Muscat | De jure independent state.De facto a British protectorate. | |
N[edit] | ||
 → Nejd(to January 8, 1926)Capital:Riyadh
| Widely-recognized independent state. Nejd annexedHejaz, creating theKingdom of Hejaz and Nejd from January 8, 1926. | |
 Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal(from December 21, 1923)Capital:Kathmandu | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Netherlands –Kingdom of the NetherlandsCapital:Amsterdam | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The Netherlands had sovereignty over three colonies: | |
 Newfoundland – Dominion of NewfoundlandCapital:St. John's | Widely-recognized independent state afterNovember 15, 1926. | |
 New Zealand – Dominion of New ZealandCapital:Wellington | Widely-recognized independent state afterNovember 15, 1926.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following are territories of New Zealand:
New Zealand administered oneLeague of Nations mandate:
| |
 Nicaragua – Republic of NicaraguaCapital:Managua | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Norway – Kingdom of NorwayCapital:Oslo | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Norway had sovereignty over two uninhabited possessions:
| |
O[edit] | ||
 Ottoman Empire – Sublime Ottoman State(to November 1, 1922)Capital:Constantinople | Widely-recognized independent state. Ottoman Empire had one protectorate:
| |
P[edit] | ||
 Panama – Republic of PanamaCapital:Panama City | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Paraguay – Republic of ParaguayCapital:Asunción | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → PersiaCapital:Tehran
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Peru –Peruvian RepublicCapital:Lima | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → Poland – Republic of PolandCapital:Warsaw | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 PortugalCapital:Lisbon
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following are colonies and possession of Portugal:
| |
R[edit] | ||
 Romania – Kingdom of RomaniaCapital:Bucharest | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Russia – Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic(to December 30, 1922)Capital:Moscow | Widely-recognized independent state. Became part of theSoviet Union from December 30, 1922. Russia had three protectorates and one concession: | |
S[edit] | ||
 San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San MarinoCapital:City of San Marino | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Siam – Kingdom of SiamCapital:Bangkok | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 → South Africa – Union of South AfricaCapital:Cape Town,Pretoria,Bloemfontein, andPietermaritzburg | Widely-recognized independent state afterNovember 15, 1926.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. South Africa administered oneLeague of Nations mandate:
| |
 → → Soviet Union – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(from December 30, 1922)Capital:Moscow | Widely-recognized independent state. The Soviet Union was a federation of four (later seven) republics.[i] | |
 Spain – Kingdom of SpainCapital:Madrid | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. Spain had sovereignty over the following colonies, possessions and protectorate:
| |
 Sweden – Kingdom of SwedenCapital:Stockholm | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
 Switzerland – Swiss ConfederationCapital:Bern | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
T[edit] | ||
 TibetCapital:Lhasa | De facto independent state. Claimed by theRepublic of China. | |
 Transcaucasia – Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic(from March 12 to December 30, 1922)Capital:Tiflis | Widely-recognized independent state. The Transcaucasian SFSR was a federation constituted by theArmenian SSR, theAzerbaijan SSR and theGeorgian SSR. Became part of theSoviet Union from December 30, 1922. | |
| Turkey(from April 23, 1920) Capital:Ankara
| Widely-recognized independent state. | |
U[edit] | ||
 United KingdomCapital:London
| Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. The following were colonies, concessions, and territories of the United Kingdom:
United Kingdom administered the followingLeague of Nations mandates:
| |
 United States – United States of AmericaCapital:Washington, D.C. | Widely-recognized independent state. The following were territories of the United States of America:
| |
 Uruguay – Eastern Republic of UruguayCapital:Montevideo | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
V[edit] | ||
 Vatican City – Vatican City State(from February 1, 1929; effective from June 7, 1929)Capital:Vatican City | Widely recognized independent state. Vatican City is administered by theHoly See. | |
 Venezuela –United States of VenezuelaCapital:Caracas | Widely-recognized independent state.LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
Y[edit] | ||
 Yemen – Mutawakkilite Kingdom of YemenCapital:Sana`a | Widely-recognized independent state. | |
 Yugoslavia[8] /Serbs, Croats and SlovenesCapital:Belgrade
| Widely-recognized independent state;LON founding member state from January 10, 1920. | |
Other entities[edit]Excluded from the list above are the following noteworthy entities which either were not fully sovereign or did not claim to be independent: | ||
 Alash – Alash Autonomy(to August 26, 1920)Capital:Alash-Qala | Unrecognized state.[9] | |
 Ararat – Republic of Ararat(from October 28, 1927)Capital:Kurdava | Unrecognized state. | |
 Armenia, Mountainous – Republic of Mountainous Armenia(from April 26, 1920 to July 13, 1921)Capital:Tabriz | Unrecognized state. | |
 Azadistan(from April to September 13, 1920)Capital:Goris | Unrecognized state. | |
 Baranya–Baja – Serbian–Hungarian Baranya–Baja Republic(from 14 to 25 August 1921)Capital:Pécs | Unrecognized state. | |
 Bottleneck – Free State of Bottleneck(to February 23, 1923)Capital:Lorch | Quasi-state. Unoccupied territory within post-World War IGermany. | |
 Bukhara(from October 8, 1920 to October 27, 1924)Capital:Bukhara
| Soviet state. | |
 Byelorussia – Byelorussian Socialist Soviet Republic(from July 31, 1920 to December 30, 1922)Capital:Minsk | Soviet state. Became part of theSoviet Union from December 30, 1922. | |
 Carnaro – Italian Regency of Carnaro(from September 8 to December 30, 1920)Capital:Fiume | Unrecognized state. | |
 Central Lithuania – Republic of Central Lithuania(from October 12, 1920)Capital:Vilnius | Puppet state of theSecond Polish Republic. | |
 Don – Don Republic(to 1920)Capital:Novocherkassk | Unrecognized state. | |
 Far Eastern Republic(from April 6, 1920 to November 15, 1922)Capital:Verkhneudinsk (to October 1920),Chita (from October 1920) | Puppet state/Buffer state ofSoviet Russia. | |
 Galicia – Galician Socialist Soviet Republic(from July 8 to September 21, 1920)Capital:Ternopil | Unrecognized state. | |
 Gilan – Persian Socialist Soviet Republic(from June 1920 to September 1921)Capital:Rasht | Unrecognized state. | |
| Ireland – Irish Republic(to December 6, 1922) Capital:Dublin | Unrecognized state. | |
Karelia
| Unrecognized state. | |
 Kholodny Yar – Kholodny Yar Republic(to 1922)Capital:Melnyky, Cherkasy Raion | Unrecognized state. | |
 Khorasan – Autonomous Government of Khorasan(from April 2, 1921 to October 6, 1921)Capital:Mashhad | Unrecognized state. | |
 Khorezm(from April 26, 1920 to October 27, 1924)Capital:Khiva
| Soviet state. | |
 Korea, Provisional Government of – Provisional Government of the Republic of KoreaCapital-in-exile:Shanghai | Partially recognized Korean government-in-exile. | |
 Kuban – Kuban People's Republic(to March 17, 1920)Capital:Yekaterinodar | Unrecognized state. | |
 Kurdistan – Kingdom of Kurdistan(from September 1921 to July 1925)Capital:Sulaymaniyah | Unrecognized state. | |
 Labin – Labin Republic(from March 2 to April 8, 1921)Capital:Labin | Unrecognized state. | |
 Leitha – Banate of Leitha(from October 4 to November 10, 1921)Capital:Oberwart | Unrecognized state. | |
 Lemko Republic – Lemko-Rusyn People's Republic(to March 1920)Capital:Florynka | Unrecognized state. | |
 Mirdita – Republic of Mirdita(from July 17 to November 20, 1921)Capital:Prizren | Unrecognized state. | |
 → → Mongolia(from February 21, 1921)Capital:Niislel Khüree (renamedUlaanbaatar in 1924)
| Partially recognized socialist republic. UnderSoviet intervention from 1921 to 1924.Satellite state of theSoviet Union from November 26, 1924. | |
 North Ingria – Republic of North Ingria(to December 5, 1920)Capital:Kirjasalo | Unrecognized state. | |
| Raqqa – Independent State of Raqqa(from August 10, 1920 to December 17, 1921) Capital:Raqqa | Unrecognized state. | |
 Rhineland – Rhenish Republic(from October 21, 1923 to November 26, 1924)Capital:Aachen | Unrecognized state. | |
 Rif – Confederal Republic of the Tribes of the Rif(from September 18, 1921 to May 27, 1926)Capital:Ajdir | Unrecognized state. | |
| Southern Karelia – Olonets Government of Southern Karelia(from May to December 20, 1920) | Unrecognized state. | |
 Syria – Arab Kingdom of Syria(to July 25, 1920)Capital:Damascus | De facto independent state not recognized by any other state.[10] | |
 → Tannu Tuva(from August 14, 1921)Capital:Khem-Beldyr
| Partially recognized socialist republic.Satellite state of theSoviet Union. | |
 Uhtua – Republic of Uhtua(to December 19, 1920)Capital:Uhtua | Unrecognized state. | |
 Ukraine, Soviet – Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic(to December 30, 1922)Capital:Kharkov | Sovietproto-state. Became part of theSoviet Union from December 30, 1922. | |
The capture of the Arg on October 13, 1929 marked the end of the Tajik regime
Nadir received word of the victory in Ali Khayl and immediately set out for the capital, arriving in the city on the 15th.
