List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe

The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, international recognition, and five largely unrecognised de facto states with limited to no recognition have territory in Europe and/or membership in international European organisations. There are eight entities that are not integral parts of a European state or have special political arrangements.

Boundary of Europe[]

Geographical[]

Under the commonly used geographic definition, the boundary between the continents of Asia and Europe stretches along the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, and the Caspian Sea in the east, the Greater Caucasus range,^[1] and the Black Sea with its outlets, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, in the south.^[2][3] Based on such a commonly used division of the continents, the transcontinental states of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey have territory in both Europe and Asia.

The island of Cyprus in Western Asia is close to Anatolia (or Asia Minor) but is often considered to be a part of Europe and is a current member of the European Union. Like Cyprus, Armenia is also entirely in Western Asia but is a member of several European organisations.^[4]

Although the Mediterranean Sea provides a clearer divide between Africa and Europe, some traditionally European islands such as Malta, Sicily, and Pantelleria are actually located on the African continental plate.^[5] The island of Iceland is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, straddling the Eurasian Plate and the North American Plate.^[6]

Some territories which are geographically outside of Europe have strong connections with European states. Greenland, for example, has socio-political connections with Europe and is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but is located closer to the continent of North America and is usually grouped with that continent.^[7]

Other territories are part of European countries but are geographically located in other continents, such as the French overseas regions,^[8] the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the coast of Africa,^[9] and the Dutch Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.^[10]

Political[]

The political boundaries of Europe vary with the definition of Europe that is used by different political organizations. For instance, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights include 47 countries in their definition of Europe. The European Higher Education Area includes 48 countries, and the European Cultural Convention and the European Olympic Committees include 50 countries in their definitions.

Sovereign states[]

Political map of Europe and the surrounding region

A sovereign state is a political association with effective sovereignty over a population for whom it makes decisions in the national interest.^[11] According to the Montevideo convention, a state must have a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.^[12]

United Nations members and observers[]

There are 50 sovereign states with territory located within the common definition of Europe and/or membership in international European organisations that are almost universally recognized internationally. All are either member states or observer states of the United Nations,^[13] and all except Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Vatican City are members of the Council of Europe.^[14] 44 countries have their capital city located within Europe, and (as of 2020) 27 of those countries are member states of the European Union, which means that they are highly integrated with one another and share their sovereignty through EU institutions.

Each entry in the list below has a map of its location in Europe. Territory in Europe is shown in dark-green; territory not geographically in Europe is shown in a lighter shade of green. The lightest shade of green represents other states in the EU and is shown on the maps of all territories within the EU.

Flag	Map	English common and formal names [16][17][18][19]	Domestic common and formal names [16][17][18]	Capital [19][20][21]	Population [a][22]	Area [a][23]
		Albania[j] Republic of Albania	Albanian: Shqipëri / Shqipëria – Republika e Shqipërisë	Tirana Albanian: Tiranë	2,876,276	28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi)
		Andorra Principality of Andorra	Catalan: Andorra – Principat d'Andorra	Andorra la Vella Catalan: Andorra la Vella	78,000	468 km2 (181 sq mi)
		Armenia[b] Republic of Armenia	Armenian: Հայաստան – Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն (Hayastan – Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun)	Yerevan Armenian: Երևան (Yerevan)	2,925,000	29,743 km2 (11,484 sq mi)
		Austria* Republic of Austria	German: Österreich – Republik Österreich	Vienna German: Wien	8,857,960	83,871 km2 (32,383 sq mi)
		Azerbaijan[b] Republic of Azerbaijan	Azerbaijani: Azǝrbaycan – Azǝrbaycan Respublikası	Baku Azerbaijani: Bakı	10,184,096	86,600 km2 (33,436 sq mi)
		Belarus Republic of Belarus	Belarusian: Беларусь – Рэспубліка Беларусь (Bielaruś – Respublika Bielaruś) Russian: Беларусь – Республика Беларусь (Belarus' — Respublika Belarus')	Minsk Belarusian: Мінск (Minsk)	9,491,800	207,600 km2 (80,155 sq mi)
		Belgium* Kingdom of Belgium	Dutch: België – Koninkrijk België French: Belgique – Royaume de Belgique German: Belgien – Königreich Belgien	Brussels Dutch: Brussel French: Bruxelles German: Brüssel	11,614,238	30,528 km2 (11,787 sq mi)
		Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnian: Bosna i Hercegovina Croatian: Bosna i Hercegovina Serbian: Босна и Херцеговина	Sarajevo Bosnian: Sarajevo Croatian: Sarajevo Serbian: Сарајево	3,511,372	51,197 km2 (19,767 sq mi)
		Bulgaria* Republic of Bulgaria	Bulgarian: България – Република България (Bulgaria – Republika Bulgaria)	Sofia Bulgarian: София (Sofia)	6,923,374	110,879 km2 (42,811 sq mi)
		Croatia* Republic of Croatia	Croatian: Hrvatska – Republika Hrvatska	Zagreb Croatian: Zagreb	4,093,108	56,594 km2 (21,851 sq mi)
		Cyprus*[c] Republic of Cyprus	Greek: Κύπρος – Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία (Kýpros – Kypriakí Dimokratía) Turkish: Kıbrıs – Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti	Nicosia Greek: Λευκωσία (Lefkosía) Turkish: Lefkoşa	1,172,458	9,251 km2 (3,572 sq mi)
		Czech Republic*[k]	Czech: Česko – Česká republika	Prague Czech: Praha	10,625,449	78,867 km2 (30,451 sq mi)
		Denmark*[g] Kingdom of Denmark	Danish: Danmark – Kongeriget Danmark	Copenhagen Danish: København	5,806,015	2,210,000 km2 (853,286 sq mi)
		Estonia* Republic of Estonia	Estonian: Eesti – Eesti Vabariik	Tallinn Estonian: Tallinn	1,326,968	45,228 km2 (17,463 sq mi)
		Finland* Republic of Finland	Finnish: Suomi – Suomen tasavalta Swedish: Finland – Republiken Finland	Helsinki Finnish: Helsinki Swedish: Helsingfors	5,544,903	338,145 km2 (130,559 sq mi)
		France* French Republic	French: France – République française	Paris French: Paris	65,343,775	643,427 km2 (248,429 sq mi)
		Georgia[b]	Georgian: საქართველო (Sakartvelo)	Tbilisi / T'bilisi Georgian: თბილისი (T'bilisi)	4,085,565	69,700 km2 (26,911 sq mi)
		Germany* Federal Republic of Germany	German: Deutschland – Bundesrepublik Deutschland	Berlin German: Berlin	83,914,472	357,022 km2 (137,847 sq mi)
		Greece* Hellenic Republic	Greek: Ελλάς – Ελληνική Δημοκρατία (Ellás – Ellinikí Dimokratía)	Athens Greek: Αθήνα (Athína)	10,398,551	131,957 km2 (50,949 sq mi)
		Hungary*	Hungarian: Magyarország	Budapest Hungarian: Budapest	9,648,503	93,028 km2 (35,918 sq mi)
		Iceland Republic of Iceland	Icelandic: Ísland – Lýðveldið Ísland	Reykjavík Icelandic: Reykjavík	350,710	103,000 km2 (39,769 sq mi)
		Ireland*[d][24]	English: Ireland Irish: Éire	Dublin Irish: Baile Átha Cliath	4,857,000	70,273 km2 (27,133 sq mi)
		Italy* Italian Republic	Italian: Italia – Repubblica Italiana	Rome Italian: Roma	60,494,118	301,340 km2 (116,348 sq mi)
		Kazakhstan[e] Republic of Kazakhstan	Kazakh: Қазақстан – Қазақстан Республикасы (Qazaqstan – Qazaqstan Respūblīkasy) Russian: Казахстан – Республика Казахстан (Kazahstan – Respublika Kazahstan)	Nur-Sultan Kazakh: Нұр-Сұлтан Russian: Нур-Султан (Nur-Sultan)	18,311,700	2,724,900 km2 (1,052,090 sq mi)
		Latvia* Republic of Latvia	Latvian: Latvija – Latvijas Republika	Riga Latvian: Rīga	1,934,379	64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi)
		Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein	German: Liechtenstein – Fürstentum Liechtenstein	Vaduz German: Vaduz	38,111	160 km2 (62 sq mi)
		Lithuania* Republic of Lithuania	Lithuanian: Lietuva – Lietuvos Respublika	Vilnius Lithuanian: Vilnius	2,797,000	65,300 km2 (25,212 sq mi)
		Luxembourg* Grand Duchy of Luxembourg	German: Luxemburg – Großherzogtum Luxemburg French: Luxembourg – Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Luxembourgish: Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg	Luxembourg German: Luxemburg French: Luxembourg Luxembourgish: Lëtzebuerg	602,000	2,586 km2 (998 sq mi)
		Malta* Republic of Malta	English: Malta – Republic of Malta Maltese: Malta – Repubblika ta' Malta	Valletta Maltese: Valletta	475,700	316 km2 (122 sq mi)
		Moldova Republic of Moldova	Romanian: Moldova – Republica Moldova	Chișinău Romanian: Chișinău	3,350,900	33,851 km2 (13,070 sq mi)
		Monaco Principality of Monaco	French: Monaco – Principauté de Monaco	Monaco French: Monaco	37,000	2 km2 (0.8 sq mi)
		Montenegro[j]	Montenegrin: Црна Гора, Crna Gora	Podgorica Montenegrin: Подгорица, Podgorica	642,550	13,812 km2 (5,333 sq mi)
		Netherlands*[g][h][10] Kingdom of the Netherlands	Dutch: Nederland – Koninkrijk der Nederlanden	Amsterdam (capital) Dutch: Amsterdam The Hague (seat of government) Dutch: 's-Gravenhage / Den Haag	17,272,990	41,543 km2 (16,040 sq mi)
		North Macedonia[j] Republic of North Macedonia	Macedonian: Северна Македонија – Република Северна Македонија (Severna Makedonija – Republika Severna Makedonija)	Skopje Macedonian: Скопје (Skopje)	2,075,301	25,713 km2 (9,928 sq mi)
		Norway Kingdom of Norway	Bokmål: Norge – Kongeriket Norge Nynorsk: Noreg – Kongeriket Noreg	Oslo Norwegian: Oslo	5,323,933	323,802 km2 (125,021 sq mi)
		Poland* Republic of Poland	Polish: Polska – Rzeczpospolita Polska	Warsaw Polish: Warszawa	38,433,600	312,685 km2 (120,728 sq mi)
		Portugal* Portuguese Republic	Portuguese: Portugal – República Portuguesa	Lisbon Portuguese: Lisboa	10,291,196	92,090 km2 (35,556 sq mi)
		Romania*	Romanian: România	Bucharest Romanian: București	19,622,000	238,391 km2 (92,043 sq mi)
		Russia[f] Russian Federation	Russian: Россия – Российская Федерация (Rossija – Rossijskaja Federacija)	Moscow Russian: Москва (Moskva)	144,526,636	17,098,242 km2 (6,601,668 sq mi)
		San Marino Republic of San Marino	Italian: San Marino – Repubblica di San Marino	San Marino Italian: San Marino	32,742	61 km2 (24 sq mi)
		Serbia[j] Republic of Serbia	Serbian: Србија – Република Србија, Srbija – Republika Srbija	Belgrade Serbian: Београд, Beograd	8,720,394	88,361 km2 (34,116 sq mi)
		Slovakia* Slovak Republic	Slovak: Slovensko – Slovenská republika	Bratislava Slovak: Bratislava	5,445,087	49,035 km2 (18,933 sq mi)
		Slovenia* Republic of Slovenia	Slovene: Slovenija – Republika Slovenija	Ljubljana Slovene: Ljubljana	2,070,050	20,273 km2 (7,827 sq mi)
		Spain* Kingdom of Spain	Spanish: España – Reino de España	Madrid Spanish: Madrid	47,720,291	505,370 km2 (195,124 sq mi)
		Sweden* Kingdom of Sweden	Swedish: Sverige – Konungariket Sverige	Stockholm Swedish: Stockholm	10,221,988	450,295 km2 (173,860 sq mi)
		Switzerland Swiss Confederation	German: Schweiz – Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft French: Suisse – Confédération suisse Italian: Svizzera – Confederazione Svizzera Romansh: Svizra – Confederaziun svizra	Bern / Berne German: Bern French: Berne Italian and Romansh: Berna	8,685,688	41,277 km2 (15,937 sq mi)
		Turkey[e][j] Republic of Turkey	Turkish: Türkiye – Türkiye Cumhuriyeti	Ankara Turkish: Ankara	84,786,000	783,562 km2 (302,535 sq mi)
		Ukraine	Ukrainian: Укр��ïна (Ukraina)	Kyiv Ukrainian: Київ (Kyiv)	44,291,413	603,550 km2 (233,032 sq mi)
		United Kingdom[i] United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	English: United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	London	68,060,502	243,610 km2 (94,058 sq mi)
		Vatican City Vatican City State	Italian: Città del Vaticano – Stato della Città del Vaticano Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae[25]	Vatican City Italian: Città del Vaticano	842	0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi)

Other states[]

The following six entities in Europe have partial diplomatic recognition by one or more UN member states (and therefore are defined as states by the constitutive theory of statehood) or have no diplomatic recognition by any UN member state but are defined as states by the declarative theory of statehood. None are members of the UN, Council of Europe or EU.

Flag	Map	English common and formal names	Status	Domestic common and formal names	Capital	Population[a]	Area[a]
		Abkhazia[b] Republic of Abkhazia	Claimed as an autonomous republic of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states.[26]	Abkhazian: Аҧсны (Apsny) Russian: Абхазия (Abhaziya)	Sukhumi Abkhazian: Аҟəа (Akwa) Russian: Сухум	250,000[27]	8,660 km2 (3,344 sq mi)[28]
		Artsakh[b] Republic of Artsakh	Claimed as part of Azerbaijan. De facto independent state,[29] recognised by 3 non-UN states.	Armenian: Արցախի Հանրապետություն (Arts'akhi Hanrapetut'yun)[30]	Stepanakert Armenian: Ստեփանակերտ (Khankendi)	141,400[31]	7,000 km2 (2,703 sq mi)[32]
		Kosovo Republic of Kosovo[16]	Claimed by Serbia. Has been recognized as sovereign by 113 UN member states (including states that subsequently withdrew recognition).[33]	Albanian: Kosova / Kosovë – Republika e Kosovës Serbian: Косово – Република Косово, Kosovo – Republika Kosovo	Pristina[20] Albanian: Prishtina, Prishtinë Serbian: Приштина, Priština	1,836,529[22]	10,887 km2 (4,203 sq mi)[23]
		Northern Cyprus[c] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus	Claimed as part of the Republic of Cyprus. Recognised by Turkey.[34]	Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs – Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti	North Nicosia Turkish: Lefkoşa	294,906[35]	3,355 km2 (1,295 sq mi)[23]
		South Ossetia[b] Republic of South Ossetia	Claimed as part of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states.[26]	Ossetian: Хуссар Ирыстон – Республикӕ Хуссар Ирыстон (Khussar Iryston – Respublikæ Khussar Iryston) Russian: Южная Осетия – Республика Южная Осетия (Yuzhnaya Osetiya – Respublika Yuzhnaya Osetiya)	Tskhinvali Ossetian: Цхинвал or Чъреба (Chreba)	70,000[36]	3,900 km2 (1,506 sq mi)[37]
		Transnistria / Trans-Dniester Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic	Claimed as a territorial unit of Moldova. De facto independent state,[29] recognised by 3 non-UN states.	Romanian: Transnistria – Republica Moldovenească Nistreană Russian: Приднестровье – Приднестровская Молдавская Республика (Pridnestrov'ye – Pridnestrovskaya Moldavskaya Respublika) Ukrainian: Придністров'я – Придністровська Молдавська Республіка (Prydnistrovia – Pridnistrovska Moldavska Respublika)	Tiraspol Romanian: Tiraspol Russian: Тираcполь – Tiraspol' Ukrainian: Тирасполь – Tyraspol	475,373[38]	3,500 km2 (1,351 sq mi)[39]

Dependent territories[]

The following six European entities are dependent territories.^[40]

Flag	Map	English common and formal names[16][19]	Legal status	Domestic common and formal names	Capital[20]	Population[22]	Area[23]
		Akrotiri and Dhekelia[c] Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia	British Overseas Territory	English: Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia	Episkopi Cantonment English: Episkopi Cantonment	15,700	254 km2 (98 sq mi)
		Faroe Islands / Faeroe Islands	Constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark	Faroese: Føroyar Danish: Færøerne	Tórshavn Faroese: Tórshavn Danish: Thorshavn	49,947	1,393 km2 (538 sq mi)
		Gibraltar[41]	British Overseas Territory	English: Gibraltar	Gibraltar English: Gibraltar	29,185	6.5 km2 (2.5 sq mi)
		Guernsey[i] Bailiwick of Guernsey	Crown dependency in right of Guernsey[42][43][44]	English: Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey French: Guernesey – Bailliage de Guernesey Guernésiais: Guernési – Bailliage de Guernési	Saint Peter Port English: Saint Peter Port French: Saint Pierre Port Guernésiais: Saint Pierre Port	65,849	78 km2 (30 sq mi)
		Isle of Man[i]	Crown dependency in right of Man[44][45][46]	English: Isle of Man Manx: Mannin – Ellan Vannin	Douglas English: Douglas Manx: Doolish	86,866	572 km2 (221 sq mi)
		Jersey[i] Bailiwick of Jersey	Crown dependency in right of Jersey[42][43][44]	English: Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey French: Jersey – Bailliage de Jersey Jèrriais: Jèrri – Bailliage de Jèrri	Saint Helier English: Saint Helier French: Saint-Hélier Jèrriais: Saint Hélyi	96,513	118 km2 (46 sq mi)

Special areas of internal sovereignty[]

The following places are considered integral parts of their controlling state, but have a political arrangement which was decided through an international agreement.

Flag	Map	English common and formal names	Legal status	Domestic common and formal names	Capital	Population	Area
		Åland*[47] Åland Islands[19]	Self-governing area of Finland, significant autonomy as the result of the Åland crisis[48]	Swedish: Åland – Landskapet Åland	Mariehamn[19] Swedish: Mariehamn	27,500[49]	6,787 km2 (2,620 sq mi)[49]
		Northern Ireland*	Part of the United Kingdom, devolved government determined by the Good Friday Agreement[50]	English: Northern Ireland Irish: Tuaisceart Éireann Scots: Norlin Airlann	Belfast[51]	1,810,863[52]	14,130 km2 (5,456 sq mi)[51]
		Svalbard[16]	Special territory of Norway, determined by the Svalbard Treaty[53]	Norwegian: Svalbard	Longyearbyen[19][20] Norwegian: Longyearbyen	2,019[22]	62,045 km2 (23,956 sq mi)[23]

See also[]

• International organisations in Europe
• Lists of European countries:
  • by area
  • by GDP
    • by GDP per capita
    • by GDP PPP
  • by population
• List of former sovereign states in Europe
• Predecessors of sovereign states in Europe
• Regions of Europe
• Timeline of European nations

Notes[]

References[]