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World Flags & Independence Years: Full 195-Country List
To the best of my understanding, there are 195 countries, in exact numbers.
193 full members of the United Nations. 2 UN observer states: Vatican City & Palestine.
Territories (e.g., Puerto Rico, Greenland) aren’t counted because they’re still politically tied to another sovereign nation. Taiwan’s status is politically tricky; many lists (including this one) treat it as a separate entity for flag enthusiasts and travelers.
Last updated: 6th August 2025
Flags & Independence Facts
Below, every country is listed with its flag, independence / founding year
(plus from whom / how), and its capital city.
All flag icons load from FlagCDN.
Africa — 54 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From |
|---|---|---|
 | Algeria Algiers | 1962 — France |
 | Angola Luanda | 1975 — Portugal |
 | Benin Porto-Novo | 1960 — France |
 | Botswana Gaborone | 1966 — United Kingdom |
 | Burkina Faso Ouagadougou | 1960 — France |
 | Burundi Gitega | 1962 — Belgium |
 | Cabo Verde Praia | 1975 — Portugal |
 | Cameroon Yaoundé | 1960 — France / UK |
 | Central African Rep. Bangui | 1960 — France |
 | Chad N’Djamena | 1960 — France |
 | Comoros Moroni | 1975 — France |
 | Congo (Republic) Brazzaville | 1960 — France |
 | Congo (Dem. Rep.) Kinshasa | 1960 — Belgium |
 | Côte d’Ivoire Yamoussoukro | 1960 — France |
 | Djibouti Djibouti | 1977 — France |
 | Egypt Cairo | 1922 — United Kingdom |
 | Equatorial Guinea Malabo | 1968 — Spain |
 | Eritrea Asmara | 1993 — Ethiopia |
 | Eswatini Mbabane | 1968 — United Kingdom |
 | Ethiopia Addis Ababa | Never colonised |
 | Gabon Libreville | 1960 — France |
 | Gambia Banjul | 1965 — United Kingdom |
 | Ghana Accra | 1957 — United Kingdom |
 | Guinea Conakry | 1958 — France |
 | Guinea-Bissau Bissau | 1974 — Portugal |
 | Kenya Nairobi | 1963 — United Kingdom |
 | Lesotho Maseru | 1966 — United Kingdom |
 | Liberia Monrovia | 1847 — Founded by freed U.S. slaves |
 | Libya Tripoli | 1951 — Italy / UN trusteeship |
 | Madagascar Antananarivo | 1960 — France |
 | Malawi Lilongwe | 1964 — United Kingdom |
 | Mali Bamako | 1960 — France |
 | Mauritania Nouakchott | 1960 — France |
 | Mauritius Port Louis | 1968 — United Kingdom |
 | Morocco Rabat | 1956 — France & Spain |
 | Mozambique Maputo | 1975 — Portugal |
 | Namibia Windhoek | 1990 — South Africa |
 | Niger Niamey | 1960 — France |
 | Nigeria Abuja | 1960 — United Kingdom |
 | Rwanda Kigali | 1962 — Belgium |
 | São Tomé & Príncipe São Tomé | 1975 — Portugal |
 | Senegal Dakar | 1960 — France |
 | Seychelles Victoria | 1976 — United Kingdom |
 | Sierra Leone Freetown | 1961 — United Kingdom |
 | Somalia Mogadishu | 1960 — UK & Italy |
 | South Africa Pretoria | 1961 — left Commonwealth (UK dominion 1910) |
 | South Sudan Juba | 2011 — Sudan |
 | Sudan Khartoum | 1956 — UK & Egypt |
 | Tanzania Dodoma | 1961/64 — UK & Zanzibar union |
 | Togo Lomé | 1960 — France |
 | Tunisia Tunis | 1956 — France |
 | Uganda Kampala | 1962 — United Kingdom |
 | Zambia Lusaka | 1964 — United Kingdom |
 | Zimbabwe Harare | 1980 — United Kingdom |
Asia — 49 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From |
|---|---|---|
 | Afghanistan Kabul | 1919 — United Kingdom |
 | Armenia Yerevan | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Azerbaijan Baku | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Bahrain Manama | 1971 — United Kingdom |
 | Bangladesh Dhaka | 1971 — Pakistan |
 | Bhutan Thimphu | Never colonised; 1949 full sovereignty |
 | Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan | 1984 — United Kingdom |
 | Cambodia Phnom Penh | 1953 — France |
 | China (PRC) Beijing | 1949 — Founding of PRC |
 | Cyprus Nicosia | 1960 — United Kingdom |
 | Georgia Tbilisi | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | India New Delhi | 1947 — United Kingdom |
 | Indonesia Jakarta | 1945 / 49 — Netherlands |
 | Iran Tehran | Islamic Republic 1979 (ancient Persia) |
 | Iraq Baghdad | 1932 — UK mandate ended |
 | Israel Jerusalem* | 1948 — British Mandate ended |
 | Japan Tokyo | Never colonised; 1947 constitution |
 | Jordan Amman | 1946 — UK mandate ended |
 | Kazakhstan Astana | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Korea (North) Pyongyang | 1948 — After peninsula division |
 | Korea (South) Seoul | 1948 — After peninsula division |
 | Kuwait Kuwait City | 1961 — United Kingdom |
 | Kyrgyzstan Bishkek | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Laos Vientiane | 1953 — France |
 | Lebanon Beirut | 1943 — France |
 | Malaysia Kuala Lumpur | 1957 — United Kingdom (federation 1963) |
 | Maldives Malé | 1965 — United Kingdom |
 | Mongolia Ulaanbaatar | 1921 — From China (People’s Revolution) |
 | Myanmar (Burma) Nay Pyi Taw | 1948 — United Kingdom |
 | Nepal Kathmandu | Never colonised; republic 2008 |
 | Oman Muscat | 1749 dynastic rule; treaty 1951 (UK) |
 | Pakistan Islamabad | 1947 — United Kingdom (Dominion) |
 | Palestine* Ramallah (admin.) | 1988 declaration — limited recognition |
 | Philippines Manila | 1946 — United States |
 | Qatar Doha | 1971 — United Kingdom |
 | Russia Moscow | 1991 — Russian Federation after USSR |
 | Saudi Arabia Riyadh | 1932 — Unification of kingdom |
 | Singapore Singapore | 1965 — Exit from Malaysia |
 | Sri Lanka Colombo⁺Kotte | 1948 — United Kingdom |
 | Syria Damascus | 1946 — France |
 | Taiwan** Taipei | 1949 — ROC refuge after civil war |
 | Tajikistan Dushanbe | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Thailand Bangkok | Never colonised; 1932 constitution |
 | Timor-Leste Dili | 2002 — From Indonesia |
 | Turkey Ankara | 1923 — Republic founded (Ottoman end) |
 | Turkmenistan Ashgabat | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi | 1971 — United Kingdom |
 | Uzbekistan Tashkent | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Vietnam Hanoi | 1945/54 — France; reunified 1976 |
 | Yemen Sana’a / Aden | 1990 — North–South unification |
Europe — 44 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From (or key founding event) |
|---|---|---|
 | Albania Tirana | 1912 — Ottoman Empire |
 | Andorra Andorra la Vella | Co-princedom since 1278 |
 | Austria Vienna | 1918 — Austro-Hungarian breakup |
 | Belarus Minsk | 1991 — USSR breakup |
 | Belgium Brussels | 1830 — Netherlands |
 | Bosnia & Herzegovina Sarajevo | 1992 — Yugoslavia |
 | Bulgaria Sofia | 1908 — Ottoman Empire |
 | Croatia Zagreb | 1991 — Yugoslavia |
 | Czech Republic Prague | 1993 — Split from Czechoslovakia |
 | Denmark Copenhagen | Unbroken monarchy since 10th C. |
 | Estonia Tallinn | 1991 — USSR (1st 1918) |
 | Finland Helsinki | 1917 — Russia |
 | France Paris | Kingdom 843 → 5th Republic 1958 |
 | Germany Berlin | Re-unified 1990 (first 1871) |
 | Greece Athens | 1830 — Ottoman Empire |
 | Hungary Budapest | 1918 — Austria-Hungary; republic 1989 |
 | Iceland Reykjavík | 1944 — Denmark |
 | Ireland Dublin | 1922 — United Kingdom |
 | Italy Rome | Unification 1861; republic 1946 |
 | Kosovo Pristina | 2008 declaration — partial recognition |
 | Latvia Riga | 1991 — USSR (1st 1918) |
 | Liechtenstein Vaduz | Sovereign since 1806 |
 | Lithuania Vilnius | 1990/91 — USSR (1st 1918) |
 | Luxembourg Luxembourg | 1867 — Treaty of London |
 | Malta Valletta | 1964 — United Kingdom |
 | Moldova Chișinău | 1991 — USSR |
 | Monaco Monaco | Sovereign 1419; treaty 1861 |
 | Montenegro Podgorica | 2006 — Split from Serbia & Montenegro |
 | Netherlands Amsterdam / The Hague | 1581 decl., recognised 1648 |
 | North Macedonia Skopje | 1991 — Yugoslavia |
 | Norway Oslo | 1905 — Dissolved union with Sweden |
 | Poland Warsaw | 1918 reborn; free republic 1989 |
 | Portugal Lisbon | Oldest borders 1249; republic 1910 |
 | Romania Bucharest | 1877 — Ottoman Empire; unity 1918 |
 | San Marino San Marino | Founded 301 CE (oldest republic) |
 | Serbia Belgrade | 2006 — After Montenegro split |
 | Slovakia Bratislava | 1993 — Split from Czechoslovakia |
 | Slovenia Ljubljana | 1991 — Yugoslavia |
 | Spain Madrid | Unification 1479; democracy 1978 |
 | Sweden Stockholm | Independent kingdom since 1523 |
 | Switzerland Bern | Confederation 1291; neutrality 1815 |
 | Ukraine Kyiv | 1991 — USSR (first free state 1917) |
 | United Kingdom London | 1707 / 1801 Acts of Union |
 | Vatican City Vatican City | 1929 — Lateran Treaty |
North America — 23 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From |
|---|---|---|
 | Antigua & Barbuda St John’s | 1981 — United Kingdom |
 | Bahamas Nassau | 1973 — United Kingdom |
 | Barbados Bridgetown | 1966 — United Kingdom |
 | Belize Belmopan | 1981 — United Kingdom |
 | Canada Ottawa | 1867 Confederation; full sovereignty 1982 |
 | Costa Rica San José | 1821 — Spain |
 | Cuba Havana | 1902 — U.S. rule after Spain |
 | Dominica Roseau | 1978 — United Kingdom |
 | Dominican Republic Santo Domingo | 1844 — Haiti |
 | El Salvador San Salvador | 1821 — Spain |
 | Grenada St George’s | 1974 — United Kingdom |
 | Guatemala Guatemala City | 1821 — Spain |
 | Haiti Port-au-Prince | 1804 — France (slave revolt) |
 | Honduras Tegucigalpa | 1821 — Spain |
 | Jamaica Kingston | 1962 — United Kingdom |
 | Mexico Mexico City | 1821 — Spain |
 | Nicaragua Managua | 1821 — Spain |
 | Panama Panama City | 1903 — Colombia |
 | St Kitts & Nevis Basseterre | 1983 — United Kingdom |
 | St Lucia Castries | 1979 — United Kingdom |
 | St Vincent & Grenadines Kingstown | 1979 — United Kingdom |
 | Trinidad & Tobago Port of Spain | 1962 — United Kingdom |
 | United States Washington, D.C. | 1776 — Great Britain |
South America — 12 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From |
|---|---|---|
 | Argentina Buenos Aires | 1816 — Spain |
 | Bolivia Sucre / La Paz | 1825 — Spain |
 | Brazil Brasília | 1822 — Portugal |
 | Chile Santiago | 1818 — Spain |
 | Colombia Bogotá | 1810 / 1819 — Spain |
 | Ecuador Quito | 1822 — Spain |
 | Guyana Georgetown | 1966 — United Kingdom |
 | Paraguay Asunción | 1811 — Spain |
 | Peru Lima | 1821 — Spain |
 | Suriname Paramaribo | 1975 — Netherlands |
 | Uruguay Montevideo | 1828 — Brazil (Treaty of Montevideo) |
 | Venezuela Caracas | 1811 — Spain |
Oceania — 14 Countries
| Flag | Country & Capital | Independence Year / From |
|---|---|---|
 | Australia Canberra | 1901 federation; full sovereignty 1942 — United Kingdom |
 | Fiji Suva | 1970 — United Kingdom |
 | Kiribati Tarawa | 1979 — United Kingdom |
 | Marshall Islands Majuro | 1986 — US-administered UN trusteeship |
 | Micronesia Palikir | 1986 — US trusteeship |
 | Nauru Yaren (dist.) | 1968 — Australia/UK/NZ trusteeship |
 | New Zealand Wellington | 1907 dominion; full statute 1947 — United Kingdom |
 | Palau Ngerulmud | 1994 — US trusteeship |
 | Papua New Guinea Port Moresby | 1975 — Australia |
 | Samoa Apia | 1962 — New Zealand |
 | Solomon Islands Honiara | 1978 — United Kingdom |
 | Tonga Nukuʻalofa | Never colonised; UK protectorate ended 1970 |
 | Tuvalu Funafuti | 1978 — United Kingdom |
 | Vanuatu Port Vila | 1980 — Joint UK–France rule (New Hebrides) |
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]
[…] Copied! Full List of World Flags & Independence Year […]