Member states of UNESCO
As of July 2023[update], UNESCO members include 194 member states and 12 associate members.[1] Some members have additional National Organizing Committees (NOCs) for some of their dependent territories.[2] The associate members are non-independent states. Three UNESCO member states are not UN member states: Cook Islands, Niue, and Palestine (Palestine is a non-member observer State of the United Nations General Assembly since 29 November 2012), while UN member states Israel and Liechtenstein are not UNESCO members. Israel and the United States left on 31 December 2018 asserting that the organization had an anti-Israel bias.[3] The United States later reversed its decision in 2023,[4] and was readmitted by the UNESCO General Conference that July.[5] Kosovo was approved for membership by UNESCO's executive board in 2015,[6] but the proposal did not receive the required 2/3 of votes in favour at the general conference.[7]
Member states
The 194 UNESCO member states, as of July 2023[update], with the date on which they became members, are:[8][9][1][2]
- File:Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan (4 May 1948)
- File:Flag of Albania.svg Albania (16 October 1958)
- File:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria (15 October 1962)
- File:Flag of Andorra.svg Andorra (20 October 1993)
- File:Flag of Angola.svg Angola (11 March 1977)
- File:Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg Antigua and Barbuda (15 July 1982)
- File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina (15 September 1948)
- File:Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia (9 June 1992)
- File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria (13 August 1948)
- File:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan (3 June 1992)
- File:Flag of the Bahamas.svg Bahamas (23 April 1981)
- File:Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain (18 January 1972)
- File:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh (27 October 1972)
- File:Flag of Barbados.svg Barbados (24 October 1968)
- File:Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus (12 May 1954)
- File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium (29 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Belize.svg Belize (10 May 1982)
- File:Flag of Benin.svg Benin (18 October 1960)
- File:Flag of Bhutan.svg Bhutan (13 April 1982)
- File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia (13 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina (2 June 1993)
- File:Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana (16 January 1980)
- File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei Darussalam (17 May 2005)
- File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria (17 May 1956)
- File:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso (14 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi (16 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia (3 July 1951)
- File:Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon (11 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde (15 February 1978)
- File:Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic (11 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Chad.svg Chad (19 December 1960)
- File:Flag of Chile.svg Chile (7 July 1953)
- File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] (4 November 1946)
- including separate NOC for File:Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong
- File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia (31 October 1947)
- File:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros (22 March 1977)
- File:Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Congo (24 October 1960)
- File:Flag of the Cook Islands.svg Cook Islands (25 October 1989)
- File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica (19 May 1950)
- File:Flag of Côte d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire (27 October 1960)
- File:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia (1 June 1992)
- File:Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba (29 August 1947)
- File:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus (6 February 1961)
- File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic (22 February 1993)
- File:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo (25 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark[lower-alpha 1] (4 November 1946)
- including the territory of File:Flag of Greenland.svg Greenland
- File:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti (31 August 1989)
- File:Flag of Dominica.svg Dominica (9 January 1979)
- File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador (22 January 1947)
- File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador (28 April 1948)
- File:Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg Equatorial Guinea (29 November 1979)
- File:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea (2 September 1993)
- File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia (14 October 1991)
- File:Flag of Eswatini.svg Eswatini (25 January 1978)[lower-alpha 3]
- File:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia (1 July 1955)
- File:Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji (14 July 1983)
- File:Flag of Finland.svg Finland (10 October 1956)
- File:Flag of France.svg France (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon (16 November 1960)
- File:Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia (1 August 1973)
- File:Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia (7 October 1992)
- File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany (11 July 1951)
- File:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana (11 April 1958)
- File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Grenada.svg Grenada (17 February 1975)
- File:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala (2 January 1950)
- File:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea (2 February 1960)
- File:Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau (1 November 1974)
- File:Flag of Guyana.svg Guyana (21 March 1967)
- File:Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti (18 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Honduras.svg Honduras (16 December 1947)
- File:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary (14 September 1948)
- File:Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland (8 June 1964)
- File:Flag of India.svg India (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia (27 May 1950)
- File:Flag of Iran.svg Iran (6 September 1948)
- File:Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq (21 October 1948)
- File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland (3 October 1961)
- File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (27 January 1948)
- File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica (7 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (2 July 1951)
- File:Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan (14 June 1950)
- File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan (22 May 1992)
- File:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya (7 April 1964)
- File:Flag of Kiribati.svg Kiribati (24 October 1989)
- File:Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea (18 October 1974)
- File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea (14 June 1950)
- File:Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait (18 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan (2 June 1992)
- File:Flag of Laos.svg Lao People's Democratic Republic (9 July 1951)
- File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia (14 October 1991)
- File:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho (29 September 1967)
- File:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia (6 March 1947)
- File:Flag of Libya.svg Libya (27 June 1953)
- File:Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania (7 October 1991)
- File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg (27 October 1947)
- File:Flag of Madagascar.svg Madagascar (10 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi (27 October 1964)
- File:Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia (16 June 1958)
- File:Flag of Maldives.svg Maldives (18 July 1980)
- File:Flag of Mali.svg Mali (7 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Malta.svg Malta (10 February 1965)
- File:Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg Marshall Islands (30 June 1995)
- File:Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania (10 January 1962)
- File:Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius (25 October 1968)
- File:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg Federated States of Micronesia (19 October 1999)
- File:Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova (27 May 1992)
- File:Flag of Monaco.svg Monaco (6 July 1949)
- File:Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia (1 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Montenegro.svg Montenegro (1 March 2007)[lower-alpha 4]
- File:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco (7 November 1956)
- File:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique (11 October 1976)
- File:Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar (27 June 1949)
- File:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia (2 November 1978)
- File:Flag of Nauru.svg Nauru (17 October 1996)
- File:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal (1 May 1953)
- File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands[lower-alpha 1] (1 January 1947)
- File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand[lower-alpha 1] (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua (22 February 1952)
- File:Flag of Niger.svg Niger (10 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria (14 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Niue.svg Niue (26 October 1993)[lower-alpha 5]
- File:Flag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia (28 June 1993)[lower-alpha 6]
- File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Oman.svg Oman (10 February 1972)
- File:Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan (14 September 1949)
- File:Flag of Palau.svg Palau (20 September 1999)
- File:Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine (23 November 2011)[lower-alpha 7]
- File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama (10 January 1950)
- File:Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Papua New Guinea (4 October 1976)
- File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay (20 June 1955)
- File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru (21 November 1946)
- File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines (21 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland (6 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal (11 September 1974)[lower-alpha 8]
- File:Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar (27 January 1972)
- File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania (27 July 1956)
- File:Flag of Russia.svg Russian Federation (21 April 1954)[lower-alpha 9]
- File:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda (7 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg Saint Kitts and Nevis (26 October 1983)
- File:Flag of Saint Lucia.svg Saint Lucia (6 March 1980)
- File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (15 February 1983)
- File:Flag of Samoa.svg Samoa (3 April 1981)
- File:Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino (12 November 1974)
- File:Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe.svg São Tomé and Príncipe (22 January 1980)
- File:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal (10 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia (20 December 2000)[lower-alpha 4]
- File:Flag of Seychelles.svg Seychelles (18 October 1976)
- File:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone (28 March 1962)
- File:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore (8 October 2007)[lower-alpha 10]
- File:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia (9 February 1993)
- File:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia (27 May 1992)
- File:Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Islands (7 September 1993)
- File:Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia (15 November 1960)
- File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa (12 December 1994)[lower-alpha 11]
- File:Flag of South Sudan.svg South Sudan (27 October 2011)[12]
- File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain (30 January 1953)
- File:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka (14 November 1949)
- File:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan (26 November 1956)
- File:Flag of Suriname.svg Suriname (16 July 1976)
- File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden (23 January 1950)
- File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland (28 January 1949)
- including separate NOC for File:Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein
- File:Flag of Syria.svg Syrian Arab Republic (16 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Tajikistan.svg Tajikistan (6 April 1993)
- File:Flag of Tanzania.svg United Republic of Tanzania (6 March 1962)
- File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand (1 January 1949)
- File:Flag of East Timor.svg Timor-Leste (5 June 2003)
- File:Flag of Togo (3-2).svg Togo (17 November 1960)
- File:Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga (29 September 1980)
- File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Trinidad and Tobago (2 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia (8 November 1956)
- File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey (4 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan (17 August 1993)
- File:Flag of Tuvalu.svg Tuvalu (21 October 1991)
- File:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda (9 November 1962)
- File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine (12 May 1954)
- File:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates (20 April 1972)
- File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom[lower-alpha 1] (1 July 1997)[lower-alpha 12]
- including separate NOC for File:Flag of Bermuda.svg Bermuda
- File:Flag of the United States.svg United States (4 November 1946 – 31 December 1984; 1 October 2003 – 31 December 2018; 10 July 2023 – present)[3][5]
- File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay (8 November 1947)
- File:Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan (26 October 1993)
- File:Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu (10 February 1994)
- File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela (25 November 1946)
- File:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam (6 July 1951)[lower-alpha 13]
- File:Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen (2 April 1962)
- File:Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia (9 November 1964)
- File:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe (22 September 1980)
Currently File:Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein is not a member of UNESCO, but they have an NOC under Switzerland's membership.[2]
Former members
- File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel (16 September 1949 – 31 December 2018)[3]
Both Israel and the United States withdrew claiming that the organization had an anti-Israel bias,[3][13] with the United States moving to rejoin in 2023.[5]
Associate members
The 12 associate members of UNESCO and the date on which they became associate members:[1]
- File:Flag of Åland.svg Åland Islands (9 November 2021)
- File:Flag of Anguilla.svg Anguilla (5 November 2013)
- File:Flag of Aruba.svg Aruba (20 October 1987)
- File:Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg British Virgin Islands (24 November 1983)
- File:Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg Cayman Islands (30 October 1999)
- File:Flag of Curaçao.svg Curaçao (25 October 2011)[lower-alpha 14]
- File:Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg Faroes (12 October 2009)
- File:Flag of Macau.svg Macau (25 October 1995)[lower-alpha 15]
- File:Flag of Montserrat.svg Montserrat (3 November 2015)
- File:Flags of New Caledonia.svg New Caledonia (30 October 2017)
- File:Flag of Sint Maarten.svg Sint Maarten (25 October 2011)[lower-alpha 14]
- File:Flag of Tokelau.svg Tokelau (15 October 2001)
Observers
There are 2 Permanent Observers and 10 intergovernmental organizations with Permanent Observer Missions to UNESCO.[14]
- Non-member States[15]
- Entities[15]
- Intergovernmental organizations[15]
- African Union
- Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization
- Council of Europe
- European Union
- Inter-American Development Bank
- Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences
- Latin Union
- League of Arab States
- Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture
In addition, there is a liaison office of the United Nations University at UNESCO.[16]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Some territories of China, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are associate members of UNESCO.
- ↑ Membership was founded as the File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Republic of China to 1971.
- ↑ As Swaziland before 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) became a Member State on 31 March 1950. The participation of Yugoslavia in meetings of governing bodies and conferences of UNESCO was suspended following Resolution 47/1 adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 22 September 1992, which stated that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) could not continue automatically the membership of the former SFRY. Accordingly, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which became a Member State on 20 December 2000, could not automatically succeed the former SFRY as a member of the Organization. Following the adoption of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro by the Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on 4 February 2003, the name of the State of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been changed to "Serbia and Montenegro". Further to the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro on 3 June 2006, UNESCO has been informed that the membership of the State Union Serbia and Montenegro in UNESCO is continued by the Republic of Serbia on the basis of Article 60 of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro.
- ↑ Niue does not have a National Organizing Committee established.[2]
- ↑ As "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" before 2019
- ↑ On 31 October 2011, the UNESCO General Conference in Paris admitted Palestine as a UNESCO member state, with 107 votes in favour of admission and 14 votes against, with 52 abstentions (a two-thirds majority vote in favour by member states is required). The decision took effect on 23 November 2011 when Palestine ratified UNESCO’s constitution.[10]
- ↑ Previously a Member State from 11 March 1965 to 31 December 1972.
- ↑ Membership was founded as the File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union to 1991.
- ↑ Previously a Member State from 28 October 1965 to 31 December 1985.[11]
- ↑ Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1956.
- ↑ Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1985.
- ↑ Membership was founded as the File:Flag of South Vietnam.svg South Vietnam to 1975.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 The Netherlands Antilles became associate member of UNESCO on 26 October 1983. On Sunday 10 October 2010, a new status of the Netherlands Antilles came into effect within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, by which the country-status Dutch: land of the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist. Under the new status, Curacao and Sint Maarten become countries (enjoying internal self-government within the Kingdom), joining Aruba, which gained similar status in 1986. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba have become part of the country "the Netherlands". The Netherlands retains responsibility for e.g. defence and foreign policy.
- ↑ As Macau before 1999
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 UNESCO official site: List of the 193 Member States (and the 11 Associate Members) of UNESCO and the date on which they became members (or Associate Members) of the Organization, as of 1 January 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 WADA. "Summary update on Government progress to become a State Party to the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport" (PDF). p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lazaroff, Tovah (31 December 2018). "Israel, U.S. slated to leave UNESCO today to protest anti-Israel bias". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ↑ Charlton, Angela (12 June 2023). "US decides to rejoin UNESCO and pay back dues, to counter Chinese influence". Associated Press. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lee, Matthew (11 July 2023). "U.S. formally rejoins UNESCO 5 years after withdraw". PBS. Associated Press. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ↑ "Kosovo Moves Closer To UNESCO Membership". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- ↑ "Kosovo's UNESCO Membership Bid Fails". 9 November 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ↑ "UK Depositary Status List - Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)" (PDF). Foreign and Commonwealth Office. April 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ↑ "Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [as later amended]". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ↑ "General Conference admits Palestine as UNESCO Member". UNESCO. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ↑ UNESCO. "UNESCO - Singapore - official relations". Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ↑ UNESCO. "South Sudan – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". Retrieved 19 August 2013.
- ↑ Nauert, Heather (12 October 2017). "The United States Withdraws From UNESCO" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ↑ UNESCO. "UNESCO Permanent delegations". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 UNESCO. "Directory of Permanenent Delegations and Permanent Observer Missions to UNESCO". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ↑ UNESCO. "Directory of Permanent Delegations to UNESCO". Retrieved 1 November 2011.