NationMaster - Encyclopedia: UN member states

In addition to the member states discussed above, there is also a non-member observer state: the Holy See (Vatican City State), which maintains a permanent observer mission at the UN headquarters. The Vatican is the smallest sovereign country in the world.

Western Sahara is often considered to be a state in "official" or academic lists of countries of the world. Because it has no effective soverignity with a government-in-exile headquartered in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, however, it is not represented at the UN.

Some international organizations or entities, such as the Palestinian Authority, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Sovereign Military Order of Malta, have a similar observer status but not as "non-member states"; see UN General Assembly for a list.

Seat of China

Main article: China and the United Nations

The Republic of China was one of the five original founders of the UN in 1945. However, at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Kuomintang-controlled ROC government fled to Taiwan, with the Communist government of the newly declared People's Republic of China taking control of most of the country. Representatives of the Nationalist government continued to represent China at the UN, though it was often alleged that this was somewhat unfair, given the size of the ROC's jurisdiction of Taiwan (and other outlying islands) compared to the PRC's juridiction of mainland China. In October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the General Assembly, effectively expelling the ROC from all UN organs and replacing the China seat on the Security Council with the PRC. Multiple attempts by the Republic of China to re-join the UN, no longer to represent "China" as a whole but the "twenty-three million people of Taiwan," have not made it past committee.

External links

Official list of member states, including membership history (http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html)

Categories: Lists of countries | United Nations

Results from FactBites:

United Nations member states - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2001 words)
	On October 25, 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the United Nations General Assembly, withdrawing recognition of the ROC as the legitimate government of China, and recognising the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China.
	Indonesia temporarily withdrew from the UN on January 20, 1965 due to the upheaval of Sukarno by Suharto's coup, and the annexation of western New Guinea.
	Singapore became an independent state on August 9, 1965, and was admitted as a UN member on September 21, 1965.

Federated States of Micronesia \| Definition \| Information \| Explanation \| Review \| WikiCity.com - Wikipedia Free ... (960 words)
	The Federated States of Micronesia are a constitutional government in free association with the United States, located in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Papua New Guinea.
	The Federated States of Micronesia were formerly part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, a United Nations Trust Territory under US administration.
	The Federated States of Micronesia are located in the region known as Micronesia, which consists of hundreds of small islands divided in seven territories.

More results at FactBites »

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Seat of China

External links

Observer States and Non-members