List of sovereign states in the 1870s

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2008)

This is a list of sovereign states in the 1870s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1870 and 31 December 1879. It contains entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes widely recognized sovereign states, entities which were de facto sovereign but which were not widely recognized by other states.

Name and capital city	Information on status and recognition of sovereignty
A [edit]
Abuja – Abuja Emirate Capital: Abuja	Widely recognized state.
Afghanistan – Emirate of Afghanistan (to 24 May 1879) Capital: Kabul	Widely recognized independent state to 24 May 1879. De-jure British protected state from 24 May 1879.
Agadez – Tenere Sultanate of Aïr[1] Capital: Agadez	Widely recognized state.
Andorra – Principality of Andorra[2] Capital: Andorra la Vella	Widely recognized independent state. The President of France and Bishop of Urgell were ex officio Co-Princes of Andorra. The defense of Andorra was the responsibility of France and Spain.
Angoche – Angoche Sultanate[3] Capital: Angoche
Ankole – Kingdom of Ankole[4] Capital: Mbarara	Widely recognized state.
Annam – Empire of Annam Capital: Phú Xuân	Widely recognized state. Internal imperial system within Chinese tributary.
Anziku – Anziku Kingdom (to 1875) Capital: Monsol	Widely recognized state to 1875. Annexed by France in 1875.
Argentina – Argentine Republic[5] Capital: Buenos Aires
Aro – Aro Confederacy Capital: Arochukwu	Widely recognized state.
Ashanti – Asante Union[6] Capital: Kumasi	Widely recognized state.
Aussa – Sultanate of Aussa[7] Capital: Aussa	Widely recognized state.
Austria-Hungary – Austro-Hungarian Empire[8] Capital: Vienna (Cisleithania), Budapest (Transleithania)	Widely recognized state.
B [edit]
Baden – Grand Duchy of Baden[9] (to 18 January 1871) Capital: Karlsruhe	Widely recognized state to 18 January 1871. State of the North German Confederation to 18 January 1871. Became part of the German Empire on 18 January 1871.
Baguirmi – Kingdom of Baguirmi[10] Capital: Massenya	Tributary state of the Bornu Empire.
Bali – Kingdom of Bali Capital: Klungkung	Widely recognized state. Bali was a series of kingdoms that ruled the island of Bali.
Baol – Kingdom of Baol[11] Capital: Diourbel	Widely recognized state.
Barotseland – Kingdom of Barotseland[12] Capital: Mongu	Widely recognized state.
Bavaria – Kingdom of Bavaria (to 18 January 1871) Capital: Munich	Widely recognized state to 18 January 1871. State of the North German Confederation to 18 January 1871. Became part of the German Empire on 18 January 1871.
Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium[13] Capital: Brussels	Widely recognized state. Belgium has sovereignty over 1 condominium: Moresnet (Condominium sui iuris of Belgium and Prussia)
Beni Abbas – Kingdom of Beni Abbas (to 1872) Capital: Kalâa of Ait Abbas	Widely recognized state to 1872. Annexed by France in 1872.
Benin – Kingdom of Benin[14] Capital: Edo	Widely recognized state.
Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan Capital: Punakha	Widely recognized state.
Biu – Biu Kingdom Capital: Biu	Widely recognized state.
Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia Capital: Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative)	Widely recognized state.
Bora Bora – Kingdom of Bora Bora[15] Capital: Nunue, Vaitape	Widely recognized state.
Bornu – Bornu Empire[16] Capital: Ngazargamu	Widely recognized state.
Brakna – Brakna Emirate Capital: Aleg	Widely recognized state.
Brazil – Empire of Brazil Capital: Rio de Janeiro	Brazil was a federation of 20 states and one federal district.[a]
Brunei – Sultanate of Brunei Capital: Kampong Ayer	Widely recognized state.
Buganda – Kingdom of Buganda Capital: Mengo	Widely recognized state.
Bulgaria – Principality of Bulgaria (from 1878)[17] Capital: Sofia	De facto independent, and de jure vassal state under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.
Bukhara – Emirate of Bukhara[18] (to 1873) Capital: Bukhara	Widely recognized state to 1873. Annexed by Russia in 1873.
Bulungan – Sultanate of Bulungan Capital: Tanjung Palas	Widely recognized state. Vassal state of Sulu.
Bunyoro – Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Capital: Hoima	Widely recognized state.
Burma – Kingdom of Burma[19] Capital: Mandalay	Widely recognized state.
Burundi – Kingdom of Burundi Capital: Gitega	Widely recognized state.
Busoga – Kingdom of Busoga Capital: Bugembe	Widely recognized state.
C [edit]
Canada – Dominion of Canada Capital: Ottawa	Widely recognized state. Commonwealth realm.
Cayor – Kingdom of Cayor (to 1879) Capital: Mboul	Widely recognized state to 1879. Incorporated to French West Africa in 1879.
Champasak – Kingdom of Champasak[20] Capital: Champasak	Widely recognized state. Vassal state of Siam.
Chile – Liberal Republic of Chile[21] Capital: Santiago	Widely recognized state.
Chokwe – Chokwe Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
→  China – Great Qing Empire Capital: Beijing	Widely recognized state. China had sovereignty over the following territories: Lanfang Republic (Vassal state) Sikkim (Protectorate)  Tibet (Protectorate)
Colombia – United States of Colombia Capital: Bogota	Widely recognized state.
Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica Capital: San Jose	Widely recognized state.
D [edit]
Dagbon – Kingdom of Dagbon Capital: Yendi	Widely recognized state.
Dahomey – Kingdom of Dahomey[22] Capital: Abomey	Widely recognized state.
Dai Nam – Dai Nam Realm Capital: Phú Xuân	Widely recognized state. Tributary state of China.
Damagaram – Sultanate of Damagaram Capital: Zinder	Widely recognized state.
Dar al Kuti – Sultanate of Dar Al Kuti[23] Capital: N'Délé	Widely recognized state. Vassal state of Dar Runga.
Darfur – Sultanate of Darfur (to 1874) Capital: Al Fashir	Widely recognized state to 1874. Conquered by Mahdist Sudan in 1874
Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark Capital: Copenhagen	Widely recognized state. Denmark had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: Danish West Indies (Colony) Greenland (Territory) Iceland (Dependency)
Dhala – Emirate of Dhala Capital: Dhale	Widely recognized state.
Dominican Republic – Second Republic Capital: Santo Domingo	Widely recognized state.
Dosso – Dosso Kingdom Capital: Dosso	Widely recognized state.
E [edit]
Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador Capital: Quito	Widely recognized state.
→ → El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador Capital: San Salvador	Widely recognized state.
→ Ethiopia – Ethiopian Empire Capital: Addis Ababa	Widely recognized state.
F [edit]
Fadhli – Fadhli Sultanate[24] Capital: Shuqrah	Widely recognized state.
Fante – Fante Confederacy (to 1874) Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state to 1874. Incorporated into the Gold Coast in 1874.
France Capital: Paris Empire of the French (to 4 September 1870) Third French Republic (from 4 September 1870)	Widely recognized independent state. France had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: Cambodia (Protectorate) French Algeria (de jure Department of Metropolitan France, de facto Colony) French Cochinchina (Colony) French Guiana (Colony) French India (Colony) French Ivory Coast (Protectorate) French Oceania – French Establishments in Oceania (Colony) Guadeloupe (Colony) Martinique (Colony) Mayotte (Colony) New Caledonia (Colony) Obock (Colony) Réunion (Colony) Saint Barthélemy (Colony) Saint Martin (Colony) Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Colony) Shanghai (Concession) Tientsin (Concession)
Futa Jallon – Imamate of Futa Jallon Capital: Timbo	Widely recognized state.
G [edit]
Garo – Kingdom of Garo Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Gaza – Gaza Empire[25] Capital: Manjacaze	Widely recognized state.
Geledi – Sultanate of the Geledi Capital: Afgooye	Widely recognized state.
Gera – Kingdom of Gera Capital: Chala	Widely recognized state.
Germany – German Empire (from 18 January 1871) Capital: Berlin	Widely recognized state from 18 January 1871. The German Empire consisted of 25 constituent states and an imperial territory.
Gomma – Kingdom of Gomma Capital: Agaro	Widely recognized state.
Gowa – Sultanate of Gowa Capital: Jongaya	Widely recognized state.
Greece – Kingdom of Greece Capital: Athens	Widely recognized state.
→ Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City	Widely recognized state.
Gumma – Kingdom of Gumma Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Gyaaman – State of Gyaaman Capital: Sampa, Drobo	Widely recognized state.
H [edit]
Ha'il – Emirate of Jabal Shammar Capital: Ha'il	Widely recognized state.
Haiti – Republic of Haiti[26] Capital: Port-au-Prince	Widely recognized state.
Harar – Emirate of Harar (to 1875) Capital: Ge	Widely recognized state to 1875. Client state of the Khedivate of Egypt from 1875.
Hawaii – Kingdom of Hawaii Capital: Honolulu	Widely recognized state.
Hesse-Darmstadt – Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine (to 18 January 1871) Capital: Darmstadt	Widely recognized state to 18 January 1871. State of the North German Confederation to 18 January 1871. Became part of the German Empire on 18 January 1871.
Hobyo – Sultanate of Hobyo (from 1878) Capital: Hobyo	Widely recognized state from 1878.
Honduras – Republic of Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa	Widely recognized state.
Huahine – Kingdom of Huahine Capital: Huahine	Widely recognized state.
Hunza – State of Hunza Capital: Baltit	Widely recognized state.
I [edit]
Igala – Igala Kingdom[24] Capital: Idah	Widely recognized state.
Igara – Kingdom of Igara Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Ilé-Ifẹ̀ – Ilé-Ifẹ̀ Kingdom Capital: Ilé-Ifẹ̀	Widely recognized state.
Isaaq – Isaaq Sultanate Capital: Hargeisa	Widely recognized state.
Italy – Kingdom of Italy Capital: Rome	Widely recognized independent state.
J [edit]
Japan – Empire of Japan Capital: Tokyo City	Widely recognized state. Japan had sovereignty over the following overseas territories: Hokkaido (Colony) Kuril Islands (Colony) Ryukyu Islands (Colony)
Jimma – Kingdom of Jimma Capital: Jiren	Widely recognized state.
Jolof – Jolof Kingdom Capital: Ouarkhokh	Widely recognized state.
K [edit]
Kaarta – Kingdom of Kaarta Capital: Diangounté, Nioros	Widely recognized state.
Kabulistan – Kingdom of Kabul (to 12 October 1879) Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state to 12 October 1879.
Kaffa – Kingdom of Kaffa Capital: Bonga, Anderaccha	Widely recognized state.
Kajara – Kajara Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Kakongo – Kingdom of Kakongo Capital: Kinguele	Widely recognized state.
Kalat – Khanate of Kalat (to 1875) Capital: Kalat	Widely recognized state to 1875. Incorporated to British India in 1875.
Kano – Emirate of Kano Capital: Takai	Widely recognized state. Vassal of the Sokoto Caliphate
Kasanje – Jaga Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Kathiri – Hadhrami Kathiri Dynasty in Seiyun Capital: Seiyun	Widely recognized state.
Kebbi – Kebbi Emirate Capital: Argungu	Widely recognized state.
Kénédougou – Kénédougou Kingdom Capital: Sikasso	Widely recognized state.
Khasso – Kingdom of Khasso Capital: Médine	Widely recognized state.
Khiva – Khanate of Khiva (to 12 August 1873) Capital: Khiva	Widely recognized state to 12 August 1873. Annexed by Russia on 12 August 1873.
Kokand – Khanate of Kokand}}'Kokand' – Khanate of Kokand (to 19 February 1876) Capital: Kokand	Widely recognized state to 19 February 1876.
Kong – Kong Empire Capital: Kong	Widely recognized state.
Kongo – Kingdom of Kongo Capital: Mbanza-Kongo	Vassal of the Kingdom of Portugal.
Korea – Kingdom of Great Joseon Capital: Seoul	Widely recognized state.
Koya Temne – Kingdom of Koya Capital: Grand Cape Mount	Widely recognized state.
Kuba – Kingdom of Kuba Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
L [edit]
Lafia Beri-Beri – Lafia Beri-Beri Kingdom Capital: Lafia	Widely recognized state.
Liberia – Republic of Liberia Capital: Monrovia	Widely recognized state.
Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein Capital: Vaduz	Widely recognized state.
Limmu-Ennarea – Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea Capital: Saqqa	Widely recognized state.
Loango – Kingdom of Loango Capital: Buali	Widely recognized state.
Lower Yafa – Sultanate of Lower Yafa Capital: Jaʿār	Widely recognized state.
Luba – Luba Empire Capital: Mwibele	Widely recognized state.
Lunda – Luba Empire Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Capital: Luxembourg City	Widely recognized state.
M [edit]
Maguindanao – Sultanate of Maguindanao Capital: Kuta Watu	Widely recognized state.
Mahra – Sultanate of Mahra Capital: Qishn	Widely recognized state.
Majeerteen Sultanate – Majeerteen Kingdom Capital: Alula	Widely recognized state.
Maldives – Sultanate of Maldive Islands Capital: Malé	Widely recognized state.
Mangareva – Kingdom of Mangareva Capital: Mangareva	Widely recognized state.
Manipur – Kingdom of Manipur Capital: Imphal	Widely recognized state.
Maravi – Kingdom of Maravi Capital: Manthimba	Widely recognized state.
Matabeleland – Matabele Kingdom Capital: Bulawayo	Widely recognized state.
Mbunda – Mbunda Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Merina – Kingdom of Imerina Capital: Antananarivo	Widely recognized state.
Mexico Capital: Mexico City Restored Republic (to 10 January 1876) Porfiriato (from 10 January 1876)	Widely recognized state.
Monaco – Principality of Monaco Capital: Monaco	Widely recognized state.
Montenegro – Principality of Montenegro Capital: Cetinje	Widely recognized state.
Morocco – Sultanate of Morocco Capital: Fes	Widely recognized state.
Mossi Kingdoms – Mossi Empire Capital: Multiple capitals	Widely recognized independent state. The following are a number of different kingdoms that make up the Mossi Empire:   Gurunsi   Gwiriko   Liptako   Nungu   Wogodogo   Yatenga
Mthwakazi – Kingdom of Mthwakazi Capital: Bulawayo	Widely recognized state.
Muscat and Oman – Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Capital: Muscat	De jure independent state. De facto a British protectorate.
Mutayr – Emirate of Mutayr Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
N [edit]
Negeri Sembilan Capital: Seremban	Widely recognized state.
Nejd – Emirate of Nejd Capital: Riyadh	Widely recognized state.
Nepal – Kingdom of Nepal Capital: Kathmandu	Widely recognized state.
Netherlands – Kingdom of The Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam	Widely recognized state.
Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua Capital: Managua	Widely recognized state.
Niue – Kingdom of Niue-Fekai Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
North German Confederation (to 18 January 1871) Capital: Berlin	Widely recognized state to 18 January 1871. Incorporated to the German Empire on 18 January 1871.
Nri – Kingdom of Nri Capital: Igbo-Ukwu	Widely recognized state.
Nshenyi – Nshenyi Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
O [edit]
Obwera – Obwera Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Onitsha – Onitsha Kingdom Capital: Onitsha	Widely recognized state.
Orange Free State Capital: Bloemfontein	Widely recognized state.
Oron – Oron Nation Capital: Oron	Widely recognized state.
Orungu – Kingdom of Orungu (to 1873)[27] Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state to 1873. Annexed by France in 1873.
Ottoman Empire – Sublime Ottoman State Capital: Constantinople	Widely recognized state. The following are autonomous territories of the Ottoman Empire: Egypt (De jure Autonomous vassal under de facto British occupation) Kuwait (Vassal state) Mecca (Non-sovereign state) Qatar (De facto autonomous Kazak) Samos (Autonomous state) Tunis (Vassal state; De facto Independent state)
Oyo – Oyo Empire Capital: Oyo-Ile	Widely recognized state.
P [edit]
Pahang – Sultanate of Pahang Capital: Pekan	Widely recognized state.
Papal States – State of the Church (to 20 September 1870) Capital: Rome	Widely recognized state. Annexed by the Kingdom of Italy on 20 September 1870.
Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay Capital: Asunción	Widely recognized state.
Pate – Pate Sultanate (to 1870) Capital: Faza	Widely recognized state.
Patani – Sultanate of Patani[28] Capital: Patani	Widely recognized state.
Perak – Sultanate of Perak (to 20 January 1874) Capital: Ipoh	Widely recognized state. Annexed by the United Kingdom on 20 January 1874.
Persia – Sublime State of Persia Capital: Tehran	Widely recognized state.
Peru Capital: Lima Peruvian Republic (to 2 November 1879) Chilean occupation of Peru (from 2 November 1879)	Widely recognized state to 2 November 1879. De facto independent state from 2 November 1879.
Portugal – Kingdom of Portugal Capital: Lisbon	Widely recognized state. The following are colonies, vassal state and possession of Portugal: Portuguese Cape Verde (Colony) Portuguese East Africa (Colony) Portuguese Guinea (Colony) Portuguese India (Colony) Portuguese Macau (Colony) Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe (Colony) Portuguese Timor (Colony) Portuguese West Africa (Colony) Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá (Possession)
Potiskum – Potiskum Emirate Capital: Potiskum	Widely recognized state.
Q [edit]
Qu'aiti – Qu'aiti Sultanate of Shihr and Mukalla[29] Capital: Al-Shihr	Widely recognized state.
R [edit]
Raiatea – Kingdom of Raiatea Capital: Uturoa	Widely recognized state.
Rapa Nui – Kingdom of Rapa Nui Capital: Anakena	Widely recognized state.
Rarotonga – Kingdom of Rarotonga Capital: Anakena	Widely recognized state.
Romania – Romanian United Principalities Capital: Bucharest	Widely recognized state.
Rujumbura – Rujumbura Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Rukiga – Rukiga Kingdom Capital: Not specified	Widely recognized state.
Russia – Russian Empire Capital: Saint Petersburg	Widely recognized state.
Rwanda – Kingdom of Rwanda Capital: Nyanza	Widely recognized state.
States claiming sovereignty [edit]
Aceh – Sultanate of Aceh Capital: Kutaraja	Protectorate of the Ottoman Empire.
Assiniboia – Provisional Government of Assiniboia (to 1870) Capital: Batoche	Unrecognized state, Provisional Government. Claimed by the Dominion of Canada.
Cartagena – Canton of Cartagena (from 12 July 1873 to 13 January 1874) Capital: Cartagena	Unrecognized state. Claimed by the First Spanish Republic.
Cuba – Republic of Cuba Capital: Havana	Unrecognized state.
Fiji – Kingdom of Fiji (from 5 June 1871 to 10 October 1874) Capital: Suva	Unrecognized state. Claimed by the United Kingdom on 10 October 1874.
Goust – Republic of Goust Capital: None	Unrecognized state.
Málaga – Canton of Málaga (from 18 July 1873 to 19 September 1873) Capital: Málaga	Unrecognized state. Claimed by the First Spanish Republic.
Paris – Paris Commune (from 18 March 1871 to 28 May 1871) Capital: None	Unrecognized state. Claimed by the French Republic.
Tamrash – Republic of Tamrash (from 1878) Capital: Málaga	Unrecognized state. Self-governing administrative structure of the Pomaks.
Valencia – Canton of Valencia (from 18 July 1873 to 8 August 1873) Capital: Valencia	Unrecognized state. Claimed by the First Spanish Republic.
Xibei San Ma Capital: None	Unrecognized state.
→ Yettishar – Kingdom of Kashgaria (to 18 December 1877) Capital: Kashgar	Unrecognized state. Vassal of the Ottoman Empire from 1873 to 18 December 1877.

•  Ryūkyū Kingdom – Kingdom of Ryūkyū (to March 13, 1879)

•  Samoa – Kingdom of Samoa
•  San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San Marino
• →  Sarawak – Kingdom of Sarawak
• Selangor – Sultanate of Selangor
• Serbia – Principality of Serbia (from 1878)
• Siam – Kingdom of Siam
• Sokoto – Sokoto Caliphate

South African Republic → Transvaal

• → → Spain
  • Kingdom of Spain (to February 11, 1873)
  • Spanish Republic (from February 11, 1873, to December 29, 1874)
  • Kingdom of Spain (from December 29, 1874)
• → Sulu – Sultanate of Sulu
• Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden (in personal union with Norway)
• Switzerland – Swiss Confederation

• Tahiti – Kingdom of Tahiti
•  Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
• Toro – Toro Kingdom (to 1876)
•  Toucouleur – Toucouleur Empire
•  Tuggurt – Sultanate of Tuggurt

•  United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
• →  United States – United States of America
•  Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay

•  Venezuela – United States of Venezuela

•  Wassoulou – Wassoulou Empire (from 1878)
•  Welayta – Kingdom of Welayta
•  Württemberg – Kingdom of Württemberg (to January 18, 1871)

•  Yamma – Kingdom of Yamma
•  Yeke – Yeke Kingdom

•  Zanzibar – Sultanate of Zanzibar
•  Zululand – Kingdom of the Zulus

• Griqualand East (to 1874)
•  Manitobah – Republic of Manitobah
• Tavolara – Kingdom of Tavolara