How many countries are there that the world does not recognise ?

Question

I have been reading about countries like Somaliland and Akhbakia that have declared independance but the world does not recognise them - how many other countries are there like this that exist but are not internationally recognised ?

Answer 1

1. I would say six countries, and that is not including tongue-in-cheek micronations like Sealand.
http://www.sealandgov.org/

2. Fairly recently, the BBC produced a short documentary series called "Holidays In Places That Don't Exist". Five countries were visited (the year of their declaration of independence is shown in brackets):
(a) Somaliland (1991)
(b) Trans-Dniester (1990)
(c) Taiwan (1971 - derecognition by the United Nations)
(d) South Ossetia (1992)
(e) Nagorno Karabakh (1991)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/4491059.stm
Note that these are fully functioning states, with governments, armies, border/immigration control, income tax and the whole shebang. They are not micronations, and they are not officially recognised internationally.

3. To that list could be added:
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (1974) - only recognised by Turkey.

4. Here is the current list of United Nations member states:
http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html

Answer 2

Kidnapped: Many countries sometimes are not diplomatically recognised by various other nations for a number of sometimes obtuse reasons. Sometimes these nations may still have trade links and exchanges so economic recognition exists. Similarly with cultural and research exchanges.
What exactly do you mean by recognition?
Who do you mean by the world -- the United Nations of which not all countries are member (but who may recognise each other) and there is no obligation to be so: The Hague (who specialise in international law) -- or particularly prominent nations like super-powers and their acolytes?
On another note: As with individuals and their contracts, nations are only obliged to honour treaties or conventions to which they are signatories so sometimes it may be in their interests not to share recognitions with others.

LaNicoya: That's an interesting list but doesn't really answer the question and what does it represent?
It seems to suggest that some nations may be claimed by others either as sovereign vassals or protectorates but does not say if these claims are recognised or if so by who or who not. Perhaps you could clarify

Answer 3

Turkish part of Cyprus.
It has an actual government aside that has sovereignty on this land, but UN or other countries don't recognize it

Answer 4

OUNTRY/CAPITAL CITY/CLAIMED BY
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(A)
American Samoa (Pago Pago) usa
Anguilla (The Valley) british
Aruba (Oranjestad) netherlands
Ashmore & Cartier Islands (na) australian
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(B)
Baker & Howland Islands (na) usa
Bermuda (Hamilton) british
Bouvet Island (na) norwegian
British Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia) british
British Virgin Is (Road Town) british
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(C)
Cayman Islands (George Town) british
Christmas Island (Flying Fish Cove) australian
Cocos Islands (West Island) australian
Cook Islands (Avarua) new zealand
Coral Sea Islands (na) australian
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(F)
Faeroe Islands (Torshavn) denmark
Falkland Islands (Stanley) british
French Guiana (Cayenne) french
French Polynesia (Papeete) french
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(G)
Gibraltar (Gibraltar) british
Greenland (Nuuk) denmark
Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre) french
Guam (Agana) usa
Guernsey (St. Peter Port) british
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(H)
Heard & MacDonald Islands (na) australian
Hong Kong (na) now controlled by China
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(I)
Isle of Man (Douglas) british
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(J)
Jan Mayen (na) norwegian
Jarvis Island (na) usa
Jersey (St. Helier) british
Johnston Atoll (na) usa
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(K)
Kingman Reef (na) usa
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(M)
Macao (Macao) now controlled by china
Martinique (Fort-de-France) french
Mayotte (Mamoudzou) french
Midway Islands (na) usa
Montserrat (Plymouth) british
dot

dot (N)
Navassa Island (na) usa
Netherland Antilles (Willemstad) netherlands
New Caledonia (Noumea) french
Niue (Alofi) new zealand
Norfolk Island (Kingston) australian
Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) usa
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(P)
Palmyra Atoll (na) usa
Paracel Islands (Woody Island) disputed by china, taiwan and vietnam
Puerto Rico (San Juan) usa
Peter Island (na) norwegian
Pitcairn Islands (Adamstown) british
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(R)
Reunion (Saint-Denis) french
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(S)
St. Helena & Dependencies (Jamestown) british
St. Pierre & Miquelon (St. Pierre) french
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (Grytviken) british
Spratly Islands (na) disputed by china, vietnam, malaysia, and more
Svalbard (Longyearbyen) norwegian
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(T)
Tokelau (na) new zealand
Turks & Caicos Islands (Cockburn Town) british
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(V)
Virgin Islands (Charlotte Amalie) usa
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(W)
Wake Island (na) usa
Wallis & Futuna (Mata Uta) french

Source: worldatlas.com

Answer 5

there is not any governmental authority that could project any so-called "worldwide Passport." that's a fraud. And attempting to apply the type of bogus "passport" everywhere can end you up in reformatory.