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{{Short description|All member states of UNESCO}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
[[File:UNESCO member states.png|thumb|right|334px|{{legend|#008000|UNESCO member states}} {{legend|#0000FF|UNESCO member state dependent territory with separate NOC}} {{legend|#00FF00|UNESCO associates}} {{legend|#FFFF00|UNESCO observers}} {{legend|#d58c08|UNESCO member states with intention to leave}}]]
[[File:UNESCO member states.png|thumb|right|334px|{{legend|#008000|UNESCO member states}} {{legend|#0000FF|UNESCO member state dependent territory with separate NOC}} {{legend|#00FF00|UNESCO associates}} {{legend|#FFFF00|UNESCO observers}}]]


{{As of|November 2015}}, [[UNESCO]] members include 195 member states and 10 associate members.<ref name=members>UNESCO official site: [http://www.unesco.org/new/en/member-states/countries/ List of the 195 Member States (and the 10 Associate Members) of UNESCO and the date on which they became members (or Associate Members) of the Organization, as of 5 November 2013]</ref><ref name=palestine>UNESCO official site: [http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=11170&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html ''General Conference admits Palestine as UNESCO Member State''], 31 November 2011</ref> Some members have additional National Organizing Committees (NOCs) for some of their [[dependent territory|dependent territories]].<ref name="non-members">{{cite web |title=Summary update on Government progress to become a State Party to the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport |url=http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/Item_8_6_Attachment_1_SummaryUpdateGovernments_UNESCO_Oct2008_ENG_FINAL.pdf |author=WADA |page=2 |format=PDF |accessdate=28 July 2009}}</ref> The associate members are non-independent states.
{{As of|July 2023}}, [[UNESCO]] members include 194 member states and 12 associate members.<ref name=members>UNESCO official site: [http://www.unesco.org/new/en/member-states/countries/ 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]</ref> Some members have additional National Organizing Committees (NOCs) for some of their [[dependent territory|dependent territories]].<ref name="non-members">{{cite web |title=Summary update on Government progress to become a State Party to the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport |url=http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/Item_8_6_Attachment_1_SummaryUpdateGovernments_UNESCO_Oct2008_ENG_FINAL.pdf |author=WADA |page=2 |accessdate=28 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116165411/http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/Item_8_6_Attachment_1_SummaryUpdateGovernments_UNESCO_Oct2008_ENG_FINAL.pdf |archivedate=16 January 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The associate members are non-independent states.


Three UNESCO member states are not [[UN member states]]: [[Cook Islands]], [[Niue]], and [[State of Palestine|Palestine]] (Palestine is a [[Observer status|non-member observer State]] of the [[United Nations General Assembly]] since 29 November 2012), while one UN member state ([[Liechtenstein]]) is not a UNESCO member. [[Kosovo]] was approved for membership by UNESCO's executive board in 2015,<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/kosovo-serbia-unesco-membership/27319064.html|title=Kosovo Moves Closer To UNESCO Membership|date=21 October 2015|accessdate=21 October 2015|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]}}</ref> but the proposal did not receive the required 2/3 of votes in favour at the general conference.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-unesco-membership-vote-11-09-2015|title=Kosovo’s UNESCO Membership Bid Fails|date=9 November 2015|accessdate=8 December 2015}}</ref>
Three UNESCO member states are not [[UN member states]]: [[Cook Islands]], [[Niue]], and [[State of Palestine|Palestine]] (Palestine is a [[Observer status|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&nbsp;December 2018 asserting that the organization had an anti-Israel bias.<ref name="USISR">{{cite news |author=Lazaroff |first=Tovah |date=31 December 2018 |title=Israel, U.S. slated to leave UNESCO today to protest anti-Israel bias |newspaper=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |url=https://m.jpost.com/International/Israel-US-slated-to-leave-UNESCO-today-to-protest-anti-Israel-bias-575875 |access-date=31 December 2018}}</ref> The United States later reversed its decision in 2023,<ref name="usa2023">{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/unesco-us-rejoin-palestine-china-5b7849bd2cae966e4e9837380c0c094f |first=Angela |last=Charlton |date=2023-06-12 |accessdate=2023-06-12 |language=en-US |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |title=US decides to rejoin UNESCO and pay back dues, to counter Chinese influence}}</ref> and was readmitted by the [[UNESCO General Conference]] that July.<ref name="uspbs">{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/u-s-formally-rejoins-unesco-5-years-after-withdraw |title=U.S. formally rejoins UNESCO 5 years after withdraw |last=Lee |first=Matthew |website=[[PBS]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=2023-07-11 |accessdate=2023-07-11}}</ref>


[[Kosovo]] was approved for membership by UNESCO's executive board in 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/kosovo-serbia-unesco-membership/27319064.html|title=Kosovo Moves Closer To UNESCO Membership|date=21 October 2015|accessdate=21 October 2015|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]}}</ref> but the proposal did not receive the required 2/3 of votes in favour at the general conference.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-unesco-membership-vote-11-09-2015|title=Kosovo's UNESCO Membership Bid Fails|date=9 November 2015|accessdate=8 December 2015}}</ref>
⚫
==Member States==

⚫
The current 195 UNESCO member states with the date on which they became members:<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599861/20._UNESCO_status_list.pdf|title=UK Depositary Status List - Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)|date=April 2016|accessdate=2017-10-15|publisher=[[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url=http://treaties.fco.gov.uk/treaties/treatyrecord.htm?tid=1996&pg=3|title=Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [as later amended]|accessdate=2017-10-15|publisher=[[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]}}</ref><ref name=members/><ref name="non-members"/>
⚫
==Member states==
{{Colbegin|2}}
⚫
The 194 UNESCO member states, {{as of|July 2023|lc=y}}, with the date on which they became members, are:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599861/20._UNESCO_status_list.pdf|title=UK Depositary Status List - Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)|date=April 2016|accessdate=2017-10-15|publisher=[[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://treaties.fco.gov.uk/treaties/treatyrecord.htm?tid=1996&pg=3|title=Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [as later amended]|accessdate=2017-10-15|publisher=[[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050948/http://treaties.fco.gov.uk/treaties/treatyrecord.htm?tid=1996&pg=3|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=members/><ref name="non-members"/>

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* {{flag|Afghanistan}} (4 May 1948)
* {{flag|Afghanistan}} (4 May 1948)
* {{flag|Albania}} (16 October 1958)
* {{flag|Albania}} (16 October 1958)
Line 33: Line 37:
* {{flag|Botswana}} (16 January 1980)
* {{flag|Botswana}} (16 January 1980)
* {{flag|Brazil}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|Brazil}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|Brunei Darussalam}} (17 March 2005)
* {{flag|Brunei Darussalam}} (17 May 2005)
* {{flag|Bulgaria}} (17 May 1956)
* {{flag|Bulgaria}} (17 May 1956)
* {{flag|Burkina Faso}} (14 November 1960)
* {{flag|Burkina Faso}} (14 November 1960)
Line 44: Line 48:
* {{flag|Chad}} (19 December 1960)
* {{flag|Chad}} (19 December 1960)
* {{flag|Chile}} (7 July 1953)
* {{flag|Chile}} (7 July 1953)
* {{flag|China}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"|Some of the dependent territories of China, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom are associate members of UNESCO.}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|China}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"|Some territories of China, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are associate members of UNESCO.}}{{efn|group="note"|name="China"|Membership was founded as the {{flag|Republic of China}} to 1971.}} (4 November 1946)
** including separate NOC for {{flag|Hong Kong}}
** including separate NOC for {{flag|Hong Kong}}
* {{flag|Colombia}} (31 October 1947)
* {{flag|Colombia}} (31 October 1947)
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* {{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (25 November 1960)
* {{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (25 November 1960)
* {{flag|Denmark}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|Denmark}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"}} (4 November 1946)
** including the territory of {{Flag|Greenland}}
* {{flag|Djibouti}} (31 August 1989)
* {{flag|Djibouti}} (31 August 1989)
* {{flag|Dominica}} (9 January 1979)
* {{flag|Dominica}} (9 January 1979)
Line 67: Line 72:
* {{flag|Eritrea}} (2 September 1993)
* {{flag|Eritrea}} (2 September 1993)
* {{flag|Estonia}} (14 October 1991)
* {{flag|Estonia}} (14 October 1991)
* {{flag|Eswatini}} (25 January 1978){{efn|group="note"|As Swaziland before 2018}}
* {{flag|Ethiopia}} (1 July 1955)
* {{flag|Ethiopia}} (1 July 1955)
* {{flag|Fiji}} (14 July 1983)
* {{flag|Fiji}} (14 July 1983)
Line 73: Line 79:
* {{flag|Gabon}} (16 November 1960)
* {{flag|Gabon}} (16 November 1960)
* {{flag|Gambia}} (1 August 1973)
* {{flag|Gambia}} (1 August 1973)
* {{flag|Georgia}} (7 October 1992)
* {{flag|Georgia (country)|name=Georgia}} (7 October 1992)
* {{flag|Germany}} (11 July 1951)
* {{flag|Germany}} (11 July 1951)
* {{flag|Ghana}} (11 April 1958)
* {{flag|Ghana}} (11 April 1958)
Line 91: Line 97:
* {{flag|Iraq}} (21 October 1948)
* {{flag|Iraq}} (21 October 1948)
* {{flag|Ireland}} (3 October 1961)
* {{flag|Ireland}} (3 October 1961)
* {{flag|Israel}} (16 September 1949)
* {{flag|Italy}} (27 January 1948)
* {{flag|Italy}} (27 January 1948)
* {{flag|Jamaica}} (7 November 1962)
* {{flag|Jamaica}} (7 November 1962)
Line 111: Line 116:
* {{flag|Lithuania}} (7 October 1991)
* {{flag|Lithuania}} (7 October 1991)
* {{flag|Luxembourg}} (27 October 1947)
* {{flag|Luxembourg}} (27 October 1947)
* {{flag|MKD|name=Republic of Macedonia}} (28 June 1993)
* {{flag|Madagascar}} (10 November 1960)
* {{flag|Madagascar}} (10 November 1960)
* {{flag|Malawi}} (27 October 1964)
* {{flag|Malawi}} (27 October 1964)
Line 139: Line 143:
* {{flag|Nigeria}} (14 November 1960)
* {{flag|Nigeria}} (14 November 1960)
* {{flag|Niue}} (26 October 1993){{efn|group="note"|Niue does not have a National Organizing Committee established.<ref name="non-members"/>}}
* {{flag|Niue}} (26 October 1993){{efn|group="note"|Niue does not have a National Organizing Committee established.<ref name="non-members"/>}}
* {{flag|North Macedonia}} (28 June 1993){{efn|group="note"|As "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" before 2019}}
* {{flag|Norway}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|Norway}} (4 November 1946)
* {{flag|Oman}} (10 February 1972)
* {{flag|Oman}} (10 February 1972)
* {{flag|Pakistan}} (14 September 1949)
* {{flag|Pakistan}} (14 September 1949)
* {{flag|Palau}} (20 September 1999)
* {{flag|Palau}} (20 September 1999)
* {{flag|Palestine}} (23 November 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="Palestine"|On 31 October 2011, the UNESCO General Conference in [[Paris]] [[Palestine 194#UNESCO|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. <ref>[http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/general_conference_admits_palestine_as_unesco_member_state/]</ref>}}
* {{flag|Palestine}} (23 November 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="Palestine"|On 31 October 2011, the UNESCO General Conference in [[Paris]] [[Palestine 194#UNESCO|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.<ref name=palestine>{{cite web |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/fight-against-discrimination/sv4/news/general_conference_admits_palestine_as_unesco_member/ |title=General Conference admits Palestine as UNESCO Member |date=31 October 2011 |accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>}}
* {{flag|Panama}} (10 January 1950)
* {{flag|Panama}} (10 January 1950)
* {{flag|Papua New Guinea}} (4 October 1976)
* {{flag|Papua New Guinea}} (4 October 1976)
Line 153: Line 158:
* {{flag|Qatar}} (27 January 1972)
* {{flag|Qatar}} (27 January 1972)
* {{flag|Romania}} (27 July 1956)
* {{flag|Romania}} (27 July 1956)
* {{flag|Russian Federation}} (21 April 1954)
* {{flag|Russian Federation}} (21 April 1954){{efn|group="note"|name="Russia"|Membership was founded as the {{flag|Soviet Union}} to 1991.}}
* {{flag|Rwanda}} (7 November 1962)
* {{flag|Rwanda}} (7 November 1962)
* {{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} (26 October 1983)
* {{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} (26 October 1983)
* {{flag|Saint Lucia}} (6 March 1980)
* {{flag|Saint Lucia}} (6 March 1980)
* {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}} (14 January 1983)
* {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}} (15 February 1983)
* {{flag|Samoa}} (3 April 1981)
* {{flag|Samoa}} (3 April 1981)
* {{flag|San Marino}} (12 November 1974)
* {{flag|San Marino}} (12 November 1974)
Line 166: Line 171:
* {{flag|Seychelles}} (18 October 1976)
* {{flag|Seychelles}} (18 October 1976)
* {{flag|Sierra Leone}} (28 March 1962)
* {{flag|Sierra Leone}} (28 March 1962)
* {{flag|Singapore}} (8 October 2007){{efn|group="note"|Previously a Member State from 28 October 1965 to 31 December 1985.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNESCO - Singapore - official relations|url=http://erc.unesco.org/cp/cp.asp?country=SG&language=S |author=UNESCO |accessdate=1 November 2011}}</ref>}}
* {{flag|Singapore}} (8 October 2007){{efn|group="note"|Previously a Member State from 28 October 1965 to 31 December 1985.<ref>{{cite web|title=UNESCO - Singapore - official relations|url=http://erc.unesco.org/cp/cp.asp?country=SG&language=S|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120527092935/http://erc.unesco.org/cp/cp.asp?country=SG&language=S|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2012|author=UNESCO|accessdate=1 November 2011}}</ref>}}
* {{flag|Slovakia}} (9 February 1993)
* {{flag|Slovakia}} (9 February 1993)
* {{flag|Slovenia}} (27 May 1992)
* {{flag|Slovenia}} (27 May 1992)
Line 177: Line 182:
* {{flag|Sudan}} (26 November 1956)
* {{flag|Sudan}} (26 November 1956)
* {{flag|Suriname}} (16 July 1976)
* {{flag|Suriname}} (16 July 1976)
* {{flag|Swaziland}} (25 January 1978)
* {{flag|Sweden}} (23 January 1950)
* {{flag|Sweden}} (23 January 1950)
* {{flag|Switzerland}} (28 January 1949)
* {{flag|Switzerland}} (28 January 1949)
** including separate NOC for {{flag|Liechtenstein}}
* {{flag|Syrian Arab Republic}} (16 November 1946)
* {{flag|Syrian Arab Republic}} (16 November 1946)
* {{flag|Tajikistan}} (6 April 1993)
* {{flag|Tajikistan}} (6 April 1993)
Line 195: Line 200:
* {{flag|Ukraine}} (12 May 1954)
* {{flag|Ukraine}} (12 May 1954)
* {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} (20 April 1972)
* {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} (20 April 1972)
* {{flag|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"}} (1 July 1997){{efn|group="note"|Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1985.}}
* {{flag|United Kingdom}}{{efn|group="note"|name="dependent"}} (1 July 1997){{efn|group="note"|Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1985.}}
** including separate NOC for {{flag|Bermuda}}
** including separate NOC for {{flag|Bermuda}}
* {{flag|United States of America}} (1 October 2003){{efn|group="note"|Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1984.}}{{efn|group="note"|Withdrawal notified on 12 October 2017, to take effect on 31 December 2018.<ref>https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/10/274748.htm</ref>}}
* {{flag|United States}} (4&nbsp;November 1946&nbsp;– 31&nbsp;December 1984; 1&nbsp;October 2003&nbsp;– 31&nbsp;December 2018; 10 July 2023 – present)<ref name=USISR/><ref name="uspbs" />
** including separate NOCs for: {{flag|Guam}}, {{flag|American Samoa}}, {{flag|Puerto Rico}} and {{flag|U.S. Virgin Islands}}
** including separate NOCs for {{flag|American Samoa}}, {{flag|Guam}}, {{flag|Northern Mariana Islands}}, {{flag|Puerto Rico}}, and the {{flag|U.S. Virgin Islands}}
* {{flag|Uruguay}} (8 November 1947)
* {{flag|Uruguay}} (8 November 1947)
* {{flag|Uzbekistan}} (26 October 1993)
* {{flag|Uzbekistan}} (26 October 1993)
* {{flag|Vanuatu}} (10 February 1994)
* {{flag|Vanuatu}} (10 February 1994)
* {{flag|Venezuela}} (25 November 1946)
* {{flag|Venezuela}} (25 November 1946)
* {{flag|Vietnam}} (6 July 1951)
* {{flag|Vietnam}} (6 July 1951){{efn|group="note"|name="State of Vietnam"|Membership was founded as the {{flag|South Vietnam}} to 1975.}}
* {{flag|Yemen}} (2 April 1962)
* {{flag|Yemen}} (2 April 1962)
* {{flag|Zambia}} (9 November 1964)
* {{flag|Zambia}} (9 November 1964)
* {{flag|Zimbabwe}} (22 September 1980)
* {{flag|Zimbabwe}} (22 September 1980)
{{Colend}}
{{div col end}}


Currently [[Liechtenstein]] is not a member of UNESCO, but they have a NOC.<ref name="non-members"/>
Currently {{flag|Liechtenstein}} is not a member of UNESCO, but they have an NOC under Switzerland's membership.<ref name="non-members"/>


===Former members===
The [[United States]] announced its intention to withdraw from UNESCO on 12 October 2017, accusing it of "anti-Israel bias”.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41598991</ref> Hours later on the same day, Israel announced it would also be leaving UNESCO.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41598991|title=Israel to join US in quitting Unesco|date=12 October 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=12 October 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref>
* {{flag|Israel}} (16&nbsp;September 1949&nbsp;– 31&nbsp;December 2018)<ref name=USISR/>

Both Israel and the United States withdrew claiming that the organization had an [[Criticism of Israel|anti-Israel]] bias,<ref name=USISR/><ref>{{Cite press release |title=The United States Withdraws From UNESCO |url=https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-united-states-withdraws-from-unesco/index.html |access-date=25 October 2017 |date=12 October 2017 |last1=Nauert |first1=Heather |author-link1=Heather Nauert |publisher=[[U.S. Department of State]]}}</ref> with the United States moving to rejoin in 2023.<ref name="uspbs" />


==Associate members==
==Associate members==
The 10 associate members of UNESCO and the date on which they became associate members:<ref name=members/>
The 12 associate members of UNESCO and the date on which they became associate members:<ref name=members/>
* {{flag|Åland Islands}} (9 November 2021)
* {{flag|Anguilla}} (5 November 2013)
* {{flag|Anguilla}} (5 November 2013)
* {{flag|Aruba}} (20 October 1987)
* {{flag|Aruba}} (20 October 1987)
* {{flag|British Virgin Islands}} (24 November 1983)
* {{flag|British Virgin Islands}} (24 November 1983)
* {{flag|Cayman Islands}} (30 October 1999)
* {{flag|Cayman Islands}} (30 October 1999)
* {{flag|Curaçao}} (25 October 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="antilles"|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 {{lang-nl|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.}}
* {{flag|Curaçao}} (25 October 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="antilles"|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 {{langx|nl|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.}}
* {{flag|Faroe Islands|name=Faroes}} (12 October 2009)
* {{flag|Faroe Islands|name=Faroes}} (12 October 2009)
* {{flag|Macao}} (25 October 1995){{efn|group="note"|As Macau before 1999}}
* {{flag|Macau}} (25 October 1995){{efn|group="note"|As Macau before 1999}}
* {{flag|Montserrat}} (3 November 2015)
* {{flag|Montserrat}} (3 November 2015)
* {{flag|New Caledonia}} (30 October 2017)
* {{flag|Sint Maarten}} (25 October 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="antilles"}}
* {{flag|Sint Maarten}} (25 October 2011){{efn|group="note"|name="antilles"}}
* {{flag|Tokelau}} (15 October 2001)
* {{flag|Tokelau}} (15 October 2001)
Line 247: Line 257:


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|United Nations}}
{{Portal|Politics}}
*[[Member states of the United Nations]]
*[[Member states of the United Nations]]


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
{{notelist}}

== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

Latest revision as of 11:33, 16 December 2024

  UNESCO member states
  UNESCO member state dependent territory with separate NOC
  UNESCO associates
  UNESCO observers

As of July 2023, 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

[edit]

The 194 UNESCO member states, as of July 2023, with the date on which they became members, are:[8][9][1][2]

Currently  Liechtenstein is not a member of UNESCO, but they have an NOC under Switzerland's membership.[2]

Former members

[edit]
  •  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

[edit]

The 12 associate members of UNESCO and the date on which they became associate members:[1]

Observers

[edit]

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]

In addition, there is a liaison office of the United Nations University at UNESCO.[16]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Some territories of China, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are associate members of UNESCO.
  2. ^ Membership was founded as the  Republic of China to 1971.
  3. ^ As Swaziland before 2018
  4. ^ a b 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.
  5. ^ Niue does not have a National Organizing Committee established.[2]
  6. ^ As "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" before 2019
  7. ^ 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]
  8. ^ Previously a Member State from 11 March 1965 to 31 December 1972.
  9. ^ Membership was founded as the  Soviet Union to 1991.
  10. ^ Previously a Member State from 28 October 1965 to 31 December 1985.[11]
  11. ^ Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1956.
  12. ^ Previously a Member State from 4 November 1946 (founding member) to 31 December 1985.
  13. ^ Membership was founded as the  South Vietnam to 1975.
  14. ^ a b 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.
  15. ^ As Macau before 1999

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c d 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.
  4. ^ 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. ^ a b c Lee, Matthew (11 July 2023). "U.S. formally rejoins UNESCO 5 years after withdraw". PBS. Associated Press. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Kosovo Moves Closer To UNESCO Membership". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Kosovo's UNESCO Membership Bid Fails". 9 November 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "General Conference admits Palestine as UNESCO Member". UNESCO. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  11. ^ UNESCO. "UNESCO - Singapore - official relations". Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  12. ^ UNESCO. "South Sudan – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  13. ^ Nauert, Heather (12 October 2017). "The United States Withdraws From UNESCO" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  14. ^ UNESCO. "UNESCO Permanent delegations". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  15. ^ a b c UNESCO. "Directory of Permanenent Delegations and Permanent Observer Missions to UNESCO". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  16. ^ UNESCO. "Directory of Permanent Delegations to UNESCO". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
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