This is a list of sovereign states in the 1970s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1970 and 31 December 1979. It contains 191 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 166 widely-recognized sovereign states (including 4 associated states that gained full independence, 4 states which were initially unrecognized but then gained full recognition later in the decade, and 1 state which was initially widely-recognized but then lost full recognition later in the decade), 2 constituent republics of another sovereign state that were UN members on their own right, 12 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto dependencies of other powers by the general international community, 4 associated states, and 7 transitional states.