This is a list of sovereign states in the 1980s, giving an overview of states around the world during the period between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1989. It contains 188 entries, arranged alphabetically, with information on the status and recognition of their sovereignty. It includes 171 widely-recognized sovereign states, 2 constituent republics of another sovereign state that were UN members on their own right, 2 associated states, and 13 entities which claim an effective sovereignty but are considered de facto dependencies of other powers by the general international community.