List of predecessors of sovereign states in North America: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{missing|pre-European indigenous governments for most of the states listed|date=June 2024}}

This is a '''list of all present [[sovereign state]]s in North America and their predecessors'''. The division between North and South America is unclear, generally viewed as lying somewhere in the [[Isthmus of Panama]], however, the [[Caribbean Islands]], Central America including the whole of [[Panama]] is considered to be part of North America as its southernmost nation. The continent was [[Colony|colonized]] by the [[European colonization of the Americas|Europeans]]: Mainly by the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spaniards]], the [[French colonization of the Americas|French]], the [[English colonization of the Americas|English]] and the [[Dutch colonization of the Americas|Dutch]]. The United States of America gained its independence in [[American Revolutionary War]]; most of nations in [[Central America]] gained [[Spanish American wars of independence|independence]] in the early 19th century; Canada and many other island countries in the [[Caribbean Sea]] (most of them were British colonies) gained their independence in 20th century. Today, North America consists of twenty-two sovereign states.

| {{Flagicon image|Flag of Leeward Islands (1952-1958).svg}} [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#European colonization|Colony of Antigua]] and [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#European colonization|Colony of Barbuda]] (1671–1816; 1833–1958) ''(part of the [[British Leeward Islands]])''<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg}} [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#Political development|Colony of Antigua]] (1962–1981) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>'''{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}''' (1981–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

| {{Flagdeco|Kingdom of England|1648}} [[Eleutheran Adventurers|Colony of the Bahamas]] (1648–1717)<br/>{{Flagdeco|Bahamas|1953}} {{Flagdeco|Bahamas}} [[History of the Bahamas#Reclaiming Bahamas for the Crown|Colony of the Bahamas]] (1717–1973)<br />'''{{flag|Bahamas|name=Commonwealth of the Bahamas}}''' (1973–present)

| {{Flagicon image|Flag of the British Windward Islands (1903-1958).png}} [[History of Barbados|Colony of Barbados]] (1625–1885) ''(part of the [[British Windward Islands]])''<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Barbados (1870–1966).svg}} [[History of Barbados#Colony of Barbados1800s – 1920s|Colony of Barbados]] (1885–1958; 1962–1966) ''(separated Crown colony)''<br />{{Flagicon image|Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br />'''{{flag|Barbados}}''' (1966–present)

| {{Flagicon image|Flag of British Honduras (1919–1981).svg}} [[British Honduras]] (1862–1973)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of British Honduras (1919–1981).svg}} [[British Honduras|Belize]] (1973–1981) ''(British self-governing colony)''<br/>'''{{flag|Belize}}''' (1981–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

|

Hundreds of [[List of First Nations peoples|First Nations]], some of which have [[List of First Nations band governments|domestic national governments]]<br/>

{{Flagicon image|Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg}} [[Canada (New France)|New France]] (1535–1763) ''(a [[French colonial empire|French colony]])''<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Great Britain.svg}} [[Province of Quebec (1763–1791)|Province of Quebec]] (1763–1791)<br/>{{flagdeco|UK|civil}} Provinces of [[Upper Canada]] and [[Lower Canada]] (1791–1841)<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} [[United Province of Canada]] (1841–1867)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Hudsons Bay Company Flag.svg}} [[Rupert's Land]] (1670–1870) ''(a territory of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]])''<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} [[North-Western Territory]] (1859–1870)<br/>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Colony of British Columbia.svg}} [[Colony of British Columbia (1866–1871)|Colony of British Columbia]] (1858–1871) ''(included the [[Colony of Vancouver Island]] and former [[Colony of British Columbia (1858–66)|British Columbia]] since 1866)''<br>[[Provisional Governmentof Saskatchewan]] (1885) ''(unrecognized [[Métis]] republic defeated in the [[North-West Rebellion]])''<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} [[Newfoundland Colony]] (1610–1907)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Dominion of Newfoundland Red Ensign.svg}} [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] (1907–1949) ''(a [[dominion]] within [[British Empire]] 1907–1934, a dependency of United Kingdom 1934–1949)''<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} {{Flagdeco|Canada|1868}} {{flagdeco|Canada|1921}} {{flagdeco|Canada|1957}} '''{{flag|Canada}}''' (1867–present) ''(before the [[Second World War]] the term '''Dominion of Canada''' was also used)''

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br>{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} Part of the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br />{{Flagdeco|Central American Republic}} Part of the [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br />{{flagdeco|Costa Rica|1839}} {{Flagicon image|Flag of Costa Rica (1840-1842).svg}} {{Flagicon image|Flag of Costa Rica (1842-1848).svg}} [[Free State of Costa Rica]] (1838–1847)<br />{{flagdeco|Costa Rica|1848}} [[First Costa Rican Republic]] (1848–1948)<br />'''{{flag|Costa Rica|name= Second Costa Rican Republic}}''' (1949–present)

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1512–1607)<br />{{flagdeco|Spain|1785}} [[Captaincy General of Cuba]] (1607–1898)<br />{{flagdeco|United States|1896}} [[United States Military Government in Cuba]] (1898–1902)<br />{{flagdeco|Cuba|1902}} [[Republic of Cuba (1902–1959)|Republic of Cuba]] (1902–1959)<br />'''{{flag|Cuba|name= Republic of Cuba}}''' (1959–present)

| {{Flagicon image|Flag of Leeward Islands (1952-1958).svg}} [[History of Dominica#British colony: 1763–1978|Colony of Dominica]] ''(part of the [[British Leeward Islands]] 1871–1958)'' (1763–1958)<br/>{{flagdeco|West Indies Federation}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{flagdeco|Dominica}} [[History of Dominica#British colony: 1763–1978|Dominica]] (1962–1978) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>'''{{flag|Dominica|name=Commonwealth of Dominica}}''' (1978–present)

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1492–1795)<br />[[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] {{flagdeco|France}} [[Era de Francia|Colony of Saint-Domingue]] (1795–1809)<br />{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} [[España Boba|Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1809–1821)<br />{{flagicon image|Flag of Spanish Haiti.svg}} [[Republic of Spanish Haiti]] (1821–1822)<br />{{flagdeco|Haiti}} Occupied by [[Unification of Hispaniola|Haiti]] (1822–1844)<br />{{flagdeco|Dominican Republic|1844}} [[Dominican Republic]] (1844–1861)<br />{{flagdeco|Spain|1785}} Occupied by [[Spanish occupation of the Dominican Republic|Spain]] (1861–1865)<br />'''{{flag|Dominican Republic}}''' (1865–present)

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br>{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} Part of the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br />{{Flagdeco|Central American Republic}} Part of the [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1841)<br/>{{flagdeco|El Salvador|1875}} '''{{flag|El Salvador|name= Republic of El Salvador}}''' (1841–present) ''(before 1890 referred to as '''Republic of Salvador''' in English)''

| {{flagicon image|Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg}} [[Grenada#French colony (1649–1763)|French Grenada]] (1649–1763) <br>{{flagdeco|Grenada|1875}} [[Grenada#British colony (1763–1974)|British Grenada]] (1763–1958) ''(part of {{flag|British Windward Islands}} 1833–1958)''<br>{{flagdeco|West Indies Federation}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{flagdeco|Grenada|1903}} {{flagdeco|Grenada|1967}} [[Grenada#British colony (1763–1974)|British Grenada]] (1962–1974) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] from 1967)''<br />'''{{flag|Grenada}}''' (1974–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

|{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br>{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} Part of the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>{{Flagdeco|Central American Republic}} Part of the [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1839)<br/>{{flagdeco|Guatemala|1839}} {{flagdeco|Guatemala|1843}} {{flagdeco|Guatemala|1851}} {{flagdeco|Guatemala|1858}} '''{{flag|Guatemala|name= Republic of Guatemala}}''' (1839–present)

| {{flagicon image|Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg}} {{flagdeco|France|1794}} [[Saint-Domingue|Colony of Saint-Domingue]] (1625–1804)<br/>{{flagdeco|Haiti|1803}} [[First Empire of Haiti]] (1804–1806)<br/>{{flagdeco|Haiti|1806}} [[State of Haiti]] (1806–1811) ''(northern [[Haiti]])''<br/>{{flagicon|Haiti|1814}} [[Kingdom of Haiti]] (1811–1820)<br>{{flagdeco|Haiti}} [[Haiti|Republic of Haiti]] (1806–1849) ''(included [[Kingdom of Haiti|northern Haiti]] since 1820; [[Unification of Hispaniola|with Dominican Republic annexed]] 1822–1844)''<br>{{flagdeco|Haiti|1849}} [[Second Empire of Haiti]] (1849–1859)<br/>{{flagdeco|Haiti|1859}} {{flagdeco|Haiti|1964}} '''{{flag|Haiti|name= Republic of Haiti}}''' (1859–present) ''(occupied by [[United States occupation of Haiti|United States]] 1915–1934)''

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br>{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} Part of the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>{{Flagdeco|Central American Republic}} Part of the [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br/>{{flagdeco|Honduras|1839}} {{flagdeco|Honduras|1866}} {{flagdeco|Honduras|1949}} '''{{flag|Honduras|name= Republic of Honduras}}''' (1838–present)

| {{flagdeco|Jamaica|1875}} {{flagdeco|Jamaica|1906}} {{flagdeco|Jamaica|1957}} {{flagicon image|Flag of Jamaica (1962).svg}} [[Colony of Jamaica]] (1655–1962)<br/>'''{{flag|Jamaica}}''' (1962–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

| [[Olmecs]] (1600–400 BC)<br />[[Mixtec culture|Mixtec Civilization]] (1500 BC – 1523)<br />[[Xochitecatl]] (800 BC – 950)<br />[[Zapotec civilization]] ({{circa|700 BC}} – 1521) <br />[[Teuchitlán culture|Teuchitlán Civilisation]] (350 BC – 450/500)<br />[[Teotihuacan]] (200 BC – 750) <br />[[Cholula (Mesoamerican site)|Cholula city-state]] (2nd century BC – 1521) <br />[[Classic Veracruz culture|Veracruz civilisation]] (100–1000)<br /> [[Maya civilization]] (250–1697) <br/> [[Toltec Empire]] (650–1122) <br />[[Colhuacan (altepetl)|Colhuacan]] (717–1521) <br />[[Xochimilco]] ({{circa|900}} – 1521) <br />[[Azcapotzalco]] (995–1428) <br />{{flagicon image|Cocollan.jpg|20px|border=}} [[Cocollán]] (1100–1521) <br />[[Chalco (altépetl)|Chalco]] (13th century – 1521) <br />{{flagicon image|Glifo_Michhuahcān.png|border=}} [[Purépecha Empire]] (1300–1520) <br /> [[Chiefdom of Ameca]] (1325–1522 <br /> [[Tlatelolco (altepetl)|Tlatelolco]] (1337–1473)<br />{{flagicon image|Aztec_Triple_Alliance.png|border=}} [[Aztec Empire]] (1428–1521)

* {{flagicon image|Tetzcoco_glyph.svg|border=}} [[Tetzcoco (altepetl)|Tetzcoco]] (1200–1521)

* {{flagicon image|Tenochtitlan_Glyph_ZP.svg|border=}} [[Tenochtitlan]] (1325–1521)

* {{flagicon image|Tlacopan_glyph.svg|border=}} [[Tlacopan]] (1428–1521)

{{flagicon image|TlaxcalaGlyph.jpg|size=23px|border=}} [[Tlaxcala (Nahua state)|Tlaxcala]] (1348–1520)<br />{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} [[New Spain|Viceroyalty of New Spain]] (1521–1821)<br/>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} [[First Mexican Empire]] (1821–1823)<br/>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1823}} [[Provisional Government of Mexico]] (1823–1824)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Bandera Histórica de la República Mexicana (1824-1918).svg}} [[First Mexican Republic]] (1824–1835)<br/>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1823}} [[Centralist Republic of Mexico]] (1835–1846)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of the Republic of Yucatan.svg}} [[Republic of Yucatán]] (1841–1848)<br/>{{Flagicon image|Bandera Histórica de la República Mexicana (1824-1918).svg}} [[Second Federal Republic of Mexico]] (1846–1863)<br/>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1864}} [[Second Mexican Empire]] (1863–1867)<br/>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1893}} {{flagdeco|Mexico|1916}} '''{{flag|Mexico|name= United Mexican States}}''' (1867–present)

| {{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br>{{flagdeco|Spain|1506}} Part of the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br>{{flagdeco|Mexico|1821}} Part of the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>{{Flagdeco|Central American Republic}} Part of the [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br/>{{flagdeco|Nicaragua|1839}} {{flagdeco|Nicaragua|1858}} '''{{flag|Nicaragua|name= Republic of Nicaragua}}''' (1838–present)

| {{flagdeco|UK}} [[Saint Kitts|Colony of Saint Christopher]] (1623–1882) and [[Nevis|Colony of Nevis]] (1628–1882) ''(from 1833 part of {{flag|British Leeward Islands}})''<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} Colony of [[Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla]] (1882–1958) ''(part of the {{flag|British Leeward Islands}}; [[Anguilla]] separated from 1882 to 1951)''<br/>{{flagdeco|West Indies Federation}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{flag|Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla}} (1962–1983) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] from 1967; [[Anguilla]] separated since 1980)''<br/>'''{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis|name=Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis}}''' (1983–present) ''(officially the '''Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis''')''

| {{flagicon image|Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg}} [[History of Saint Lucia#18th century|Colony of Sainte Lucie]] (1674–1814)<br/>{{flagdeco|Saint Lucia|1939}} [[History of Saint Lucia#18th century|Colony of Saint Lucia]] (1814–1958) ''(from 1838 part of the {{flag|British Windward Islands}})''<br/>{{flagdeco|West Indies Federation}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{flagdeco|Saint Lucia|1939}} {{flagdeco|Saint Lucia|1967}} [[History of Saint Lucia#20th century to 21st century|Colony of Saint Lucia]] (1962–1979) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] from 1967)''<br />'''{{flag|Saint Lucia}}''' (1979–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

| {{flagdeco|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|colonial}} [[History of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines#British colony|Colony of Saint Vincent]] (1763–1958) ''(from 1838 part of the {{flag|British Windward Islands}})''<br/>{{flagdeco|West Indies Federation}} Part of the [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>{{flagdeco|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|colonial}} [[History of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines#Self-rule and independence|Colony of Saint Vincent]] (1962–1979) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>{{flagdeco|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|1979}} {{flagdeco|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|1985}} '''{{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}''' (1979–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''

|

* Hundreds of [[Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American tribes, bands, nations, and confederacies]], some of which survive as [[List of federally recognized tribes by state|domestic sovereign nations]]

* Other European colonies acquired by [[British America]]:

** [[New Sweden]] (1638–1655)

** [[New Netherland]] (1614–1667, 1673–1674)

** Portions of [[New France]] (1534–1763)

* Thirteen colonies in [[British America]] declared independence to form the United States in 1776:

**[[Province of New Hampshire]]

**[[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]

**[[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]

**[[Connecticut Colony]]

**[[Province of New York]]

**[[Province of New Jersey]]

**[[Province of Pennsylvania]]

**[[Delaware Colony]]

**[[Province of Maryland]]

**[[Colony of Virginia]]

**[[Province of Carolina]] (1663–1712)

***[[Province of North Carolina]] (from 1712)

***[[Province of South Carolina]] (from 1712)

**[[Province of Georgia]]

* {{flag|Vermont Republic}} (1777–1791)

* [[Louisiana (New Spain)|Province of Louisiana]] (1762–1801, part of [[New Spain]] briefly retroceded to France and then acquired by the U.S. in the [[Louisiana Purchase]])

* [[Republic of Indian Stream]] (1832–1835)

* Portions of [[Red River Colony]] and [[Rupert's Land]] ceded by [[Treaty of 1818]]

* Portions of [[New Spain]] and [[Mexico]]

** [[Spanish Florida]] (1513–1763, 1783–1821)

*** [[East Florida]] (acquired 1821)

*** [[West Florida]] (acquired 1821)

** Other territory ceded by the [[Adams–Onís Treaty]] (effective 1821)

** {{flag|Republic of Texas}} (1836–1846)

** [[Mexican Cession]] ending the [[Mexican–American War]] (1848)

** [[Gadsden Purchase]] (1854)

* {{flag|California Republic}} (1846)

* [[Russian Alaska]] (1741–1867)

* {{flag|Hawaiian Kingdom}} (1795–1893), [[Republic of Hawaii]] (1894–1898)

* Territories

** Portions of the [[Spanish Empire]] from the [[Spanish-American War]] (1898) and [[Treaty of Washington (1900)]]:

*** Portions of the [[Spanish East Indies]]

**** [[Guam]]

**** [[Philippines]] (later became independent)

*** [[Puerto Rico]]

*** [[Cuba]] became independent except for a lease of [[Guantanamo Bay]] notionally under Cuban sovereignty

** Eastern portion of the [[Kingdom of Samoa]] (acquired 1899)

** [[Danish West Indies]] (1672–1917)

** Portions of the [[Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]] (1947–1994), formerly [[South Seas Mandate]] (1920–1945)

*** [[Northern Mariana Islands]]

*** [[Federated States of Micronesia]], [[Marshall Islands]], and [[Palau]] became independent with [[Compact of Free Association]]

** Portion of [[Panama]] ([[Panama Canal Zone]]), since returned

* {{flagdeco|United States|1776}} {{flagdeco|United States|1777-Ross}} {{flagdeco|United States|1795FM}} {{flagdeco|United States|1912}} '''{{flag|United States|name=United States of America}}''' (1776–present)

*[[Timeline of sovereign states in North America]]

{{Americas topic|List of predecessors of sovereign states in}}

{{Lists of predecessor states}}

[[Category:Former countries in North America]]

[[Category:History of North America]]