List of socialist countries

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A map of countries who declared themselves to be socialist states under the Marxist-Leninist definition (in other words, "Communist states") at some point in their history. The map uses present-day borders. Note that not all of these countries were Marxist-Leninist at the same time.

Map showing countries whose constitutions contained some references to socialism (under a non-Marxist definition) at some point in their history.

This is a combined map of all countries who declared themselves to be socialist states under any definition, color-coded for the number of years that the country in question claimed to be socialist: Over 60 years 50 - 60 years 40 - 50 years 30 - 40 years 20 - 30 years 10 - 20 years Under 10 years Click on image to magnify.

This is a list of countries, past and present, that declared themselves socialist either in their names or their constitutions. No other criteria are used; thus, some or all of these countries may not fit any specific definition of socialism. Their only common feature is using the label "socialist" for themselves, under any interpretation. There are few, if any, definitions of socialism that could fit all the countries on this list. However, most definitions of socialism fit at least some of these countries at some points in their histories.

There are many countries that have been ruled by socialist political parties for extended periods of time - most notably Sweden, Norway, and Denmark - without ever adopting socialism as an official ideology in their names or constitutions. Such countries are not listed here. However, see the article on the Socialist International for an up-to-date list of countries that are currently ruled by member parties of the SI (the largest present day organization of socialist political parties).

Conversely, there are some countries that maintain constitutional references to socialism without being currently ruled by a socialist political party. Those countries are included on this list.

1 Marxist-Leninist
- 1.1 Current
- 1.2 Former
2 Non-Marxist-Leninist
- 2.1 Current
- 2.2 Former
3 Ephemeral

[edit] Marxist-Leninist

These countries are generally known as "Communist states" in the West, because their ruling parties typically use the name "Communist Party of [country]." However, the countries themselves are referred to as socialist states, not communist, in their own constitutions. They are defined by a form of government in which the state operates under a one-party system and declares allegiance to the ideology of Marxism-Leninism. In accordance with Marxism-Leninism, the constitutions of these countries claim that all power belongs to the working class, that a democratic dictatorship of the proletariat has been implemented within their borders, and that they are moving towards the gradual abolition of the state and the implementation of stateless communism.

[edit] Current

People's Republic of China
Republic of Cuba (República de Cuba)
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam)

[edit] Former

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Socialist People's Republic of Albania
People's Republic of Angola (República Popular de Angola)
People's Republic of Benin (République populaire du Bénin)
People's Republic of Bulgaria
People's Republic of the Congo (République populaire du Congo)
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (Československá socialistická republika)
People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Finnish Democratic Republic (Suomen kansanvaltainen tasavalta)
German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik)
Political Committee of National Liberation (Greece)
People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada
Hungarian People's Republic (Magyar Népköztársaság)
Hungarian Soviet Republic (Magyar Tanácsköztársaság)
Democratic Kampuchea
People's Republic of Kampuchea
Mongolian People's Republic
People's Republic of Mozambique (República Popular de Moçambique)
Polish People's Republic (Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa)
Socialist Republic of Romania (Republica Socialistă România)
Somali Democratic Republic (Jamhuuriyadda Dimoqraadiga Soomaaliya)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Tuvinian People's Republic
Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa)
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Socijalistička federativna republika Jugoslavija)

[edit] Non-Marxist-Leninist

These are countries whose constitutions make references to socialism, but do not subscribe to Marxist-Leninist ideology. As such, they represent a wide variety of different interpretations of the term socialism.

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[edit] Current

People's Republic of Bangladesh (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Arab Republic of Egypt (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Cooperative Republic of Guyana (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Republic of India (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Portuguese Republic (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Syrian Arab Republic (retains constitutional references to socialism)
United Republic of Tanzania (retains constitutional references to socialism)
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (República Bolivariana de Venezuela) (informal)

[edit] Former

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia)
Burkina Faso
Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Republic of Cape Verde (República de Cabo Verde)
Socialist Republic of Chile (República Socialista de Chile)
Republic of Ghana
Republic of Guinea (République de Guinée)
Republic of Guinea-Bissau (República da Guiné-Bissau)
Republic of Indonesia (Republik Indonesia)
Republic of Iraq
Democratic Republic of Madagascar (Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy)
Republic of Mali (République du Mali)
Republic of Nicaragua (República de Nicaragua)
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe)
Republic of Senegal (République du Sénégal)
Republic of Seychelles (Repiblik Sesel)
Democratic Republic of Sudan
Republic of Suriname (Republiek Suriname)
Tunisian Republic
Republic of Uganda
United Arab Republic
People's Republic of Zanzibar (Jamhuri ya Watu wa Zanzibar)

[edit] Ephemeral

These are short-lived political entities that emerged during wars or revolutions and declared themselves to be socialist under some interpretation of the term, but did not survive long enough to create a stable government or achieve international recognition.