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United Nations
Security Council:
Chronology of members


There are five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: the three main Allied powers during World War II, plus France and China. Until 1971, China's seat was held by the exile Nationalist regime that took refuge on the island of Taiwan. Originally, there were six rotating members, but this was expanded to ten in 1966. The terms of the rotating members last for two years, beginning each January 1. They are divided into two groups, with staggered terms. There is an established custom of apportioning membership according to region, with either one Asian or African country being from the Arab subgroup:

These regions are color-coded in the following table. Because of its relative small membership, the Security Council is the only official organ of the United Nations that can be expected to address serious conflicts in an effective way.

Year Permanent members Rotating members (two-year terms)
1990 U.S. U.K. France USSR China Colombia Canada Ethiopia Malaysia Finland Cuba Zaire Ivory Coast Yemen Romania
1991 U.S. U.K. France USSR China Ecuador Austria Zimbabwe India Belgium " " " " "
1992 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Venezuela Cape Verde Morocco Japan Hungary
1993 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Brazil New Zealand Djibouti Pakistan Spain " " " " "
1994 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Argentina Rwanda Nigeria Oman Czech Republic
1995 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Honduras Germany Botswana Indonesia Italy " " " " "
1996 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Chile Guinea- Bissau Egypt South Korea Poland
1997 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Costa Rica Portugal Kenya Japan Sweden " " " " "
1998 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Brazil Gambia Gabon Bahrain Slovenia
1999 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Argentina Canada Namibia Malaysia Nether- lands " " " " "
2000 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Jamaica Mali Tunisia Bangla- desh Ukraine
2001 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Colombia Ireland Mauritius Singapore Norway " " " " "
2002 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Mexico Cameroon Guinea Syria Bulgaria
2003 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Chile Germany Angola Pakistan Spain " " " " "
2004 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Brazil Benin Algeria Philippines Romania
2005 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Argentina Greece Tanzania Japan Denmark " " " " "
2006 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Peru Ghana Congo Qatar Slovakia
2007 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Panama Italy South Africa Indonesia Belgium " " " " "
2008 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Costa Rica Burkina Faso Libya Viet Nam Croatia
2009 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Mexico Austria Uganda Japan Turkey " " " " "
2010 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Brazil Nigeria Gabon Lebanon Bosnia and Herzegovina
2011 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Colombia Germany South Africa India Portugal " " " " "
2012 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Guatemala Togo Morocco Pakistan Azerbaijan
2013 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Argentina Australia Rwanda South Korea Luxemburg " " " " "
2014 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Chile Chad Nigeria Jordan Lithuania
2015 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Venezuela New Zealand Angola Malaysia Spain " " " " "
2016 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Uruguay Senegal Egypt Japan Ukraine
2017 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Bolivia Netherlands Ethiopia Kazakhstan Sweden " " " " "
2018 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Peru Ivory Coast Equatorial Guinea Kuwait Poland
2019 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Dominican Rep. Belgium South Africa Indonesia Germany " " " " "
2020 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " St. Vincent & Grenadines Niger Tunisia Vietnam Estonia
2021 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Mexico Ireland Kenya India Norway " " " " "
2022 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Brazil Ghana Gabon United Arab Emirates Albania
2023 U.S. U.K. France Russia China Ecuador Switzerland Mozambique Japan Malta " " " " "
2024 U.S. U.K. France Russia China " " " " " Guyana Sierra Leone Algeria Republic of Korea Slovenia
KEY: Euro-Western Euro-Eastern Asia Latin America / Caribbean Euro-Western Africa Asia Euro-Western Latin America / Caribbean Africa Africa /
Arab
Asia /
Arab
Euro-Eastern

SOURCE: United Nations


United Nations regions