Palestine, which is recognized by 136 UN member states, is one of two permanent nonmember observer states at the UN, the other being Vatican City. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. It is recognized by 114 UN member states. Taiwan, which is officially the Republic of China (ROC), represented China at the UN until 1971, but lost its UN membership after China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), was given China's seat.

The island of Taiwan (the world's fourth-highest island), which comprises 99 percent of the territory under control of the ROC, is about 100 miles off the coast of mainland China. It was previously called Formosa. The civil war between the Chinese communists and nationalists that began in 1927 was interrupted by World War II and the need to fight against the Japanese. Fighting between the Chinese factions resumed in 1946.