US Date of Recognition by Country 2025

Since becoming a sovereign nation in 1784, the United States has established mutual recognition of sovereignty with various independent nations. France was one of the first to recognize the United States, officially doing so on February 6, 1778, with the signing of the Peace and Trade Treaty. This followed King Louis XVI’s unofficial recognition in 1777. The United States’ independence was further solidified when Great Britain recognized it on September 3, 1783, with the Treaty of Paris, marking the end of the American Revolutionary War.

Spain acknowledged the US as a sovereign nation on February 20, 1783, and immediately appointed William Carmichael as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Denmark were established on June 9, 1792, after signing a commercial treaty. The Russian Empire officially recognized the US much later, on October 28, 1803, maintaining friendly relations that started in 1766 and lasted until 1917. However, the United States did not recognize the Soviet Union until 1933.

Mexico’s recognition by the United States came on December 12, 1822, in Washington, DC. This preceded the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, which concluded with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The US recognized Hawaii, then an independent kingdom, on December 23, 1826, long before it became a US territory in 1898 and a state in 1959.

The Empire of China was formally recognized by the United States as a sovereign nation on June 16, 1844, leading to the friendly Burlingame Treaty in 1968. The United States and Japan recognized each other’s independence on March 31, 1854, a relationship that has since been solidified through nine treaties or agreements. Additionally, the United States officially recognized the Kingdom of Italy when it accepted the credentials of Chevalier Joseph Bertinatti as Minister Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Italy on April 11, 1861.