The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an international alliance that consists of 9 member states and 4 observers from Eurasia. It was established on 26 April 1996 as the Shanghai Five. In addition to the 9 member states and 3 observers, the SCO currently has 14 dialogue partners and 4 guest attendance entries.
The following list is sourced from the 2018 edition of "The Military Balance" published annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Flag | Country | Active military | Reserve military | Paramilitary | Total | Per 1000 capita (total) |
Per 1000 capita (active) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
China [6] | 2,035,000 | 510,000 | 1,500,000 | 4,045,000 | 2.9 | 1.5 | |
India [7] | 1,440,000 | 2,096,000 | 1,585,950 | 5,121,950 | 4 | 1.1 | |
Iran [8] | 610,000 | 350,000 | 40,000 | 1,000,000 | 11.4 | 7 | |
Kazakhstan [9] | 39,000 | 0 | 31,500 | 70,500 | 3.8 | 2.1 | |
Kyrgyzstan [10] | 10,900 | 0 | 9,500 | 20,400 | 3.5 | 1.9 | |
Pakistan [11] | 653,000 | 0 | 0 | 653,000 | 3.1 | 3.1 | |
Russian Federation [12] [Note 1] | 1,013,628 | 2,572,500 | 2,310,859 | 5,896,987 | 41.5 | 7.1 | |
Tajikistan [13] | 8,800 | 0 | 7,500 | 16,300 | 1.9 | 1 | |
Uzbekistan [14] | 48,000 | 0 | 20,000 | 68,000 | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status gained |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar | 1,564,115 | 3,067,550 | 1.75 | 11,919 | 0.727 |
Mongolian tögrög (₮) (MNT) |
Mongolian |
Head of State:
Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh Head of Government: Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene |
2004-06-17 | |
Belarus Republic of Belarus |
Minsk | 207,595 | 9,498,700 | 45.8 | 18,246 | 0.798 |
Belarusian rubel (Rbl) (BYR) |
Belarusian Russian |
Head of State and Government:
Alexander Lukashenko ( Prime Minister: Roman Golovchenko) |
2015 |
The following countries have applied for a position in the organization:
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status applied for | Year applied |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Timor Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste |
Dili | 14,874 | 1,340,513 | 78 | 3,637 | 0.607 | United States dollar (USD) |
Portuguese Tetum |
Head of State: José Ramos-Horta | Observer | 2012 [17] | |
Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh |
Dhaka | 148,460 | 169,828,911 | 1,305 | 2,470 | 0.661 | Bangladeshi taka (BDT) | Bengali | Head of State: Mohammed Shahabuddin | Observer | 2012 [18] | |
Syria Syrian Arab Republic |
Damascus | 185,180 | 22,933,531 | 118.3 | 2,900 | 0.577 | Syrian pound (SYP) | Arabic | Head of State and Government: Bashar al-Assad | Dialogue Partner | 2015 [c] [19] | |
Israel State of Israel |
Jerusalem [d] | 20,770 | 9,766,400 | 442 | 54,997 | 0.919 | Israeli new shekel (ILS) | Hebrew | Head of State: Isaac Herzog | Dialogue Partner | 2016 [19] | |
Iraq Republic of Iraq |
Baghdad | 438,317 | 43,500,000 | 82.7 | 12,141 | 0.686 | Iraqi dinar (IQD) | Arabic |
Head of State:
Abdul Latif Rashid Head of Government: Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani |
Dialogue Partner | 2019 [20] | |
Algeria People's Democratic Republic of Algeria |
Algiers | 2,381,741 | 44,700,000 | 17.7 | 13,324 | 0.745 | Algerian dinar (DZD) | Arabic |
Head of State:
Abdelmadjid Tebboune Head of Government: Aymen Benabderrahmane |
Observer | 2023 [21] [22] |
In 2012, Ukraine expressed interest in obtaining observer status. However, since the deposition of President Viktor Yanukovych and increased tensions with Russia, no application has been submitted and there are no current plans to incorporate Ukraine into the organization. [23] [24]
In 2011, Vietnam expressed interest in obtaining observer or dialogue partner status. However, it is unknown whether or not, Vietnam has submitted an application. [25]
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status gained |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan [26] | Kabul | 652,230 | 27,101,365 | 43.5 | 1,944 | 0.465 |
Afghan afghani (Af) (AFN) |
Pashto Dari |
De facto
head of state:
Hibatullah Akhundzada De facto head of government: Abdul Kabir |
2012-06-07 (Observer) |
The United States applied for observer status in the SCO, but was rejected in 2005. [27]
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an international alliance that consists of 9 member states and 4 observers from Eurasia. It was established on 26 April 1996 as the Shanghai Five. In addition to the 9 member states and 3 observers, the SCO currently has 14 dialogue partners and 4 guest attendance entries.
The following list is sourced from the 2018 edition of "The Military Balance" published annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Flag | Country | Active military | Reserve military | Paramilitary | Total | Per 1000 capita (total) |
Per 1000 capita (active) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
China [6] | 2,035,000 | 510,000 | 1,500,000 | 4,045,000 | 2.9 | 1.5 | |
India [7] | 1,440,000 | 2,096,000 | 1,585,950 | 5,121,950 | 4 | 1.1 | |
Iran [8] | 610,000 | 350,000 | 40,000 | 1,000,000 | 11.4 | 7 | |
Kazakhstan [9] | 39,000 | 0 | 31,500 | 70,500 | 3.8 | 2.1 | |
Kyrgyzstan [10] | 10,900 | 0 | 9,500 | 20,400 | 3.5 | 1.9 | |
Pakistan [11] | 653,000 | 0 | 0 | 653,000 | 3.1 | 3.1 | |
Russian Federation [12] [Note 1] | 1,013,628 | 2,572,500 | 2,310,859 | 5,896,987 | 41.5 | 7.1 | |
Tajikistan [13] | 8,800 | 0 | 7,500 | 16,300 | 1.9 | 1 | |
Uzbekistan [14] | 48,000 | 0 | 20,000 | 68,000 | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status gained |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar | 1,564,115 | 3,067,550 | 1.75 | 11,919 | 0.727 |
Mongolian tögrög (₮) (MNT) |
Mongolian |
Head of State:
Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh Head of Government: Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene |
2004-06-17 | |
Belarus Republic of Belarus |
Minsk | 207,595 | 9,498,700 | 45.8 | 18,246 | 0.798 |
Belarusian rubel (Rbl) (BYR) |
Belarusian Russian |
Head of State and Government:
Alexander Lukashenko ( Prime Minister: Roman Golovchenko) |
2015 |
The following countries have applied for a position in the organization:
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status applied for | Year applied |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Timor Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste |
Dili | 14,874 | 1,340,513 | 78 | 3,637 | 0.607 | United States dollar (USD) |
Portuguese Tetum |
Head of State: José Ramos-Horta | Observer | 2012 [17] | |
Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh |
Dhaka | 148,460 | 169,828,911 | 1,305 | 2,470 | 0.661 | Bangladeshi taka (BDT) | Bengali | Head of State: Mohammed Shahabuddin | Observer | 2012 [18] | |
Syria Syrian Arab Republic |
Damascus | 185,180 | 22,933,531 | 118.3 | 2,900 | 0.577 | Syrian pound (SYP) | Arabic | Head of State and Government: Bashar al-Assad | Dialogue Partner | 2015 [c] [19] | |
Israel State of Israel |
Jerusalem [d] | 20,770 | 9,766,400 | 442 | 54,997 | 0.919 | Israeli new shekel (ILS) | Hebrew | Head of State: Isaac Herzog | Dialogue Partner | 2016 [19] | |
Iraq Republic of Iraq |
Baghdad | 438,317 | 43,500,000 | 82.7 | 12,141 | 0.686 | Iraqi dinar (IQD) | Arabic |
Head of State:
Abdul Latif Rashid Head of Government: Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani |
Dialogue Partner | 2019 [20] | |
Algeria People's Democratic Republic of Algeria |
Algiers | 2,381,741 | 44,700,000 | 17.7 | 13,324 | 0.745 | Algerian dinar (DZD) | Arabic |
Head of State:
Abdelmadjid Tebboune Head of Government: Aymen Benabderrahmane |
Observer | 2023 [21] [22] |
In 2012, Ukraine expressed interest in obtaining observer status. However, since the deposition of President Viktor Yanukovych and increased tensions with Russia, no application has been submitted and there are no current plans to incorporate Ukraine into the organization. [23] [24]
In 2011, Vietnam expressed interest in obtaining observer or dialogue partner status. However, it is unknown whether or not, Vietnam has submitted an application. [25]
Flag | Country |
Capital |
Area (km2) |
Population (2016) |
Density (/km2) |
GDP per cap. (PPP) [1] |
HDI [2] |
Currency |
Official languages | Leaders | Status gained |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan [26] | Kabul | 652,230 | 27,101,365 | 43.5 | 1,944 | 0.465 |
Afghan afghani (Af) (AFN) |
Pashto Dari |
De facto
head of state:
Hibatullah Akhundzada De facto head of government: Abdul Kabir |
2012-06-07 (Observer) |
The United States applied for observer status in the SCO, but was rejected in 2005. [27]