List of parties to the Biological Weapons Convention
Encyclopedia
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
.
On 10 April 1972, the Biological Weapons Convention
Biological Weapons Convention
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the...
(BWC), also known as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) was opened for signature. The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
became the first state to deposit the treaty that same day. The treaty came into force
Coming into force
Coming into force or entry into force refers to the process by which legislation, regulations, treaties and other legal instruments come to have legal force and effect...
and closed for signature on 26 March 1975 with the deposit of ratification by 22 states. Since then, states that did not sign the treaty can now only accede to it.
A total of 195 states may become members of the Chemical Weapons Convention, including all 192 United Nations member states
United Nations member states
There are 193 United Nations member states, and each of them is a member of the United Nations General Assembly.The criteria for admission of new members are set out in the United Nations Charter, Chapter II, Article 4, as follows:...
as of 2010, the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
, Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
. As of July 2008, 163 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, most recently the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
on 4 December 2008. The Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) has also ratified the treaty, but is now unrecognized by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and is a party to the treaty only unofficially.
Summary
- Ratified or Acceded: 163 states and the Republic of China
- Signed only: 13 states
- Non-signatories: 19 states
Ratified or acceded states
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan |
(L, M, W) | (L) | Ratification |
 Albania |
(W) (L) (M) |
Accession | |
 Algeria |
? | (W) |
Accession |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
(L) | Accession? | |
 Argentina |
(M) (L) (W) |
(W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Armenia |
(M, W) | Accession | |
 Australia |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Austria |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Azerbaijan |
(W, M) | Accession | |
 The Bahamas |
(L) | Accession | |
 Bahrain |
(L) | Accession | |
 Bangladesh |
(M) (W) (L) |
Accession | |
 Barbados |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Belarus |
(M) | (M) | Ratification as  Byelorussian SSR |
 Belgium |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Belize |
(L) (W) (M) |
Succession from  United Kingdom (L)Accession (M, W) |
|
 Benin |
(W) | (L, W) | Ratification |
 Bhutan |
(L, W) | Accession | |
 Bolivia |
(W) | (L, W) | Ratification |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
(W) | Succession from | |
 Botswana |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Brazil |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Brunei |
(L) | Accession | |
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
(L, M, W) | (L) (W) (M) |
Ratification |
 Burkina Faso |
(W) | Accession | |
 Cambodia |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Canada |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Cape Verde |
(M) | Accession | |
 Chile |
(L, M, W) | (L) | Ratification |
 People's Republic of China |
(L, M, W) | Accession | |
 Colombia |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Cook Islands |
Accession | ||
 Republic of the Congo |
(W) | Accession | |
 Costa Rica |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Independent State of Croatia |
(W) | Succession from | |
 Cuba |
(M) | (M) | Ratification |
 Cyprus |
(M) (L, W) |
(L) (W) (M) |
Ratification |
 Czech Republic |
(L) (M) (W) |
Succession from  CzechoslovakiaSigned 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 |
|
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
(M) (W) |
(L) (W) |
Ratification as  Zaire |
 Denmark |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Dominica |
(L) | Accession | |
 Dominican Republic |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Ecuador |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 El Salvador |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Equatorial Guinea |
(M) (W) |
Accession | |
 Estonia |
(M) (W) |
Accession | |
 Ethiopia |
(L, M, W) | (L, M) (W) |
Ratification |
 Fiji |
(L) | (W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Finland |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Early Modern France |
(L, M, W) | Accession | |
 Gabon |
(L) | Ratification | |
 The Gambia |
(M) (L) (W) |
(L) (W) |
Ratification |
 Georgia (country) |
(L) | Accession | |
 Germany |
(L, M, W) | (L, W) | Ratification as  West GermanyAlso  German Democratic Republic Ratified 28 November 1972 |
 Ghana |
(M, W) | (L) | Ratification |
 Greece |
(L) (W) (M) |
(W) | Ratification |
 Grenada |
(L) | Accession | |
 Guatemala |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Guinea-Bissau |
(M) | Accession | |
 Holy See |
(W) | Accession | |
 Honduras |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Hungary |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Iceland |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 India |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Indonesia |
(M, W) (L) |
(M) (L) 1April 1992 (W) |
Ratification |
 Iran |
(M, W) (L) |
(L, W) (M) |
Ratification |
 Iraq |
(M) | (M) | Ratification |
 Republic of Ireland |
(L, W) | (L, W) | Ratification |
 Italy |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Jamaica |
(L) | Accession | |
 Japan |
(L, M, W) | (W) (L, M) |
Ratification |
 Jordan |
(W) (L) (M) |
(M) (W) (L) |
Ratification |
 Kazakhstan |
(M) | Accession? | |
 Kenya |
(L) | Accession | |
 Kuwait |
(M, W) (L) |
(W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Kyrgyzstan |
(M) | Accession | |
 Laos |
(L, M, W) | (M) (W) (L) |
Ratification |
 Latvia |
(L) | Accession | |
 Lebanon |
(L, W) (M) |
(L) (M) (W) |
Ratification |
 Lesotho |
(W) | (L) | Ratification |
 Libya |
(M) | Accession | |
 Liechtenstein |
(W) (M) (L) |
Accession | |
 Lithuania |
(L) | Accession | |
 Luxembourg |
(L, M) (W) |
(L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Madagascar |
(L) | Ratification? | |
 Malaysia |
(L, M, W) | (L, M) (W) |
Ratification |
 Maldives |
(M) | Accession | |
 Mali |
(W) | Ratification | |
 Malta |
(L) | (L) | Ratification |
 Mauritius |
(W) | (W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Mexico |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Moldova |
(W, M) | Accession | |
 Monaco |
Accession? | ||
 Mongolia |
(L, M, W) | (W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Kingdom of Montenegro |
(M) | Succession from  Serbia and Montenegro |
|
 Morocco |
(L) (W) (M) |
(L) | Ratification |
 Netherlands |
(L, M, W) | (L, W) (M) |
Ratification |
 New Zealand |
(L, M, W) | (W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Nicaragua |
(L, W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Niger |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Nigeria |
(M) (L) (W) |
(W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 North Korea |
(M) | Accession | |
 Norway |
(L, M, W) | (L, W) (M) |
Ratification |
 Oman |
(W) | Accession | |
 Pakistan |
(L, M, W) | (M) (L, W) |
Ratification |
 Palau |
Accession | ||
 Panama |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Papua New Guinea |
(L) (M) (W) |
Accession | |
 Paraguay |
(W) | Accession | |
 Peru |
(L, M, W) |
(L, M) (W) |
Ratification |
 Philippines |
(M) (L, W) |
(W) | Ratification |
 Poland |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Portugal |
(W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Qatar |
(L) | (L) | Ratification |
 Republic of Macedonia |
(M) (L) (W) |
Succession from | |
 Kingdom of Romania |
(L, M, W) | (W) (L) (M) |
Ratification |
 Russia |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification as  Soviet Union |
 Rwanda |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis |
(L) | Accession | |
 Saint Lucia |
(L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
|
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
(L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
|
 San Marino |
(W) (M) (L) |
(L) (W) (M) |
Ratification |
 São Tomé and Príncipe |
(M) | Accession | |
 Saudi Arabia |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Senegal |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Serbia |
(M) (W) |
Succession from  Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaSigned 10 April 1972 Deposited 25 October 1973 |
|
 Seychelles |
(L) (W) (M) |
Accession | |
 Sierra Leone |
(W) (L) |
(L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Singapore |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Slovakia |
(M, W) (L) |
Succession from Czechoslovakia Signed 10 April 1972 Deposited 30 April 1973 |
|
 Slovenia |
(M) (L) (W) |
Succession from | |
 Solomon Islands |
(L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
|
 South Africa |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 South Korea |
(L, W) | (L, W) | Ratification |
 Spain |
(L, W) | (L, W) | Ratification |
 Sri Lanka |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Sudan |
(L) | Accession | |
 Suriname |
(L) (W) |
Accession | |
 Swaziland |
(L) | Accession | |
 Sweden |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Switzerland |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Tajikistan |
(M) | Accession? | |
 Thailand |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 East Timor |
(W) | Accession | |
 Togo |
(W) | (W) | Ratification |
 Tonga |
(L) | Accession | |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
Accession | ||
 Tunisia |
(L, M, W) | (W) (M) (L) |
Ratification |
 Turkey |
(L, M, W) | (M) (L) (W) |
Ratification |
 Turkmenistan |
(L, M) (W) |
Accession | |
 Uganda |
(W) | Accession | |
 Ukraine |
(M) | (M) | Ratification as  Ukrainian SSR |
 United Arab Emirates |
(L) | Ratification | |
| United Kingdom |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 United States |
(L, M, W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Uruguay |
(W) | Accession | |
 Uzbekistan |
(L) (M) |
Accession | |
 Vanuatu |
(L) | Accession | |
 Venezuela |
(W) | (L, M, W) | Ratification |
 Vietnam |
(M) | Accession | |
 Yemen |
(M) (L, W) |
(L, M, W) | Ratification as  Yemen Arab Republic (L, W)and  South Yemen (M) |
 Zambia |
Accession | ||
 Zimbabwe |
(L) | Accession |
Unrecognized state, abiding by treaty
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
 Republic of China |
10 April 1972 | 9 February 1973 | Ratification |
States that have signed but not ratified
| State | Signed |
|---|---|
 Myanmar |
(L, M, W) |
 Burundi |
|
 Central African Republic |
(W) |
 Côte d'Ivoire |
(W) |
 Egypt |
(L, M) |
 Guyana |
(W) |
 Haiti |
(W) |
 Liberia |
(W) (L) |
 Malawi |
(W) |
 Nepal |
(L, M, W) |
 Somalia |
(M) |
 Syria |
(M) |
 Tanzania |
(L) |
Non-signatory states
| # | State |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Andorra |
| 2 |  Angola |
| 3 |  Cameroon |
| 4 |  Chad |
| 5 |  Comoros |
| 7 |  Djibouti |
| 8 |  Eritrea |
| 9 |  Federated States of Micronesia |
| 10 |  Guinea |
| 11 |  Israel |
| 12 |  Kiribati |
| 13 |  Marshall Islands |
| 14 |  Mauritania |
| 15 |  Mozambique |
| 16 |  Namibia |
| 17 |  Nauru |
| 18 |  Niue |
| 19 |  Samoa |
| 20 |  Tuvalu |