In 1958, shortly after the launching of the first artifical satellite, Sputnik-1, the United Nations General Assembly established an ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ( GA resolution 1348 (XIII)). The following year, a permanent Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was established by the General Assembly ( resolution 1472 (XIV)).
In 1959, the Committee had 24 members. Since then it has grown to 71 members - one of the largest Committees in the United Nations. In addition to States a number of international organizations, including both intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, have observer status with COPUOS and its Subcommittees.
In 2001, the General Assembly decided that the practice of sharing seats on a rotational basis by Cuba, Malaysia, Peru and the Republic of Korea should be terminated and that the four States become full members of the Committee.
Note: Bold denotes new members of the Committee. Members that rotate seats are indicated by a green font.
| Year | No. of seats | GA resolution/
decision |
Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 18 | GA resolution 1348 (XIII) | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), France, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Sweden, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Arab Republic ( now Egypt), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland & the United States of America |
| 1959 | 24 | GA resolution 1472 (XIV) | Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), France, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Sweden, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Arab Republic ( now Egypt), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland & the United States of America |
| 1961 | 28 | GA resolution 1721 E (XVI) | Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), France, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, Sweden, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Arab Republic ( now Egypt), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland & the United States of America |
| 1973 | 37 | GA resolution 3182 (XXVIII)
GA decision A/9492 |
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Chile, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), Federal Republic of Germany, Egypt, France, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Sweden, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, & Venezuela |
| 1977 | 47 | GA resolution 32/196
GA decision A/32/499 |
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), Ecuador, Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, France, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Sweden, Turkey, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Venezuela & Yugoslavia |
| 1980 | 53 |
GA resolution 35/16
GA decision A/35/791 |
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia ( now Czech Republic), Ecuador, Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, France, German Democratic Republic, Greece 1 , Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, 1 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( now Russian Federation), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United Republic of Cameroon, the United States of America, Upper Volta ( now Burkina Faso), Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam & Yugoslavia |
| 1994 | 61 |
GA resolution 49/33
GA decision 49/319 |
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba 2 , Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece 3 , India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia 2 , Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru 2 , Philippines, Poland, Portugal 3 , Republic of Korea 2 , Romania, the Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain 3 , Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, 3 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine 4 , Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam & Yugoslavia |
| 2001 | 64 |
GA resolution 56/51
|
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba 5 , Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia 5 , Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru 5 , Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea 5 , Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
| 2002 | 65 | GA resolution 57/116 | Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
| 2004 | 67 | GA resolution 59/116 | Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ( now Libya), Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
| 2007 | 69 | GA resolution 62/217 | Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ( now Libya), Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
| 2010 | 70 | GA resolution 65/97 | Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ( now Libya), Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
| 2011 | 71 | GA resolution 66/71 | Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela & Viet Nam |
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Notes:
1. States that rotate seats every three years: Greece and Turkey.
2. States that rotate seats every two years: Cuba and Peru; Malaysia and Republic of Korea.
3. Greece, Portugal, Spain and Turkey terminate the practice of sharing seats on a rotational basis.
4. Ukraine was appointed as a member of the Committee with immediate effect to fill the vacancy brought about by the accession of the German Democratic Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany.
5. Cuba, Malaysia, Peru and the Republic of Korea terminate the practice of sharing seats on a rotational basis.
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