Member States History

(a) Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2205 (XXI) of 17 December 1966, members of the Commission are elected by the General Assembly for a term of six years, the term of half of the members expiring every three years. By its resolution 3108 (XXVIII) of 12 December 1973, the Assembly increased the membership of the Commission from 29 to 36 States. The term of those members elected at the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly became effective on the opening day of the twenty-ninth regular annual session of the Commission, in 1996, and expired on the day preceding the opening of the thirty-fourth regular annual session, in 2001. The term of those members elected at the fifty-second session of the Assembly became effective on the opening day of the thirty-first regular annual session of the Commission, in 1998, and expired on the day preceding the opening of the thirty-sixth regular annual session, in 2004. By its resolution 57/20 of 19 November 2002, the Assembly further increased the membership of the Commission from 36 States to 60 States. Members were elected at the fifty eighth session of the General Assembly, in 2003, and their term became effective on the opening day of the thirty-seventh regular annual session of the Commission, in 2004.

(b) Between 1998 and 2004, alternating annually with Uruguay starting in 1998.

(c) Members elected at the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly, in 2003, with a three year term expiring on the day preceding the opening of the fortieth regular annual session, in 2007.

(d) By the twenty-sixth session of the Commission (1993), the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic had been dissolved to become, respectively, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

(e) By the twenty-third session of the Commission (1990), the two German States had united to form one sovereign State, Germany.

(f) By the nineteenth session of the Commission (1986), Iran had changed its name to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

(g) By the twenty-fifth session of the Commission (1992), the Russian Federation continued the membership of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

(h) Effective 3 June 2006, the membership of Serbia and Montenegro in the United Nations was continued by Serbia.

(i) By the seventh session of the Commission (1974), Syria had changed its name to the Syrian Arab Republic.

(j) Between 1998 and 2004, alternating annually with Argentina starting in 1999.

(k) By the twenty-fifth session of the Commission (1992), the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had been dissolved. The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia were admitted as members of the United Nations on 22 May 1992. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was admitted as a member of the United Nations on 1 November 2000.

(l) The following six State members elected by the General Assembly on 3 November 2009 agreed to alternate their membership among themselves until 2016 as follows: Belarus (2010-2011, 2013-2016), Czech Republic (2010-2013, 2015-2016), Poland (2010-2012, 2014-2016), Ukraine (2010-2014), Georgia (2011-2015) and Croatia (2012-2016).

(m) Zaire joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960. On 17 May 1997, its name was changed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(n) Following the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 66/1, the Permanent Mission of Libya to the United Nations formally notified the United Nations of a Declaration by the National Transitional Council of 3 August 2011 changing the official name of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to "Libya" and changing Libya's national flag.