In December 2023, the number of countries that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China is 151*. However, due to uncertainties on MoU**, it can be said that
146 to 151 countries including China are members of the BRI
according to www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn, 150 countries had signed MoUs, including Palestine, which is not an independent country under the United Nations.
The countries (excluding Palestine) of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are spread across all continents:
- 44 countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa
- 34 BRI countries are in Europe & Central Asia
- 25 BRI countries are in East Asia & Pacific (including China)
- 22 BRI countries are in Latin America & Caribbean
- 19 BRI countries in Middle East & North Africa
- 6 countries are in South East Asia
This also includes
- 17 countries of the European Union (EU), and
- 8 countries of the G20.
The trade and investment relationship of each BRI country with China is highly specific. More information about some BRI country can be found in the “BRI countries” briefs provided on this website, or on request.
Table of countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
The following table provides an overview of the countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The field income group is according to the World Bank categorization. Countries without a date of MoU denotes that we could not find independent information about the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding to become an official “country of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Country | Country Code | Region | Income Group | Likely date of MoU | Likely date of exit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | AFG | South Asia | Low income | May 1, 2023 | |
Albania | ALB | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | May 1, 2017 | |
Algeria | DZA | Middle East & North Africa | Upper middle income | July 10, 2018 | |
Angola | AGO | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Antigua and Barbuda | ATG | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | June 1, 2018 | |
Argentina | ARG | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | February 6, 2022 | |
Armenia | ARM | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | December 1, 2015 | |
Austria | AUT | Europe & Central Asia | High income | ||
Azerbaijan | AZE | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | December 1, 2015 | |
Bahrain | BHR | Middle East & North Africa | High income | July 1, 2018 | |
Bangladesh | BGD | South Asia | Lower middle income | March 1, 2019 | |
Barbados | BRB | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | February 1, 2019 | |
Belarus | BLR | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Benin | BEN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Bolivia | BOL | Latin America & Caribbean | Lower middle income | June 1, 2018 | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | BIH | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | May 1, 2017 | |
Botswana | BWA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper middle income | January 7, 2021 | |
Brunei Darussalam | BRN | East Asia & Pacific | High income | November 1, 2018 | |
Bulgaria | BGR | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | November 1, 2015 | |
Burundi | BDI | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Cabo Verde | CPV | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Cambodia | KHM | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Cameroon | CMR | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | August 1, 2015 | |
Central African Republic | CAF | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | November 1, 2021 | |
Chad | TCD | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Chile | CHL | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | November 6, 2018 | |
China, P.R. | CHN | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Comoros | COM | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | December 1, 2015 | |
Congo, Dem. Rep. | COD | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | January 6, 2021 | |
Congo, Rep. | COG | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | ||
Cook Islands | COK | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Costa Rica | CRI | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Côte d'Ivoire | CIV | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | May 23, 2017 | |
Croatia | HRV | Europe & Central Asia | High income | May 1, 2017 | |
Cuba | CUB | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | June 20, 2019 | |
Cyprus | CYP | Europe & Central Asia | High income | April 1, 2019 | |
Czech Republic | CZE | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2015 | |
Djibouti | DJI | Middle East & North Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Dominica | DMA | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | July 13, 2018 | |
Dominican Republic | DOM | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | December 1, 2019 | |
Ecuador | ECU | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | December 1, 2018 | |
Egypt, Arab Rep. | EGY | Middle East & North Africa | Lower middle income | January 1, 2016 | |
El Salvador | SLV | Latin America & Caribbean | Lower middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Equatorial Guinea | GNQ | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper middle income | April 1, 2019 | |
Eritrea | ERI | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | November 25, 2021 | |
Estonia | EST | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2017 | |
Ethiopia | ETH | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Fiji | FJI | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Gabon | GAB | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Gambia, The | GMB | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Georgia | GEO | Europe & Central Asia | Lower middle income | December 1, 2016 | |
Ghana | GHA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Greece | GRC | Europe & Central Asia | High income | August 1, 2018 | |
Grenada | GRD | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Guinea | GIN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Guinea-Bissau | GNB | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | November 24, 2021 | |
Guyana | GUY | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | July 1, 2018 | |
Honduras | HND | Latin America & Caribbean | Lower middle income | October 18, 2023 | |
Hungary | HUN | Europe & Central Asia | High income | June 1, 2015 | |
Indonesia | IDN | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | March 1, 2015 | |
Iran, Islamic Rep. | IRN | Middle East & North Africa | Upper middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Iraq | IRQ | Middle East & North Africa | Upper middle income | December 1, 2015 | |
Italy | ITA | Europe & Central Asia | High income | March 1, 2019 | December 6, 2023 |
Jamaica | JAM | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | April 1, 2019 | |
Jordan | JOR | Middle East | Upper Middle Income | December 2, 2023 | |
Kazakhstan | KAZ | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | August 1, 2015 | |
Kenya | KEN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | June 1, 2017 | |
Kiribati | KIR | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | January 1, 2020 | |
Korea, Rep. | KOR | East Asia & Pacific | High income | May 1, 2018 | |
Kuwait | KWT | Middle East & North Africa | High income | May 1, 2018 | |
Kyrgyz Republic | KGZ | Europe & Central Asia | Lower middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Lao PDR | LAO | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Latvia | LVA | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2016 | |
Lebanon | LBN | Middle East & North Africa | Upper middle income | September 1, 2017 | |
Lesotho | LSO | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | June 1, 2019 | |
Liberia | LBR | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | April 1, 2019 | |
Libya | LBY | Middle East & North Africa | Upper middle income | July 1, 2018 | |
Lithuania | LTU | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2017 | |
Luxembourg | LUX | Europe & Central Asia | High income | March 1, 2019 | |
Madagascar | MDG | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | March 1, 2017 | |
Malawi | MWI | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | March 24, 2022 | |
Malaysia | MYS | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | May 1, 2017 | |
Maldives | MDV | South Asia | Upper middle income | August 1, 2017 | |
Mali | MLI | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | July 26, 2019 | |
Malta | MLT | Middle East & North Africa | High income | November 1, 2018 | |
Mauritania | MRT | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | FSM | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Moldova | MDA | Europe & Central Asia | Lower middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Mongolia | MNG | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Montenegro | MNE | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | May 1, 2017 | |
Morocco | MAR | Middle East & North Africa | Lower middle income | November 1, 2017 | |
Mozambique | MOZ | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Myanmar | MMR | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | August 1, 2016 | |
Namibia | NAM | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Nepal | NPL | South Asia | Low income | May 1, 2017 | |
New Zealand | NZL | East Asia & Pacific | High income | March 1, 2017 | |
Nicaragua | NIC | Latin America & Caribbean | Lower middle income | January 6, 2022 | |
Niger | NER | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | ||
Nigeria | NGA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Niue | NIU | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | July 1, 2018 | |
North Macedonia | MKD | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Oman | OMN | Middle East & North Africa | High income | May 1, 2018 | |
Pakistan | PAK | South Asia | Lower middle income | December 1, 2013 | |
Panama | PAN | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | June 1, 2017 | |
Papua New Guinea | PNG | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | July 1, 2016 | |
Peru | PER | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | May 1, 2019 | |
Philippines | PHL | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | November 1, 2017 | |
Poland | POL | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2015 | |
Portugal | PRT | Europe & Central Asia | High income | December 1, 2018 | |
Qatar | QAT | Middle East & North Africa | High income | January 1, 2019 | |
Romania | ROU | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | June 1, 2015 | |
Russian Federation | RUS | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | ||
Rwanda | RWA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | July 1, 2018 | |
Samoa | WSM | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | October 1, 2018 | |
Saudi Arabia | SAU | Middle East & North Africa | High income | August 1, 2018 | |
Senegal | SEN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | July 1, 2018 | |
Serbia | SRB | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | November 1, 2015 | |
Seychelles | SYC | Sub-Saharan Africa | High income | September 1, 2018 | |
Sierra Leone | SLE | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | August 1, 2018 | |
Singapore | SGP | East Asia & Pacific | High income | April 1, 2018 | |
Slovak Republic | SVK | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2015 | |
Slovenia | SVN | Europe & Central Asia | High income | November 1, 2017 | |
Solomon Islands | SLB | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | October 1, 2019 | |
Somalia | SOM | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | August 1, 2015 | |
South Africa | ZAF | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper middle income | December 1, 2015 | |
South Sudan | SSD | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Sri Lanka | LKA | South Asia | Lower middle income | April 1, 2017 | |
Sudan | SDN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Suriname | SUR | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | July 1, 2018 | |
Syrian Arab Republic | SYR | Middle East & North Africa | Low income | January 6, 2022 | |
Tajikistan | TJK | Europe & Central Asia | Low income | October 1, 2018 | |
Tanzania | TZA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Thailand | THA | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | December 1, 2014 | |
Timor-Leste | TLS | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | April 1, 2017 | |
Togo | TGO | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Tonga | TON | East Asia & Pacific | Upper middle income | March 1, 2018 | |
Trinidad and Tobago | TTO | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | May 1, 2018 | |
Tunisia | TUN | Middle East & North Africa | Lower middle income | July 1, 2018 | |
Turkey | TUR | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | November 1, 2015 | |
Turkmenistan | TKM | Europe & Central Asia | Upper middle income | June 1, 2017 | |
Uganda | UGA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 | |
Ukraine | UKR | Europe & Central Asia | Lower middle income | December 1, 2017 | |
United Arab Emirates | ARE | Middle East & North Africa | High income | July 1, 2018 | |
Uruguay | URY | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | February 1, 2018 | |
Uzbekistan | UZB | Europe & Central Asia | Lower middle income | June 1, 2015 | |
Vanuatu | VUT | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | November 1, 2018 | |
Venezuela, RB | VEN | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Vietnam | VNM | East Asia & Pacific | Lower middle income | November 1, 2017 | |
Yemen, Rep. | YEM | Middle East & North Africa | Low income | November 1, 2017 | |
Zambia | ZMB | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower middle income | September 1, 2018 | |
Zimbabwe | ZWE | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | September 1, 2018 |
>> you can download the full Excel (.xls) file of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) country list here and use with proper citation.
Recommended citation:
Nedopil, Christoph (2023): “Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative”; Shanghai, Green Finance & Development Center, FISF Fudan University, www.greenfdc.org
Update and contact
The data for the BRI countries and years of signature of the BRI MoU are based on a number of official, news and web sources. Please contact us (info@greenfdc.org) if you have any questions or suggestions.
**For some countries that are listed as having signed an MoU for the BRI, the availability of independent information is limited and partly contradictory . For example, Austria, Niger and Russian Federation have not published a confirmation of signing a full MoU for bilateral cooperation under the BRI or even denied it. Some countries’ MoUs have potentially also expired due to their initial duration of 5 years. Some of these countries are listed as “unclear” in the following map of countries of the Belt and Road Initiative.