The coup d’etat is a military or civilian overthrow of the government of a sovereign state. The label has important diplomatic ramifications, especially in intergovernmental organizations, such as the African Union (AU) and Organization of American States (OAS). Both have an established procedure for dealing with what they call “unconstitutional changes of government” (UCG), when a coup is deemed to have taken place.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive, objective list of coups and coup attempts that have occurred in the world since 1946. To that end, we use data from the Cline Center Coup D’etat Project Database.
The list includes both successful and failed coups, as well as attempts that were foiled. The database also provides information about the background and characteristics of each coup, such as its date, place, origin, leader, and outcome.
A number of coups are noted for their significance in world history. The Egyptian revolution of 1952, for example, overthrew the pro-British monarchy and established the United Arab Republic. The coup by the Iron Guard in Yugoslavia in 1941 led to the start of the First World War, and the attempt by a group of military officers to overthrow President Mamerto Urriolagoitia in Bolivia in 1951, known as the Mamertazo, prevented elected reformist Victor Paz Estenssoro from taking office.
The list also contains coups that were thwarted in the midst of a civil war, such as the Rum Rebellion in New South Wales, when soldiers overthrew Governor William Bligh. The final two examples are coups that were thwarted in a time of international tension, such as the attempt by Colonel Verissimo Correia Seabra to overthrow President Kumba Iala in Equatorial Guinea.