Summary
How many countries exist in the world? According to the United Nations’ membership list, there may be as few as 193 countries or as many as 197, but the true answer is somewhat more complex.
Consider places such as Kosovo and Taiwan—are they regarded as countries? Although unrecognized by the UN and potentially politically contentious, these entities fulfill all necessary criteria to be acknowledged as sovereign states.
This article will elucidate these complexities and explore why arriving at an exact count of the world’s countries is challenging. Subsequently, I will share my perspective on why I believe the actual total is at least 199 countries, if not more.
This topic captures my interest as I am currently on a personal quest to visit every country in the world, as documented on my travel blog. Yet, before I can achieve this goal, I must first ascertain the total number of countries! Let us begin!
What Is A Country? (Definition)
The Oxford dictionary defines a country as “a nation with its own government, occupying a specific territory.” The Britannica dictionary offers a similar definition.
In contrast, the Cambridge dictionary defines a country as “an area of land that has its own government, army, etc.”
We will revisit these definitions later, as, although somewhat vague, they may still be useful for classifying disputed territories.
How Many Countries In The World? (UN Definition)
So, how many countries can we identify in the world? A suitable starting point is the United Nations member list. While it is not exhaustive, it is quite comprehensive and typically includes most global nations.
Upon examining the United Nations list, here’s what we find:
- 193 UN member states
- 2 UN General Assembly non-member observer states (Palestine, Holy See)
- 2 eligible non-member states (Cook Islands, Niue)
When these figures are aggregated, the total can be summarized as 193, 195, or 197 countries. Based on the strictest definition (UN membership) there would be 193 countries, while a broader interpretation (including all eligible states) suggests 197.
It seems unreasonable to exclude a country merely due to its lack of UN membership if it is eligible and meets the essential criteria for being classified as a country. Thus, it is only logical to conclude there are 197 countries in total.
So, there we have it—197 countries! However, this conclusion is still limited as it overlooks the classification of Kosovo and Taiwan, which the UN does not formally recognize. Therefore, how should we categorize these entities?
Is Taiwan A Country? Yes
In 1949, Communist forces seized control of mainland China during a civil war, leading to the departure of the Republic of China’s leaders and their followers to the island of Formosa (Taiwan).
Since that time, Taiwan has functioned as an independently governed territory, possessing its own flag, currency, military, constitution, widely recognized passport, and democratically elected leadership.
Taiwan was one of the original founding members of the United Nations and continued to be acknowledged as the legitimate representative of China by a majority of UN member states until the 1970s, when mainland China’s influence intensified, leading to Taiwan’s removal from the UN.
At present, China asserts authority over Taiwan, resulting in sensitive diplomatic situations surrounding its status as a country. Most nations are cautious in their recognition of Taiwan to maintain favorable relations with mainland China, which has emerged as a significant economic force.
Taiwan enjoys official recognition from 13 UN member states and maintains informal relations with approximately 100 countries, including the United States and Japan. The sole reason it lacks official UN classification as a country relates to political dynamics.
In conclusion, yes, Taiwan qualifies as a country! It adheres to and surpasses the criteria in every aspect.
Is Kosovo A Country? Yes
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has since functioned as an independent nation. It boasts its own flag, passports, military forces, and constitutional framework.
Though Kosovo has been diplomatically recognized as a sovereign state by 101 UN member countries, it has been denied membership in the UN and the European Union due to Serbia’s ongoing claim over the territory, supported by its ally Russia.
Essentially, political circumstances are the only barrier to acknowledging Kosovo as a country. Nevertheless, Kosovo is an independent nation in every significant way, thus justifying its inclusion in the overall count.
Full List Of Countries In The World
The following is an alphabetical listing of all recognized countries in the world, as classified by the United Nations. This is sourced from their official UN member list.
Additionally, at the conclusion, I will enumerate a selection of disputed or miscellaneous entities that also qualify for inclusion:
- 1. Afghanistan
- 2. Albania
- 3. Algeria
- 4. Andorra
- 5. Angola
- 6. Antigua & Barbuda
- 7. Argentina
- 8. Armenia
- 9. Australia
- 10. Austria
- 11. Azerbaijan
- 12. Bahamas
- 13. Bahrain
- 14. Bangladesh
- 15. Barbados
- 16. Belarus
- 17. Belgium
- 18. Belize
- 19. Benin
- 20. Bhutan
- 21. Bolivia
- 22. Bosnia & Herzegovina
- 23. Botswana
- 24. Brazil
- 25. Brunei
- 26. Bulgaria
- 27. Burkina Faso
- 28. Burundi
- 29. Cabo Verde
- 30. Cambodia
- 31. Cameroon
- 32. Canada
- 33. Central African Republic
- 34. Chad
- 35. Chile
- 36. China
- 37. Colombia
- 38. Comoros
- 39. Congo
- 40. Costa Rica
- 41. Croatia
- 42. Cuba
- 43. Cyprus
- 44. Czech Republic (Czechia)
- 45. Côte d’Ivoire
- 46. Denmark
- 47. Djibouti
- 48. Dominica
- 49. Dominican Republic
- 50. DR Congo
- 51. Ecuador
- 52. Egypt
- 53. El Salvador
- 54. Equatorial Guinea
- 55. Eritrea
- 56. Estonia
- 57. Eswatini
- 58. Ethiopia
- 59. Fiji
- 60. Finland
- 61. France
- 62. Gabon
- 63. Gambia
- 64. Georgia
- 65. Germany
- 66. Ghana
- 67. Greece
- 68. Grenada
- 69. Guatemala
- 70. Guinea
- 71. Guinea-Bissau
- 72. Guyana
- 73. Haiti
- 74. Honduras
- 75. Hungary
- 76. Iceland
- 77. India
- 78. Indonesia
- 79. Iran
- 80. Iraq
- 81. Ireland
- 82. Israel
- 83. Italy
- 84. Jamaica
- 85. Japan
- 86. Jordan
- 87. Kazakhstan
- 88. Kenya
- 89. Kiribati
- 90. Kuwait
- 91. Kyrgyzstan
- 92. Laos
- 93. Latvia
- 94. Lebanon
- 95. Lesotho
- 96. Liberia
- 97. Libya
- 98. Liechtenstein
- 99. Lithuania
- 100. Luxembourg
- 101. Madagascar
- 102. Malawi
- 103. Malaysia
- 104. Maldives
- 105. Mali
- 106. Malta
- 107. Marshall Islands
- 108. Mauritania
- 109. Mauritius
- 110. Mexico
- 111. Micronesia
- 112. Moldova
- 113. Monaco
- 114. Mongolia
- 115. Montenegro
- 116. Morocco
- 117. Mozambique
- 118. Myanmar (Burma)
- 119. Namibia
- 120. Nauru
- 121. Nepal
- 122. Netherlands
- 123. New Zealand
- 124. Nicaragua
- 125. Niger
- 126. Nigeria
- 127. North Korea
- 128. North Macedonia
- 129. Norway
- 130. Oman
- 131. Pakistan
- 132. Palau
- 133. Panama
- 134. Papua New Guinea
- 135. Paraguay
- 136. Peru
- 137. Philippines
- 138. Poland
- 139. Portugal
- 140. Qatar
- 141. Romania
- 142. Russia
- 143. Rwanda
- 144. Saint Kitts & Nevis
- 145. Saint Lucia
- 146. Samoa
- 147. San Marino
- 148. Sao Tome & Principe
- 149. Saudi Arabia
- 150. Senegal
- 151. Serbia
- 152. Seychelles
- 153. Sierra Leone
- 154. Singapore
- 155. Slovakia
- 156. Slovenia
- 157. Solomon Islands
- 158. Somalia
- 159. South Africa
- 160. South Korea
- 161. South Sudan
- 162. Spain
- 163. Sri Lanka
- 164. St. Vincent & Grenadines
- 165. Sudan
- 166. Suriname
- 167. Sweden
- 168. Switzerland
- 169. Syria
- 170. Tajikistan
- 171. Tanzania
- 172. Thailand
Encountering a wild king cobra in Bali, Indonesia.
- 173. Timor-Leste
- 174. Togo
- 175. Tonga
- 176. Trinidad & Tobago
- 177. Tunisia
- 178. Turkey
- 179. Turkmenistan
- 180. Tuvalu
- 181. Uganda
- 182. Ukraine
- 183. United Arab Emirates
- 184. United Kingdom
- 185. United States of America
- 186. Uruguay
- 187. Uzbekistan
- 188. Vanuatu
- 189. Venezuela
- 190. Vietnam
- 191. Yemen
- 192. Zambia
- 193. Zimbabwe
- 194. Holy See¹
- 195. Palestine¹
- 196. Cook Islands²
- 197. Niue²
- 198. Kosovo³
- 199. Taiwan³
¹ UN non-member observer states
² UN eligible non-member states
³ Unrecognized by UN
So How Many Countries Are There In The World?
As demonstrated, determining the exact number of countries is challenging.
In summary, there are 193 member nations within the United Nations, in addition to 2 non-member observer states, 2 eligible non-member states, and 2 independent entities that lack UN recognition.
Therefore, based on this reasoning, it is reasonable to assert that there are at least 199 countries worldwide. While my discerning nature prefers a round figure of 200, that ideal does not currently appear attainable!
Frequently Asked Questions
• What Is The World’s Newest Country?
The newest nation currently recognized globally is South Sudan, which emerged from Sudan in 2011 and has an estimated population of nearly 13 million. Its capital and largest city is Juba.
Prior to this, the newest UN-recognized nation was Montenegro, which separated from Serbia in 2006.
• What Is The World’s Oldest Country?
Identifying the oldest country is complex, but contenders include China, Egypt, India, Iran, and Japan.
The Egyptian pyramids date back to 2560 BC, making them incredibly ancient!
• What Is The World’s Biggest Country?
Russia is unequivocally the largest country globally, covering an area of 17,098,242 square kilometers (6,601,665 mi²). It spans across 11 time zones over two continents (Asia and Europe) and constitutes one-tenth of all Earth’s landmass.
Canada and the United States rank as the second and third largest countries, respectively. The UK could be accommodated in Canada more than 40 times! Both nations boast spectacular natural landscapes and vast, accessible spaces.
• What Is The World’s Smallest Country?
The smallest country by both area and population is the Holy See—Vatican City, which houses approximately 800 residents and covers an area of 44 hectares (109 acres).
In strict terms of UN membership, the smallest nation by area is Monaco, covering 202 hectares (499 acres) and hosting a population of around 40,000, rendering it the most densely populated country globally.
Another noteworthy entity is Nauru, a remote island spanning just 21 square kilometers (8 mi²). It is the least populous state among UN members and the second smallest by area.
• What Is The Most Populous Country?
Currently, China holds the title of the most populous nation, with a population of 1.44 billion individuals. However, India is projected to soon overtake this figure, potentially becoming the most populous country.
• Is Western Sahara A Country?
Western Sahara presents a unique case. It is often depicted with defined borders on world maps, with some globes featuring this delineation. At one time, it was recognized by 45 UN member nations (this figure once peaked at 84, but many nations have retracted their recognition).
However, it remains uncertain whether it qualifies as an independent country, given that Western Sahara is largely administered by Morocco. Even the principal city, Laayoune, is managed by Morocco. The SADR group possesses its own currency and a passport recognized by nations acknowledging it, yet Moroccan currency predominantly circulates.
The UN categorizes Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory due to Morocco’s overarching control. Traditionally, a country is defined as one that is governed independently, leading to uncertainty regarding Western Sahara’s classification.
• What About The United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom comprises four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
However, these are recognized as constituent countries rather than independent nations, as the UK exercises ultimate authority over them.
• What Places Are Not Countries? (That People Think Are)
Lastly, here are several locations commonly mistaken as countries, but they are actually regions belonging to sovereign states:
- Hong Kong (China)
- Macau (China)
- Tibet (China)
- Faroe Islands (Denmark)
- Greenland (Denmark)
- French Guiana (France)
- French Polynesia (France)
- Reunion Island (France)
- Madeira (Portugal)
- Canary Islands (Spain)
- England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (UK)
- Falkland Islands (UK)
- Gibraltar (UK)
- American Samoa (US)
- Guam (US)
- Puerto Rico (US)
- Caribbean territories such as Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin / Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos, and the US Virgin Islands (these are all under various nations’ sovereignty)
- Antarctica — not a country, yet claimed by seven nations (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom)
- The Arctic — not a country, but eight nations hold territorial claims: the USA (via Alaska), Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden.
• What Is My Favorite Country?
Many individuals inquire about my preferred travel destinations. I cherish visiting Bali and the broader Indonesia, naturally! Bali is budget-friendly, warm, and offers a plethora of sights and activities. The welcoming nature of the Balinese people is yet another reason why I chose to marry one of them. 🙂
Beyond Indonesia, I find it increasingly challenging to select favorites. We have greatly relished exploring destinations like Japan, Egypt, Myanmar, Hawaii, and many others. Virtually every location we have traveled provides some level of enjoyment, regardless of any perceived shortcomings.
My Journey To Visit Every Country
Thank you for engaging with this discussion! I trust you found the examination of how many countries are currently recognized in the world insightful in 2024.
Wishing you happy travels!
