Ask someone how many countries there are in the world, and the answer might surprise you. In fact, although they may hazard a wild guess, they may not be entirely wrong.
The answer to the number of countries in the world isn’t a straightforward answer. There are a few different answers to this question, depending on who you ask and where you ask the question. The total number varies, depending on the source and the definition of what a country is.
What is the Definition of a Country?
Let’s start with what defines a country. In reality, there isn’t a standard definition of what is a country [1].
A country could be defined as a place that has a permanent population, exists in a specific geographical area, and is able to govern itself with functional political structures.
A country could also be a group of people with a common cultural background, identity, and traditions.
A sovereign nation or state needs to have the ability to make treaties, conduct trade, and operate diplomatically with other countries; essentially, it needs a functioning government.
So, although a group of people may identify themselves as belonging to a certain place, they may not be considered a country if they do not occupy any territory or land. Additionally, a country might have land but not have a functioning government, which makes other nations unable to conduct foreign relations with it.
Is Greenland a country?
Greenland is a large island located between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean northeast of Canada. While Greenland geologically is considered part of the North American continent, it is not its own country. Greenland is an autonomous territory of the European country Denmark, although it has a significant degree of self-governance, including its own local government and parliament.
How Many Countries Does the United Nations Recognize?
According to the United Nations, the body organized to uphold the rights of people around the globe, a new country has to be recognized by other states who are members of the United Nations before it is considered a country.
The recognition of a new state assumes that this new state is willing and able to assume diplomatic relations with other member countries of the United Nations.
In most cases, the ultimate country count rests on the number of UN member states that are recognized by that international body. There are 193 members, which could imply that there are 193 countries [2]. And yet…..
There are 193 countries that are recognized members of the UN as well as two UN observer states. The two UN observer states (also known as non-member observer states) are the Holy See (also known as the Vatican) and the Palestinian Authority.
Additionally, there are six countries that have obtained partial recognition from UN member states. These are Taiwan, Western Sahara, Kosovo, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Northern Cyprus.
These territories are claimed by other countries but are not controlled by them. Depending on the type of map you look at, these countries will be surrounded by a dotted line rather than a solid one demarcating an independent nation from the countries around it.
South Sudan was recognized as a country in 2011, which is the latest member nation to be admitted to the UN.
The United Nations Membership List Doesn’t Account for All Countries
There are also some partially recognized states like the Cook Islands, which often act like independent countries but have not declared independence or shown interest in joining the UN.
There are only three self-declared nations that have not been recognized by any UN member states; they are Somaliland, Transnistria, and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
So, if all of these countries are added together, there are 201 countries in the world.
But we’re not done! Still, depending on who you ask, there could be up to 249 countries on Earth. On a complete list of country codes you will find 249 nations listed, because dependent territories and self-declared nations are included.
How Many Countries Does the United States Recognize?
The United States formally recognizes 195 countries.
Table: List of Countries Recognized by the United States
Listed here are the countries recognized by the United States. Source: List of countries and recognition states: Independent States in the World, U.S. Department of State, January 29, 2021. Sizes of countries: CIA World Factbook.
Countries are listed by short name followed by long-form name:
- Afghanistan ~ Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
- Albania ~ Republic of Albania
- Algeria ~ People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
- Andorra ~ Principality of Andorra
- Angola ~ Republic of Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda ~ Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina ~ Argentine Republic
- Armenia ~ Republic of Armenia
- Australia ~ Commonwealth of Australia
- Austria ~ Republic of Austria
- Azerbaijan ~ Republic of Azerbaijan
- Bahamas, ~ Commonwealth of The Bahamas
- Bahrain ~ Kingdom of Bahrain
- Bangladesh ~ People’s Republic of Bangladesh
- Barbados ~ Barbados
- Belarus ~ Republic of Belarus
- Belgium ~ Kingdom of Belgium
- Belize ~ Belize
- Benin ~ Republic of Benin
- Bhutan ~ Kingdom of Bhutan
- Bolivia ~ Plurinational State of Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina ~ Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana ~ Republic of Botswana
- Brazil ~ Federative Republic of Brazil
- Brunei ~ Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria ~ Republic of Bulgaria
- Burkina ~ Burkina Faso
- Burma ~ Union of Burma
- Burundi ~ Republic of Burundi
- Cabo ~ Republic of Cabo Verde
- Cambodia ~ Kingdom of Cambodia
- Cameroon ~ Republic of Cameroon
- Canada ~ Canada
- Central African Republic ~ Central African Republic
- Chad ~ Republic of Chad
- Chile ~ Republic of Chile
- China ~ People’s Republic of China
- Colombia ~ Republic of Colombia
- Comoros ~ Union of the Comoros
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the ~ Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Congo, Republic of the ~ Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica ~ Republic of Costa Rica
- Côte d’Ivoire ~ Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
- Croatia ~ Republic of Croatia
- Cuba ~ Republic of Cuba
- Cyprus ~ Republic of Cyprus
- Czechia ~ Czech Republic
- Denmark ~ Kingdom of Denmark
- Djibouti ~ Republic of Djibouti
- Dominica ~ Commonwealth of Dominica
- Dominican ~ Dominican Republic
- Ecuador ~ Republic of Ecuador
- Egypt ~ Arab Republic of Egypt
- El Salvador ~ Republic of El Salvador
- Equatorial ~ Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea ~ State of Eritrea
- Estonia ~ Republic of Estonia
- Eswatini ~ Kingdom of Eswatini
- Ethiopia ~ Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- Fiji ~ Republic of Fiji
- Finland ~ Republic of Finland
- France ~ French Republic
- Gabon ~ Gabonese Republic
- Gambia, ~ Republic of The Gambia
- Georgia ~ Georgia
- Germany ~ Federal Republic of Germany
- Ghana ~ Republic of Ghana
- Greece ~ Hellenic Republic
- Grenada ~ Grenada
- Guatemala ~ Republic of Guatemala
- Guinea ~ Republic of Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau ~ Republic of Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana ~ Co-operative Republic of Guyana
- Haiti ~ Republic of Haiti
- Holy See * ~ Holy See
- Honduras ~ Republic of Honduras
- Hungary ~ Hungary
- Iceland ~ Republic of Iceland
- India ~ Republic of India
- Indonesia ~ Republic of Indonesia
- Iran ~ Islamic Republic of Iran
- Iraq ~ Republic of Iraq
- Ireland ~ Ireland
- Israel ~ State of Israel
- Italy ~ Italian Republic
- Jamaica ~ Jamaica
- Japan ~ Japan
- Jordan ~ Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- Kazakhstan ~ Republic of Kazakhstan
- Kenya ~ Republic of Kenya
- Kiribati ~ Republic of Kiribati
- Korea, North ~ Republic of Korea
- Korea, South ~ Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Kosovo ~ Republic of Kosovo
- Kuwait ~ State of Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan ~ Kyrgyz Republic
- Laos ~ Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Latvia ~ Republic of Latvia
- Lebanon ~ Lebanese Republic
- Lesotho ~ Kingdom of Lesotho
- Liberia ~ Republic of Liberia
- Libya ~ State of Libya
- Liechtenstein ~ Principality of Liechtenstein
- Lithuania ~ Republic of Lithuania
- Luxembourg ~ Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
- Madagascar ~ Republic of Madagascar
- Malawi ~ Republic of Malawi
- Malaysia ~ Malaysia
- Maldives ~ Republic of Maldives
- Mali ~ Republic of Mali
- Malta ~ Republic of Malta
- Marshall ~ Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Mauritania ~ Islamic Republic of Mauritania
- Mauritius ~ Republic of Mauritius
- Mexico ~ United Mexican States
- Micronesia, Federated States ~ Federated States of Micronesia
- Moldova ~ Republic of Moldova
- Monaco ~ Principality of Monaco
- Mongolia ~ Mongolia
- Montenegro ~ Montenegro
- Morocco ~ Kingdom of Morocco
- Mozambique ~ Republic of Mozambique
- Namibia ~ Republic of Namibia
- Nauru ~ Republic of Nauru
- Nepal ~ Nepal
- Netherlands ~ Kingdom of the Netherlands
- New Zealand ~ New Zealand
- Nicaragua ~ Republic of Nicaragua
- Niger ~ Republic of Niger
- Nigeria ~ Federal Republic of Nigeria
- North Macedonia ~ Republic of North Macedonia
- Norway ~ Kingdom of Norway
- Oman ~ Sultanate of Oman
- Pakistan ~ Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Palau ~ Republic of Palau
- Palestine ~ State of Palestine
- Panama ~ Republic of Panama
- Papua ~ Independent State of Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay ~ Republic of Paraguay
- Peru ~ Republic of Peru
- Philippines ~ Republic of the Philippines
- Poland ~ Republic of Poland
- Portugal ~ Portuguese Republic
- Qatar ~ State of Qatar
- Romania ~ Romania
- Russia ~ Russian Federation
- Rwanda ~ Republic of Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis ~ Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia ~ Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ~ Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa ~ Independent State of Samoa
- San ~ Republic of San Marino
- Sao ~ Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia ~ Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Senegal ~ Republic of Senegal
- Serbia ~ Republic of Serbia
- Seychelles ~ Republic of Seychelles
- Sierra Leone ~ Republic of Sierra Leone
- Singapore ~ Republic of Singapore
- Slovakia ~ Slovak Republic
- Slovenia ~ Republic of Slovenia
- Solomon ~ Solomon Islands
- Somalia ~ Federal Republic of Somalia
- South Africa ~ Republic of South Africa
- South Sudan ~ Republic of South Sudan
- Spain ~ Kingdom of Spain
- Sri Lanka ~ Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
- Sudan ~ Republic of the Sudan
- Suriname ~ Republic of Suriname
- Sweden ~ Kingdom of Sweden
- Switzerland ~ Swiss Confederation
- Syria ~ Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan ~ Republic of China (ROC)
- Tajikistan ~ Republic of Tajikistan
- Tanzania ~ United Republic of Tanzania
- Thailand ~ Kingdom of Thailand
- Timor-Leste ~ Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
- Togo ~ Togolese Republic
- Tonga ~ Kingdom of Tonga
- Trinidad ~ Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia ~ Republic of Tunisia
- Turkey ~ Republic of Turkey
- Turkmenistan ~ Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu ~ Tuvalu
- Uganda ~ Republic of Uganda
- Ukraine ~ Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates ~ United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom ~ United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America ~ United States of America
- Uruguay ~ Oriental Republic of Uruguay
- Uzbekistan ~ Republic of Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu ~ Republic of Vanuatu
- Venezuela ~ Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- Vietnam ~ Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Yemen ~ Republic of Yemen
- Zambia ~ Republic of Zambia
- Zimbabwe ~ Republic of Zimbabwe
List of Countries by Region
Listed here are countries by region with some basic statistics listing the country’s area, rank in terms of area, status of United States recognition, and membership in the United Nations.
The designation of regions was taken from the CIA World Factbook. A list of countries by continent is listed further down on this page.
List of Countries in Africa
| Short Name | Long-form name | U.S. recognition | Member of United Nations | Area (km) | Rank (area) |
| Algeria | People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria | Yes | Yes | 2,381,740 | 10 |
| Angola | Republic of Angola | Yes | Yes | 1,246,700 | 22 |
| Benin | Republic of Benin | Yes | Yes | 112,622 | 100 |
| Botswana | Republic of Botswana | Yes | Yes | 581,730 | 48 |
| Burkina | Burkina Faso | Yes | Yes | 274,200 | 74 |
| Burundi | Republic of Burundi | Yes | Yes | 27,830 | 142 |
| Cabo | Republic of Cabo Verde | Yes | Yes | 4,033 | 165 |
| Cameroon | Republic of Cameroon | Yes | Yes | 475,440 | 54 |
| Central African Republic | Central African Republic | Yes | No | 622,984 | 45 |
| Chad | Republic of Chad | Yes | Yes | 1,284,000 | 20 |
| Comoros | Union of the Comoros | Yes | Yes | 2,235 | 168 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | Yes | 2,344,858 | 11 |
| Congo, Republic of the | Republic of the Congo | Yes | Yes | 342,000 | 63 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Republic of Côte d’Ivoire | Yes | Yes | 322,463 | 68 |
| Djibouti | Republic of Djibouti | Yes | Yes | 43,094 | 130 |
| Egypt | Arab Republic of Egypt | Yes | Yes | 1,001,450 | 29 |
| Equatorial | Republic of Equatorial Guinea | Yes | Yes | 28,051 | 141 |
| Eritrea | State of Eritrea | Yes | Yes | 117,600 | 99 |
| Eswatini | Kingdom of Eswatini | Yes | Yes | 17,364 | 152 |
| Ethiopia | Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia | Yes | Yes | 1,104,300 | 26 |
| Gabon | Gabonese Republic | Yes | Yes | 267,667 | 76 |
| Gambia | Republic of The Gambia | Yes | Yes | 11,300 | 158 |
| Ghana | Republic of Ghana | Yes | Yes | 238,533 | 80 |
| Guinea | Republic of Guinea | Yes | Yes | 245,857 | 77 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Republic of Guinea-Bissau | Yes | Yes | 36,125 | 134 |
| Kenya | Republic of Kenya | Yes | Yes | 580,367 | 49 |
| Lesotho | Kingdom of Lesotho | Yes | Yes | 30,355 | 137 |
| Liberia | Republic of Liberia | Yes | Yes | 111,369 | 102 |
| Libya | State of Libya | Yes | Yes | 1,759,540 | 16 |
| Madagascar | Republic of Madagascar | Yes | Yes | 587,041 | 47 |
| Malawi | Republic of Malawi | Yes | Yes | 118,484 | 98 |
| Mali | Republic of Mali | Yes | Yes | 1,240,192 | 23 |
| Mauritania | Islamic Republic of Mauritania | Yes | Yes | 1,030,700 | 28 |
| Mauritius | Republic of Mauritius | Yes | Yes | 2,040 | 169 |
| Morocco | Kingdom of Morocco | Yes | Yes | 716,550 | 39 |
| Mozambique | Republic of Mozambique | Yes | Yes | 799,380 | 34 |
| Namibia | Republic of Namibia | Yes | Yes | 824,292 | 33 |
| Niger | Republic of Niger | Yes | Yes | 1,267,000 | 21 |
| Nigeria | Federal Republic of Nigeria | Yes | Yes | 923,768 | 31 |
| Rwanda | Republic of Rwanda | Yes | Yes | 26,338 | 144 |
| Sao | Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe | Yes | Yes | 964 | 170 |
| Senegal | Republic of Senegal | Yes | Yes | 196,722 | 86 |
| Seychelles | Republic of Seychelles | Yes | Yes | 455 | 180 |
| Sierra Leone | Republic of Sierra Leone | Yes | Yes | 71,740 | 117 |
| Somalia | Federal Republic of Somalia | Yes | Yes | 637,657 | 44 |
| South Africa | Republic of South Africa | Yes | Yes | 1,219,090 | 24 |
| South Sudan | Republic of South Sudan | Yes | Yes | 644,329 | 42 |
| Sudan | Republic of the Sudan | Yes | Yes | 1,861,484 | 15 |
| Tanzania | United Republic of Tanzania | Yes | Yes | 947,300 | 30 |
| Togo | Togolese Republic | Yes | Yes | 56,785 | 123 |
| Tunisia | Republic of Tunisia | Yes | Yes | 163,610 | 91 |
| Uganda | Republic of Uganda | Yes | Yes | 241,038 | 79 |
| Zambia | Republic of Zambia | Yes | Yes | 752,618 | 38 |
| Zimbabwe | Republic of Zimbabwe | Yes | Yes | 390,757 | 60 |
List of Countries in Australia – Oceania
| Australia | Commonwealth of Australia | Yes | Yes | 7,741,220 | 6 |
| Fiji | Republic of Fiji | Yes | Yes | 18,274 | 150 |
| Kiribati | Republic of Kiribati | Yes | Yes | 811 | 171 |
| Marshall | Republic of the Marshall Islands | Yes | Yes | 181 | 189 |
| Micronesia, Federated States | Federated States of Micronesia | Yes | No | 702 | 176 |
| Nauru | Republic of Nauru | Yes | Yes | 21 | 193 |
| New Zealand | New Zealand | Yes | Yes | 268,838 | 75 |
| North Macedonia | Republic of North Macedonia | Yes | Yes | 25,713 | 145 |
| Palau | Republic of Palau | Yes | Yes | 459 | 179 |
| Palestine | State of Palestine | No | No (Observer State) | 12 | 194 |
| Samoa | Independent State of Samoa | Yes | Yes | 2,831 | 166 |
| Solomon | Solomon Islands | Yes | Yes | 28,896 | 139 |
| Tonga | Kingdom of Tonga | Yes | Yes | 747 | 174 |
| Tuvalu | Tuvalu | Yes | Yes | 26 | 192 |
| Vanuatu | Republic of Vanuatu | Yes | Yes | 12,189 | 156 |
Asia
List of Countries in Central Asia
| Kazakhstan | Republic of Kazakhstan | Yes | Yes | 2,724,900 | 9 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyz Republic | Yes | Yes | 199,951 | 85 |
| Russia | Russian Federation | Yes | Yes | 17,098,242 | 1 |
| Tajikistan | Republic of Tajikistan | Yes | Yes | 144,100 | 94 |
| Turkmenistan | Turkmenistan | Yes | Yes | 488,100 | 53 |
| Uzbekistan | Republic of Uzbekistan | Yes | Yes | 447,400 | 57 |
List of Countries in East Asia/Southeast Asia
| Brunei | Brunei Darussalam | Yes | Yes | 5,765 | 163 |
| Burma | Union of Burma | Yes | Yes | 676,578 | 40 |
| Cambodia | Kingdom of Cambodia | Yes | Yes | 181,035 | 88 |
| China | People’s Republic of China | Yes | Yes | 9,596,960 | 4 |
| Indonesia | Republic of Indonesia | Yes | Yes | 1,904,569 | 14 |
| Japan | Japan | Yes | Yes | 377,915 | 61 |
| Korea, North | Republic of Korea | Yes | Yes | 120,538 | 97 |
| Korea, South | Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | Yes | Yes | 99,720 | 107 |
| Laos | Lao People’s Democratic Republic | Yes | Yes | 236,800 | 82 |
| Malaysia | Malaysia | Yes | Yes | 329,847 | 66 |
| Mongolia | Mongolia | Yes | Yes | 1,564,116 | 18 |
| Papua | Independent State of Papua New Guinea | Yes | Yes | 462,840 | 55 |
| Philippines | Republic of the Philippines | Yes | Yes | 300,000 | 72 |
| Singapore | Republic of Singapore | Yes | Yes | 719 | 175 |
| Thailand | Kingdom of Thailand | Yes | Yes | 513,120 | 51 |
| Timor-Leste | Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste | Yes | Yes | 14,874 | 153 |
| Vietnam | Socialist Republic of Vietnam | Yes | Yes | 331,210 | 65 |
List of Countries in South Asia
| Afghanistan | Islamic Republic of Afghanistan | Yes | Yes | 652,230 | 41 |
| Bangladesh | People’s Republic of Bangladesh | Yes | Yes | 148,460 | 92 |
| Bhutan | Kingdom of Bhutan | Yes | Yes | 38,394 | 133 |
| India | Republic of India | Yes | Yes | 3,287,263 | 7 |
| Maldives | Republic of Maldives | Yes | Yes | 298 | 187 |
| Nepal | Nepal | Yes | Yes | 147,181 | 93 |
| Pakistan | Islamic Republic of Pakistan | Yes | Yes | 796,095 | 35 |
| Sri Lanka | Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | Yes | Yes | 65,610 | 120 |
List of Countries in Europe
| Albania | Republic of Albania | Yes | Yes | 28,748 | 140 |
| Andorra | Principality of Andorra | Yes | Yes | 468 | 178 |
| Austria | Republic of Austria | Yes | Yes | 83,871 | 112 |
| Belarus | Republic of Belarus | Yes | Yes | 207,600 | 84 |
| Belgium | Kingdom of Belgium | Yes | Yes | 30,528 | 136 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | Yes | 51,197 | 125 |
| Bulgaria | Republic of Bulgaria | Yes | Yes | 110,879 | 103 |
| Croatia | Republic of Croatia | Yes | Yes | 56,594 | 124 |
| Czechia | Czech Republic | Yes | Yes | 9,251 | 162 |
| Denmark | Kingdom of Denmark | Yes | Yes | 78,867 | 114 |
| Estonia | Republic of Estonia | Yes | Yes | 45,228 | 129 |
| Finland | Republic of Finland | Yes | Yes | 338,145 | 64 |
| France | French Republic | Yes | Yes | 643,801 | 43 |
| Germany | Federal Republic of Germany | Yes | Yes | 357,022 | 62 |
| Greece | Hellenic Republic | Yes | Yes | 131,957 | 95 |
| Holy See * | Holy See | Yes | No (Observer State) | 0 | 196 |
| Hungary | Hungary | Yes | Yes | 93,028 | 108 |
| Iceland | Republic of Iceland | Yes | Yes | 103,000 | 106 |
| Ireland | Ireland | Yes | Yes | 70,273 | 118 |
| Italy | Italian Republic | Yes | Yes | 301,340 | 71 |
| Kosovo | Republic of Kosovo | Yes | No | 10,887 | 160 |
| Latvia | Republic of Latvia | Yes | Yes | 64,589 | 122 |
| Liechtenstein | Principality of Liechtenstein | Yes | Yes | 160 | 190 |
| Lithuania | Republic of Lithuania | Yes | Yes | 65,300 | 121 |
| Luxembourg | Grand Duchy of Luxembourg | Yes | Yes | 2,586 | 167 |
| Malta | Republic of Malta | Yes | Yes | 316 | 186 |
| Moldova | Republic of Moldova | Yes | Yes | 33,851 | 135 |
| Monaco | Principality of Monaco | Yes | Yes | 2 | 195 |
| Montenegro | Montenegro | Yes | Yes | 13,812 | 155 |
| Netherlands | Kingdom of the Netherlands | Yes | Yes | 41,543 | 131 |
| Norway | Kingdom of Norway | Yes | Yes | 323,802 | 67 |
| Poland | Republic of Poland | Yes | Yes | 312,685 | 69 |
| Portugal | Portuguese Republic | Yes | Yes | 92,090 | 109 |
| Romania | Romania | Yes | Yes | 238,391 | 81 |
| San | Republic of San Marino | Yes | Yes | 61 | 191 |
| Serbia | Republic of Serbia | Yes | Yes | 77,474 | 115 |
| Slovakia | Slovak Republic | Yes | Yes | 49,035 | 127 |
| Slovenia | Republic of Slovenia | Yes | Yes | 20,273 | 149 |
| Spain | Kingdom of Spain | Yes | Yes | 505,370 | 52 |
| Sweden | Kingdom of Sweden | Yes | Yes | 450,295 | 56 |
| Switzerland | Swiss Confederation | Yes | Yes | 41,277 | 132 |
| Ukraine | Ukraine | Yes | Yes | 603,550 | 46 |
| United Kingdom | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Yes | Yes | 243,610 | 78 |
List of Countries in the Middle East
| Armenia | Republic of Armenia | Yes | Yes | 29,743 | 138 |
| Azerbaijan | Republic of Azerbaijan | Yes | Yes | 86,600 | 111 |
| Bahrain | Kingdom of Bahrain | Yes | Yes | 760 | 172 |
| Georgia | Georgia | Yes | Yes | 69,700 | 119 |
| Iran | Islamic Republic of Iran | Yes | Yes | 1,648,195 | 17 |
| Iraq | Republic of Iraq | Yes | Yes | 438,317 | 58 |
| Israel | State of Israel | Yes | Yes | 21,937 | 147 |
| Jordan | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | Yes | Yes | 89,342 | 110 |
| Kuwait | State of Kuwait | Yes | Yes | 17,818 | 151 |
| Lebanon | Lebanese Republic | Yes | Yes | 10,400 | 161 |
| Oman | Sultanate of Oman | Yes | Yes | 309,500 | 70 |
| Qatar | State of Qatar | Yes | Yes | 11,586 | 157 |
| Saudi Arabia | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | Yes | Yes | 2,149,690 | 12 |
| Syria | Syrian Arab Republic | Yes | Yes | 187,437 | 87 |
| Turkey | Republic of Turkey | Yes | Yes | 783,562 | 36 |
| United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | Yes | Yes | 83,600 | 113 |
| Yemen | Republic of Yemen | Yes | Yes | 527,968 | 50 |
List of Countries in Central America
| Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua and Barbuda | Yes | Yes | 443 | 182 |
| Bahamas | Commonwealth of The Bahamas | Yes | Yes | 13,880 | 154 |
| Barbados | Barbados | Yes | Yes | 430 | 183 |
| Belize | Belize | Yes | Yes | 22,966 | 146 |
| Costa Rica | Republic of Costa Rica | Yes | Yes | 51,100 | 126 |
| Cuba | Republic of Cuba | Yes | Yes | 110,860 | 104 |
| Cyprus | Republic of Cyprus | Yes | Yes | 444 | 181 |
| Dominica | Commonwealth of Dominica | Yes | Yes | 751 | 173 |
| Dominican | Dominican Republic | Yes | Yes | 48,670 | 128 |
| El Salvador | Republic of El Salvador | Yes | Yes | 21,041 | 148 |
| Grenada | Grenada | Yes | Yes | 344 | 185 |
| Guatemala | Republic of Guatemala | Yes | Yes | 108,889 | 105 |
| Haiti | Republic of Haiti | Yes | Yes | 27,750 | 143 |
| Honduras | Republic of Honduras | Yes | Yes | 112,090 | 101 |
| Jamaica | Jamaica | Yes | Yes | 10,991 | 159 |
| Nicaragua | Republic of Nicaragua | Yes | Yes | 130,370 | 96 |
| Panama | Republic of Panama | Yes | Yes | 75,420 | 116 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis | Yes | Yes | 261 | 188 |
| Saint Lucia | Saint Lucia | Yes | Yes | 616 | 177 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Yes | Yes | 389 | 184 |
| Trinidad | Republic of Trinidad and Tobago | Yes | Yes | 5,128 | 164 |
List of Countries in North America
| Canada | Canada | Yes | Yes | 9,984,670 | 2 |
| Mexico | United Mexican States | Yes | Yes | 1,964,375 | 13 |
| United States of America | United States of America | Yes | Yes | 9,833,517 | 3 |
List of Countries in South America
| Argentina | Argentine Republic | Yes | Yes | 2,780,400 | 8 |
| Bolivia | Plurinational State of Bolivia | Yes | Yes | 1,098,581 | 27 |
| Brazil | Federative Republic of Brazil | Yes | Yes | 8,515,770 | 5 |
| Chile | Republic of Chile | Yes | Yes | 756,102 | 37 |
| Colombia | Republic of Colombia | Yes | Yes | 1,138,910 | 25 |
| Ecuador | Republic of Ecuador | Yes | Yes | 283,561 | 73 |
| Guyana | Co-operative Republic of Guyana | Yes | Yes | 214,969 | 83 |
| Paraguay | Republic of Paraguay | Yes | Yes | 406,752 | 59 |
| Peru | Republic of Peru | Yes | Yes | 1,285,216 | 19 |
| Suriname | Republic of Suriname | Yes | Yes | 163,820 | 90 |
| Uruguay | Oriental Republic of Uruguay | Yes | Yes | 176,215 | 89 |
| Venezuela | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | Yes | Yes | 912,050 | 32 |
Different Organizations Recognize a Different Number of Countries
There are also 206 nations that compete in the Olympics, 211 nations that are able to play in the FIFA World Cup, and a total of 204-207 self-declared nations [3].
So, in the end, the answer to the question of how many countries there are in the world remains a question with many different possible answers.
How Do New Countries Get Formed?
With changes in political situations, such as the dissolution of the USSR, new countries can be formed. While there aren’t any set procedures for the establishment of a new country, there are some general parameters as established by international law.
The Montevideo Convention of 1933 codified the declarative theory of statehood which established four conditions under which a state could be established as a country under international law. These conditions are: 1) a defined territory; 2) a permanent population; 3) a government and 4) a capacity to enter into relations with other states.
What is the Newest Country in the World?
The youngest country in the world is South Sudan, having obtained its independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011 after a referendum.
This East-Central Africa is located south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, and west of Ethiopia. A landlocked country, South Sudan has an estimated July 2020 population of 10,561,244. South Sudan’s capital, Juba, is one of the world’s fastest growing cities. Only about 20% of South Sudan’s population lives in urban areas.
What is the Biggest Country in the World?
The country of Russia is the biggest country in the world. The total area of 17,098,242 sq km with 720,500 sq km of that being water. This makes Russia about 1.8 times the size of the United States.
Russia shares a border with 14 countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine.
Is Antarctica a Country?
No, Antarctica is not a country. Antarctica is a continent and no single country has jurisdiction over it.
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom are the seven sovereign states that have made territorial claims in Antarctica.
Number of Countries by Continent
Listed here are the countries found within each continent.
The only continent that has no countries is Antarctica although several countries claim sovereignty in certain regions.
The continent with the most countries is Africa with 54 recognized countries.
The continent with the least amount of countries is South America with 12 countries and three dependent territories.
Some countries overlap continents. For example, Turkey and Russia geographically and politically straddling the continents of Asia and Europe, these countries are listed for both continents. Countries that appear across multiple continents are noted with an asterisk.
List of Countries in Africa
The continent of Africa is the second-largest and second-most populous continent in the world. Africa has 54 fully recognized and independent countries.
List of countries in Africa with their capitals:
Algeria – Algiers
Angola – Luanda
Benin – Porto Novo, Cotonou
Botswana – Gaborone
Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou
Burundi – Gitega
Cameroon (also spelled Cameroun) – Yaoundé
Cape Verde – Praia
Central African Republic – Bangui
Chad (Tchad) – N’Djamena
Comoros – Moroni
Republic of the Congo – Brazzaville
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) – Kinshasa
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – Yamoussoukro
Djibouti – Djibouti
Egypt (Misr) – Cairo – spans the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge
Equatorial Guinea – Malabo
Eritrea – Asmara
Ethiopia (Abyssinia) – Addis Ababa
Gabon – Libreville
The Gambia – Banjul
Ghana – Accra
Guinea – Conakry
Guinea-Bissau – Bissau
Kenya – Nairobi
Lesotho – Maseru
Liberia – Monrovia
Libya – Tripoli
Madagascar – Antananarivo
Malawi – Lilongwe
Mali – Bamako
Mauritania – Nouakchott
Mauritius – Port Louis
Morocco (Al Maghrib) – Rabat
Mozambique – Maputo
Namibia – Windhoek
Niger – Niamey
Nigeria – Abuja
Rwanda – Kigali
São Tomé and Príncipe – São Tomé
Senegal – Dakar
Seychelles – Victoria, Seychelles
Sierra Leone – Freetown
Somalia – Mogadishu
South Africa – Pretoria
South Sudan – Juba
Sudan – Khartoum
Swaziland (Eswatini) – Mbabane
Tanzania – Dodoma
Togo – Lome
Tunisia – Tunis
Uganda – Kampala
Western Sahara – El Aaiún (disputed)
Zambia – Lusaka
Zimbabwe – Harare
List of Countries in Asia
Asia has 48 countries recognized by the United Nations. There are numerous highly autonomous regions and disputed areas.
The list of countries in Asia and their capitals:
Afghanistan – Kabul
Armenia – Yerevan
* Azerbaijan – Baku ~ Located in the Caucasus, between Europe and Asia
Bahrain – Manama
Bangladesh – Dhaka (ঢাকা)
Bhutan – Thimphu
Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan
Cambodia (Kampuchea) – Phnom Penh
China – Beijing
East Timor (Timor Leste) – Dili
* Georgia – Tbilisi ~ Located in the Caucasus, between Europe and Asia
India – New Delhi
* Indonesia – Jakarta ~ Lies partly in Oceania
Iran – Tehran
Iraq – Baghdad
Israel – Jerusalem
Japan – Tokyo
Jordan (Al Urdun) – Amman
* Kazakhstan – Nur-Sultan
Kuwait – Kuwait city
Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek
Laos – Vientiane
Lebanon (Lubnan) – Beirut
Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
Maldives – Malé
Mongolia – Ulaanbaatar
Myanmar (Burma) – Naypyidaw
Nepal – Kathmandu
North Korea – Pyongyang
Oman – Muscat
Pakistan – Islamabad
Philippines – Manila
Qatar – Doha
* Russia – Moscow ~ Russia is a part of Asia geographically, but politically it is a part of Europe
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh
Singapore – Singapore
South Korea – Seoul
Sri Lanka – Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)
Syria – Damascus
Tajikistan – Dushanbe
Thailand (Muang Thai) – Bangkok
* Turkey – Ankara ~ 3rd largest country in Western Asia and the largest in Southeastern Europe
Turkmenistan – Aşgabat
Taiwan – Taipei
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi
Uzbekistan – Tashkent
Vietnam – Hanoi
Yemen – Sana’a
List of Countries in Europe
Europe has 49 countries and de facto countries.
List of countries in Europe and their capitals:
Albania (Shqipëria) – Tirana
Andorra – Andorra la Vella
Austria (Österreich) – Vienna
Belarus (Беларусь) – Minsk
Belgium (Dutch: België, French: Belgique, German: Belgien) – Brussels
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina) – Sarajevo
Bulgaria (България) – Sofia
Croatia (Hrvatska) – Zagreb
Cyprus (Κύπρος) – Nicosia
Czech Republic (Česko) – Prague
Denmark (Danmark) – Copenhagen
Estonia (Eesti) – Tallinn
Finland (Suomi) – Helsinki
France – Paris
* Georgia – Tbilisi
Germany (Deutschland) – Berlin
Greece (Ελλάδα) – Athens
Hungary (Magyarország) – Budapest
Iceland (Island) – Reykjavik ~ Iceland sits on the European – North American tectonic plates. The Western half sits in North America, while the Eastern half sits on the European tectonic plate.
Republic of Ireland (Éire) – Dublin
Italy (Italia) – Rome
* Kazakhstan – Nur-Sultan
Kosovo – Pristina ~ disputed territory with de facto independence.
Latvia (Latvija) – Riga
Liechtenstein – Vaduz
Lithuania (Lietuva) – Vilnius
Luxembourg – Luxembourg City
North Macedonia (Македонија) – Skopje
Malta – Valletta
Moldova – Chisinau
Monaco – Monte Carlo Quarter
Montenegro (Crna Gora, Црна Гора) – Podgorica
Netherlands (Nederland) – Amsterdam (Capital), The Hague (Government)
Norway (Norge) – Oslo
Poland (Polska) – Warsaw
Portugal – Lisbon
Romania – Bucharest
* Russia – Moscow ~ Europe up to the Ural Mountains; Asia: the rest to Vladivostok)
San Marino – San Marino
Serbia (Србија) – Belgrade
Slovakia (Slovensko) – Bratislava
Slovenia (Slovenija) – Ljubljana
Spain (España) – Madrid
Sweden (Sverige) – Stockholm
Switzerland (German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera, Romansh: Svizra) – Bern
* Turkey – Ankara ~ ~ 3rd largest country in Western Asia and the largest in Southeastern Europe
Ukraine (Україна) – Kyiv or Kiev
United Kingdom – London
Vatican City** (Italian: Città del Vaticano, Latin: Civitas Vaticana) – Vatican City – Vatican City State is a U.N observer state and not a U.N member.
List of Countries in North America
North America has 23 countries and 22 dependent territories.
The list of countries and their capitals are:
Canada
United States – Washington, D.C.
Mexico – Mexico City
Nicaragua – Managua ( Central America)
Honduras – Tegucigalpa ( Central America)
Cuba – Havana
Guatemala – Guatemala
Panama – Panama City ( Central America)
Costa Rica – San José ( Central America)
Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo
Haiti – Port-au-Prince
Belize – Belmopan ( Central America)
El Salvador – San Salvador ( Central America)
The Bahamas – Nassau
Jamaica – Kingston
Trinidad and Tobago – Port of Spain
Dominica – Roseau
Saint Lucia – Castries
Antigua and Barbuda – St. John’s
Barbados – Bridgetown
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Kingstown
Grenada – St. George’s
Saint Kitts and Nevis
List of Countries in South America
South America has 12 countries. It is the fourth largest continent and fifth most populous. South America also has three dependent territories.
The list of South American countries and their capitals are:
Argentina – Buenos Aires
Bolivia – Sucré
Brazil (Brasil) – Brasília
Chile – Santiago
Colombia – Bogotá
Ecuador – Quito
Guyana – Georgetown
Paraguay – Asunción
Peru – Lima
Suriname – Paramaribo
Uruguay – Montevideo
Venezuela – Caracas
List of Countries in Australia / Oceania
Oceania is the term used to describe Australia and the nations of the Pacific Ocean. There are 14 countries found in this region. In addition, part of Indonesia and the U.S. state of Hawaii are found in Oceania.
The list of countries and their capitals in Oceania is:
Australia – Canberra
Federated States of Micronesia – Palikir
Fiji – Suva
Kiribati – South Tarawa
Marshall Islands – Majuro
Nauru – no capital; biggest city is Yaren
New Zealand – Wellington
Palau – Melekeok
Papua New Guinea – Port Moresby
Samoa – Apia
Solomon Islands – Honiara
Tonga – Nuku’alofa
Tuvalu – Funafuti
Vanuatu – Port Vila
References
[1] Rose, A. K. (2006). Size really doesn’t matter: In search of a national scale effect. Journal of the Japanese and international Economies, 20(4), 482-507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjie.2006.06.008
[2] United Nations. About UN Membership. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/sections/member-states/about-un-membership/index.html
[3] Bender, J. (2014, September 24). Here Are The Self-Declared Nations You Won’t See At The UN. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/the-self-declared-nations-you-wont-see-at-the-un-2014-9
The Beginner’s Guide to Nation-Building
This guidebook is a practical “how-to” manual on nation-building published by the RAND corporation. From the mongraph description page:
It is organized around the constituent elements that make up any nation-building mission: military, police, rule of law, humanitarian relief, governance, economic stabilization, democratization, and development. The chapters describe how each of these components should be organized and employed, how much of each is likely to be needed, and the likely cost. The lessons are drawn principally from 16 U.S.- and UN-led nation-building operations since World War II and from a forthcoming study on European-led missions. In short, this guidebook presents a comprehensive history of best practices in nation-building and serves as an indispensable reference for the preplanning of future interventions and for contingency planning on the ground.
You can either purchase the volume or access it for free in PDF format. Also available in PDF format is a summary of the monograph. The mongraph was written by James Dobbins, Seth G. Jones, Keith Crane, and Beth Cole DeGrasse.
Visit: The Beginner’s Guide to Nation-Building
