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How many countries are there in the world? While this might seem to be a simple question, the answer is quite complicated.
The problem is that different organizations have different stances on exactly what it takes to qualify as a country. Depending on the source, the number of countries can vary quite considerably, and there is no universal agreement on the total.
That said, the United Nations is generally regarded as the de facto authority on nationhood. Currently, the U.N. recognizes 193 countries as member states. It also recognizes two "observers states", the Holy See/Vatican City and Palestine, which are self-ruling territories but not full-fledged countries.
However, even the U.N. list is not free of controversy. The U.N. does not currently acknowledge the self-governed territory of Taiwan (Republic of China), which was a member of the U.N. from 1945 to 1971, but is now considered a territory of mainland China. Similarly, as of 2020, roughly half of U.N. members still considered Kosovo to be part of Serbia rather than its own nation.
By comparison, Britannica's list of countries grants full nation-hood rights to Vatican City, Taiwan, and Kosovo for a total of 196 countries. Then there's Wikipedia's list of sovereign states, which mirrors the U.N.'s list of 193 countries and two observer states, then adds eleven sovereign states, including Taiwan, Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, Cook Islands, and more for a total of 206.
Perhaps the most puzzling non-country is Greenland, a massive island between the north Atlantic and Arctic oceans, which certainly looks like it ought to be its own country—just like its tiny neighbor, Iceland. However, Greenland is not a U.N. member country and, while it controls many of its own domestic affairs, it is ultimately controlled by Denmark, a European country even tinier than Iceland, thousands of miles away.
Other sources use a less rigid definition of country and give dependent and disputed territories such as Greenland and the Gaza Strip their own separate listings. This is the reason the United States' CIA Factbook lists 237 countries.
All of this demonstrates that it is not so simple to determine the exact number of countries there are in the world. Moreover, and the constantly changing nature of politics means that issues around sovereignty are unlikely to ever be fully resolved.
Country | Population | Area (km²) | Continent | Subregion | UN Member |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
India | 1,450,940,000 | 3.3M | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
China | 1,419,320,000 | 9.7M | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
United States | 345,427,000 | 9.4M | North America | Northern America | |
Indonesia | 283,488,000 | 1.9M | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Pakistan | 251,269,000 | 881.9K | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Nigeria | 232,679,000 | 923.8K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Brazil | 211,999,000 | 8.5M | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Bangladesh | 173,562,000 | 147.6K | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Russia | 144,820,000 | 17.1M | AsiaEurope | Eastern Europe | |
Ethiopia | 132,060,000 | 1.1M | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Mexico | 130,861,000 | 2M | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Japan | 123,753,000 | 377.9K | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Egypt | 116,538,000 | 1M | Africa | Northern Africa, The Middle East | |
Philippines | 115,844,000 | 342.4K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
DR Congo | 109,276,000 | 2.3M | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Vietnam | 100,988,000 | 331.2K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Iran | 91,567,700 | 1.6M | Asia | Southern Asia, The Middle East | |
Turkey | 87,473,800 | 783.6K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Germany | 84,552,200 | 357.1K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Thailand | 71,668,000 | 513.1K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
United Kingdom | 69,138,200 | 242.9K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Tanzania | 68,560,200 | 945.1K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
France | 66,548,500 | 551.7K | Europe | Western Europe | |
South Africa | 64,007,200 | 1.2M | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Italy | 59,342,900 | 301.3K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Kenya | 56,432,900 | 580.4K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Myanmar | 54,500,100 | 676.6K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Colombia | 52,886,400 | 1.1M | South America | South America, Latin America | |
South Korea | 51,717,600 | 100.2K | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Sudan | 50,449,000 | 1.9M | Africa | Northern Africa | |
Uganda | 50,015,100 | 241.6K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Spain | 47,910,500 | 506K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Algeria | 46,814,300 | 2.4M | Africa | Northern Africa | |
Iraq | 46,042,000 | 438.3K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Argentina | 45,696,200 | 2.8M | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Afghanistan | 42,647,500 | 652.2K | Asia | South Central Asia, Southern Asia | |
Yemen | 40,583,200 | 528K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Canada | 39,742,400 | 10M | North America | Northern America | |
Poland | 38,539,200 | 312.7K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Morocco | 38,081,200 | 446.6K | Africa | Northern Africa | |
Angola | 37,885,800 | 1.2M | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Ukraine | 37,860,200 | 603.5K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Uzbekistan | 36,361,900 | 447.4K | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia | |
Malaysia | 35,557,700 | 330.8K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Mozambique | 34,631,800 | 801.6K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Ghana | 34,427,400 | 238.5K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Peru | 34,217,800 | 1.3M | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Saudi Arabia | 33,962,800 | 2.1M | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Madagascar | 31,965,000 | 587K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Ivory Coast | 31,934,200 | 322.5K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Nepal | 29,651,100 | 147.2K | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Cameroon | 29,123,700 | 475.4K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Venezuela | 28,405,500 | 916.4K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Niger | 27,032,400 | 1.3M | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Australia | 26,713,200 | 7.7M | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand | |
North Korea | 26,498,800 | 120.5K | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Syria | 24,672,800 | 185.2K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Mali | 24,478,600 | 1.2M | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Burkina Faso | 23,548,800 | 273K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Taiwan | 23,214,000 | 36.2K | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Sri Lanka | 23,103,600 | 65.6K | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Malawi | 21,655,300 | 118.5K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Zambia | 21,315,000 | 752.6K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Kazakhstan | 20,592,600 | 2.7M | Asia | Central Asia | |
Chad | 20,299,100 | 1.3M | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Chile | 19,764,800 | 756.1K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Romania | 19,015,100 | 238.4K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Somalia | 19,009,200 | 637.7K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Senegal | 18,502,000 | 196.7K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Guatemala | 18,406,400 | 108.9K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Netherlands | 18,228,700 | 41.9K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Ecuador | 18,135,500 | 276.8K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Cambodia | 17,638,800 | 181K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Zimbabwe | 16,634,400 | 390.8K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Guinea | 14,754,800 | 245.9K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Benin | 14,462,700 | 112.6K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Rwanda | 14,256,600 | 26.3K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Burundi | 14,047,800 | 27.8K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Bolivia | 12,413,300 | 1.1M | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Tunisia | 12,277,100 | 163.6K | Africa | Northern Africa | |
South Sudan | 11,943,400 | 619.7K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Haiti | 11,772,600 | 27.8K | North America | Caribbean | |
Belgium | 11,738,800 | 30.5K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Jordan | 11,552,900 | 89.3K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Dominican Republic | 11,427,600 | 48.7K | North America | Caribbean | |
United Arab Emirates | 11,027,100 | 83.6K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Cuba | 10,979,800 | 109.9K | North America | Caribbean | |
Honduras | 10,825,700 | 112.5K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Czech Republic | 10,735,900 | 78.9K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Sweden | 10,607,000 | 450.3K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Tajikistan | 10,590,900 | 143.1K | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia | |
Papua New Guinea | 10,576,500 | 462.8K | Oceania | Melanesia | |
Portugal | 10,425,300 | 92.1K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Azerbaijan | 10,336,600 | 86.6K | Asia | Western Asia | |
Greece | 10,047,800 | 132K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Hungary | 9,676,140 | 93K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Togo | 9,515,240 | 56.8K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Israel | 9,387,020 | 20.8K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Austria | 9,120,810 | 83.9K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Belarus | 9,056,700 | 207.6K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Switzerland | 8,921,980 | 41.3K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Sierra Leone | 8,642,020 | 71.7K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Laos | 7,769,820 | 236.8K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Turkmenistan | 7,494,500 | 488.1K | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia | |
Hong Kong | 7,414,910 | 1.1K | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Libya | 7,381,020 | 1.8M | Africa | Northern Africa | |
Kyrgyzstan | 7,186,010 | 200K | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia | |
Paraguay | 6,929,150 | 406.8K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Nicaragua | 6,916,140 | 130.4K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Bulgaria | 6,757,690 | 110.9K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Serbia | 6,736,220 | 88.4K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
El Salvador | 6,338,190 | 21K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Republic of the Congo | 6,332,960 | 342K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Denmark | 5,977,410 | 43.1K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Singapore | 5,832,390 | 710 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Lebanon | 5,805,960 | 10.5K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Finland | 5,617,310 | 338.4K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Liberia | 5,612,820 | 111.4K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Norway | 5,576,660 | 323.8K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Slovakia | 5,506,760 | 49K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Palestine | 5,495,440 | 6.2K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Central African Republic | 5,330,690 | 623K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Oman | 5,281,540 | 309.5K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Ireland | 5,255,020 | 70.3K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
New Zealand | 5,213,940 | 270.5K | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand | |
Mauritania | 5,169,400 | 1M | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Costa Rica | 5,129,910 | 51.1K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Kuwait | 4,934,510 | 17.8K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Panama | 4,515,580 | 75.4K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Croatia | 3,875,320 | 56.6K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Georgia | 3,807,670 | 69.7K | Asia | Western Asia | |
Eritrea | 3,535,600 | 117.6K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Mongolia | 3,475,540 | 1.6M | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Uruguay | 3,386,590 | 181K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Puerto Rico | 3,242,200 | 8.9K | North America | Caribbean | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3,164,250 | 51.2K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Qatar | 3,048,420 | 11.6K | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Moldova | 3,034,960 | 33.8K | Europe | Eastern Europe | |
Namibia | 3,030,130 | 825.6K | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Armenia | 2,973,840 | 29.7K | Asia | Western Asia | |
Lithuania | 2,859,110 | 65.3K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Jamaica | 2,839,180 | 11K | North America | Caribbean | |
Albania | 2,791,760 | 28.7K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Gambia | 2,759,990 | 10.7K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Gabon | 2,538,950 | 267.7K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Botswana | 2,521,140 | 582K | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Lesotho | 2,337,420 | 30.4K | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Guinea Bissau | 2,201,350 | 36.1K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Slovenia | 2,118,700 | 20.3K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Equatorial Guinea | 1,892,520 | 28.1K | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Latvia | 1,871,870 | 64.6K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
North Macedonia | 1,823,010 | 25.7K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Bahrain | 1,607,050 | 765 | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East | |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1,507,780 | 5.1K | North America | Caribbean | |
Timor Leste | 1,400,640 | 14.9K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Estonia | 1,360,550 | 45.2K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Cyprus | 1,358,280 | 9.3K | Europe | Eastern Europe, The Middle East | |
Mauritius | 1,271,170 | 2K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Eswatini | 1,242,820 | 17.4K | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Djibouti | 1,168,720 | 23.2K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Fiji | 928,784 | 18.3K | Oceania | Melanesia | |
Reunion | 878,591 | 2.5K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Comoros | 866,628 | 1.9K | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Guyana | 831,087 | 215K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Solomon Islands | 819,198 | 28.9K | Oceania | Melanesia | |
Bhutan | 791,524 | 38.4K | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Macau | 720,262 | 33 | Asia | Eastern Asia | |
Luxembourg | 673,036 | 2.6K | Europe | Western Europe | |
Montenegro | 638,479 | 13.8K | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Suriname | 634,431 | 163.8K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Western Sahara | 590,506 | 266K | Africa | Northern Africa | |
Malta | 539,607 | 316 | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Maldives | 527,799 | 300 | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia | |
Cape Verde | 524,877 | 4K | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Brunei | 462,721 | 5.8K | Asia | South-Eastern Asia | |
Belize | 417,072 | 23K | North America | Central America, Latin America | |
Bahamas | 401,283 | 13.9K | North America | Caribbean | |
Iceland | 393,396 | 103K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Guadeloupe | 375,106 | 1.6K | North America | Caribbean, Latin America | |
Martinique | 343,195 | 1.1K | North America | Caribbean, Latin America | |
Vanuatu | 327,777 | 12.2K | Oceania | Melanesia | |
Mayotte | 326,505 | 374 | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
French Guiana | 308,522 | 83.5K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
New Caledonia | 292,639 | 18.6K | Oceania | Melanesia | |
Barbados | 282,467 | 430 | North America | Caribbean | |
French Polynesia | 281,807 | 4.2K | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Sao Tome and Principe | 235,536 | 964 | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Samoa | 218,019 | 2.8K | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Curacao | 185,482 | 444 | North America | Caribbean | |
Saint Lucia | 179,744 | 616 | North America | Caribbean | |
Guam | 167,777 | 549 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Kiribati | 134,518 | 811 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Seychelles | 130,418 | 452 | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Grenada | 117,207 | 344 | North America | Caribbean | |
Micronesia | 113,160 | 702 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Aruba | 108,066 | 180 | North America | Caribbean | |
Tonga | 104,175 | 747 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Jersey | 103,846 | 116 | Europe | Northern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 100,616 | 389 | North America | Caribbean | |
Antigua and Barbuda | 93,772 | 442 | North America | Caribbean | |
United States Virgin Islands | 84,905 | 347 | North America | Caribbean | |
Isle of Man | 84,160 | 572 | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Andorra | 81,938 | 468 | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Cayman Islands | 74,457 | 264 | North America | Caribbean | |
Dominica | 66,205 | 751 | North America | Caribbean | |
Bermuda | 64,636 | 54 | North America | Northern America | |
Guernsey | 64,280 | 78 | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Greenland | 55,840 | 2.2M | North America | Northern America | |
Faroe Islands | 55,400 | 1.4K | Europe | Northern Europe | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 46,843 | 261 | North America | Caribbean | |
American Samoa | 46,765 | 199 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 46,535 | 948 | North America | Caribbean | |
Northern Mariana Islands | 44,278 | 464 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Sint Maarten | 43,350 | 34 | North America | Caribbean | |
Liechtenstein | 39,870 | 160 | Europe | Western Europe | |
British Virgin Islands | 39,471 | 151 | North America | Caribbean | |
Gibraltar | 39,329 | 7 | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Monaco | 38,631 | 2 | Europe | Western Europe | |
Marshall Islands | 37,548 | 181 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
San Marino | 33,581 | 61 | Europe | Southern Europe | |
Saint Martin | 26,129 | 53 | North America | Caribbean, Latin America | |
Palau | 17,695 | 459 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Anguilla | 14,598 | 91 | North America | Caribbean | |
Cook Islands | 13,729 | 240 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Nauru | 11,947 | 21 | Oceania | Micronesia | |
Wallis and Futuna | 11,277 | 274 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Saint Barthelemy | 11,258 | 21 | North America | Caribbean, Latin America | |
Tuvalu | 9,646 | 26 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 5,628 | 242 | North America | Northern America | |
Montserrat | 4,389 | 102 | North America | Caribbean | |
Falkland Islands | 3,470 | 12.2K | South America | South America, Latin America | |
Tokelau | 2,506 | 12 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Niue | 1,819 | 261 | Oceania | Polynesia | |
Vatican City | 496 | < 1 | Europe | Southern Europe |