How many different nations are there? The official tally of UN members puts the number of countries between 193 and 197, but the reality is more nuanced.
Where does that leave places like Kosovo and Taiwan? Which begs the question: are they countries? They fulfil all the requirements to become independent states, although the United Nations does not recognise them, and they may be politically divisive.
In this piece, I’ll go over some of the problems that arise from trying to enumerate all the countries in the world. After that, I’ll explain why I believe the actual number to be at least 199 nations and more.
As you can see from my travel blog, I’m interested in this topic because I’m on a quest to explore the world. However, I can only accomplish that if I know how many nations there are. Okay, so let’s begin!
We’ll revisit these concepts later as they illuminate how to group countries at odds.
What Is a Country? What Characteristics Define a Nation-State?
To begin, let’s consider the characteristics that define a nation. Does it have to be a sovereign nation with its flag, government, currency, and passport? It’s a tough call to make. Let’s put it this way: a country doesn’t have to have its government to be independent.
The worldwide diplomatic recognition of its sovereignty by some other sovereign countries is also required for its status to be final. So, you’ll have to handle everything alone AND prove to the world that your nation exists.
So I can’t make “johnnyland” out of my apartment and call it a sovereign nation.
How Many Different Nations Are There? A Word From FIFA?
As a lifelong supporter of the beautiful game, my first inclination was to inquire with FIFA about the total number of nations in the world. And then I could check things off the FIFA list, but as much fun as that would sound, it needs to be corrected.
It’s also worth noting that football has more national teams than any other sport. And “FIFA” is a massive international organisation.
Unfortunately, politics remains a factor. Even though the United Kingdom is one country, FIFA classified Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales as four different “countries.”
Even though they all use the same British pound, British passport, British queen, and the British government, the FIFA list needs to be corrected, and I say that without going political.
How Many Different Nations Are There?
The United Nations list is probably the best to work off. It’s pretty expensive. It’s not TOO political (more on that in a second).
And if the UN recognises you, you’re a country, realistically. So they say they have 193 members. So that means there are 193 countries in the world, right?
Not quite. The 193 United Nations list doesn’t include Kosovo, Palestine, Vatican City, or Taiwan.
Is Vatican City a Country, and What About Palestine? Yes.
Palestine and the Vatican City are recognised as “permanent observer states” by the United Nations, which I classify as separate nations. Particularly appealing to me is Palestine.
That brings the total to 195; 193 plus two is 195. Taiwan (recognised by 22 countries) and Kosovo (recognised by 109 countries) need to be added to this list.
Is Taiwan a Country in Its Own Right? Yes.
Since China asserts ownership over Taiwan, it is not included. Not wanting to jeopardise their access to China’s market or its military might, several countries have stopped officially acknowledging Taiwan as a sovereign state.
Although it’s a nation-state, this is a surefire inclusion in the final product. By the way, Taiwan is a fantastic travel destination, and I highly suggest it.
In any case, there are now 196 nations in the world. United Nations member states plus Kosovo, Palestine, and, most recently, Taiwan.
Is Kosovo a Country or Not?
Kosovo is a sovereign nation. However, politics also play a role. It has been a rough go for Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Without going too political here, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and many others recognise it. It is also a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the International Olympic Committee, etc.
Kosovo is not recognised as a sovereign nation by Angola, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Russia, Syria, and Turkmenistan, yet, I have included these nations in my tally.
How Many Different Nations Are There? (United Nations)
So, how many nations can we count? The roster of UN members is an excellent first stop. Although not flawless, it covers many of the world’s countries.
Here is what we find on the UN’s official list:
- There are now 193 member states of the United Nations.
- Two observer states are not members of the United Nations General Assembly.
- The Cook Islands and Niue both qualify as non-member states.
- If you sum them all together, There are 193, 195, or 197 countries. There are 193 countries if we use the most restrictive definition (UN membership) and 197 if we use the most helpful report (all eligible states).
It doesn’t make sense to state there are only 196 countries because some other country isn’t a UN member, even if that country fits all the criteria for becoming a country.
That’s right, 197 distinct nations! Kosovo and Taiwan, two countries not recognised by the United Nations, are a problem. How shall we categorise them?
Taiwan Asia’s Taipei There are 193, 195, and 197 countries worldwide. Despite unrecognition by the United Nations, Taiwan meets all criteria for being a sovereign nation.
Complete Worldwide Country List
The United Nations has compiled a list of all the countries in the world in alphabetical order. It is the complete list of UN members as provided by the UN.
Also, I’ll include a few contested or random countries that fulfil the inclusion requirements after the list:
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
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 See
195. Palestine
196. Cook Islands
197. Niue
198. Kosovo
199. Taiwan
Global Count of Countries
The standing of different nations varies widely. It may be the case if, for example, the country is too tiny or ruled by a larger one.
A non-recognized region’s status can range from partially recognised to de facto state to micronation.
Countries With Limited Recognition
We’ve included a list of partially recognised nations below:
- The massive island of Greenland, located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic, could efficiently function as a sovereign nation. Denmark, a small European country thousands of kilometres distant, rules the island nation indirectly through its influence on domestic affairs despite its claim to independence.
- In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia. However, due to Serbia’s obstruction, 15 nations have withdrawn their recognition of Kosovo. 98 of the 193 UN member states have officially acknowledged Kosovo’s independence.
- After the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, two Caucasus regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, declared independence from Georgia. Syria, Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Nauru acknowledged the territories’ independence.
- Only one country in the world, Turkey, officially recognises Northern Cyprus. Turkey occupied the island’s northern half after a failed coup d’état in 1974.
The de-facto States Around the World
If you count de facto states, there would be 207 countries today. In international politics, “de facto states” are not recognised political entities.
Consequently, they are only recognised by some UN members. The following states exist only in name rather than being internationally recognised.
The Republic of Cabinda
Transnistria, or the Republic of Cabinda, is a small territory between Moldova and Ukraine. Somaliland is a self-declared republic on the coast of the Gulf of Aden with the official name “Republic of Somaliland,” but it is not recognised as such.
Micronations – Total Countries
Around 400 “micronations” exist, each recognising itself as a separate nation-state rather than part of any larger country. These areas, which may be home to a tiny hamlet or a single household, are not recognised by international law.
The Principality of Seborga is an example of a micronation because it consists of a small hamlet on the border between France and Italy. It is a micronation since it lacks official country status.
Which Nations Aren’t Officially Recognised by the Un?
The United Nations does not recognise many states that call themselves “sovereign.”
For instance, despite the UN’s contentious claim that the People’s Republic of China represents Taiwan, the US and many other countries recognise Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
Although the Cook Islands and Niue are officially recognised as having “full treaty-making capacity” apart from New Zealand, they are not formally recognised as members of the United Nations.
Eight non-UN states, including Taiwan, Kosovo, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Northern Cyprus, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic of Western Sahara, and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics tied to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, have “partial recognition” as reported by Political Geography Now.
So, Exactly How Many Nations Are There on This Planet?
As you can see, the exact number of countries worldwide is still being determined.
In a nutshell, there are 193 countries recognised as members of the United Nations, plus two states that are not members but are observers, two states that are not members but are eligible to join, and two states that are independent but are not recognised by the UN.
In sum, asserting that at least 199 countries globally use this reasoning is reasonable. My inner perfectionist would like it to be exactly 200, but that’s different from the current situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Newest Country in the World?
South Sudan, which broke away from Sudan in 2011, is the youngest country in the world. Juba, the nation’s capital and largest metropolis, is home to about 13 million people.
Before that, in 2006, Europe’s Montenegro gained independence from Serbia and became the newest country in the world to become recognised by the United Nations.
Which Nation Has the Most Extended History?
China, Egypt, India, Iran, and Japan are all candidates for the title of oldest country in the world.
How Many Countries Are There in the World?
There are currently 195 countries in the globe. Governments are only recognised internationally if they are also members of the United Nations.
Vatican City and Palestine are not included in the list of countries globally since they are not recognised as countries by the international community.
What’s the Total Number of African Countries?
There are currently 54 African countries on the official list of UN member states. Africa is home to several countries, including those listed above, as well as Chad, Angola, Rwanda, Gabon, Tanzania, Congo, Somalia, Mauritius, Angola, Gabon, and the Gambia.
What Is the Largest Country in the World?
Regarding total landmass, Russia is the largest country on Earth. A total of 17,098,242 square kilometres are in its coverage.
Russia occupies over 11 percent of the Earth’s total land area. Located in both Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, this country is transcontinental.
Which Nation Ranks Highest Worldwide?
Compared to every other country on Earth, the United States ranks first. It Is because the United States is not rivalled in economic and military might. It is the headquarters of some of the world’s most impressive corporations.
What Are the 197 Countries in the World?
Palestine is the 197th largest country in the world. Many people consider Palestine a nation despite the UN’s lack of recognition.
There are 195 countries recognised by the United Nations, plus two “non-member observer states” (Vatican City and Palestine).
Is the Number of Countries in the World 195 or 197?
The United Nations currently recognises 195 different countries. The United Nations now has 195 member states.
However, two countries are still regarded countries despite not being UN members: Palestine and Vatican City.