Just how many different countries are there? The solution to what seems to be a straightforward query is fairly involved.
The issue arises because various groups adopt varying views on what constitutes a nation. There isn’t a consistent tally for the number of nations, and it might vary widely depending on where you look.
However, the United Nations is widely acknowledged as the final arbiter on questions of statehood. There are now 193 member nations in the United Nations. It also acknowledges the Holy See/Vatican City as an observer state and Palestine as a non-member observer state.

However, not even the United Nations’ ranking is without contention. Taiwan (Republic of China), which was a member of the United Nations from 1945 to 1971 but is now regarded as a part of mainland China, is not recognised by the United Nations at this time despite having maintained its independence throughout that time.
Similarly, in 2020, around half of the United Nations’ members still saw Kosovo as a province of Serbia rather than an independent state.
Vatican City, Taiwan, and Kosovo are recognised as independent nations on Britannica’s list of countries, bringing the total number of recognised nations to 196.
The list of sovereign nations on Wikipedia, for its part, reflects the United Nations’ list of 193 member states and two observer states, to which it adds eleven more, such as Taiwan, Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, the Cook Islands, and more, for a total of 206.
Unlike its little cousin, Iceland, Greenland seems like it should be its nation given its size and location between the north Atlantic and Arctic seas.
Greenland isn’t a member of the United Nations, and although it has broad autonomy over its internal affairs, it ultimately answers to Denmark, a much larger European nation than Greenland’s neighbour, Iceland.
Greenland and the Gaza Strip, for example, are listed separately from the rest of the United States by certain sources because they are dependent or disputed regions. Because of this, the CIA Factbook maintained by the United States government has information on 237 different countries.
Also See: Human Development Index (HDI) by Country 2022
This shows that counting the world’s nations is more complicated than it may seem. As a result of the dynamic nature of politics, sovereignty concerns are also unlikely to be settled very soon.
Below is an exhaustive list of not just countries but also territories and areas that have some degree of self-governance but are not generally recognised as full-fledged countries.
Country | 2022 Population | Area | Region | Subregion |
---|---|---|---|---|
China | 1425887.3370 | 9706961 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
India | 1417173.1730 | 3287590 | Asia | Southern Asia |
United States | 338289.8570 | 9372610 | Americas | Northern America |
Indonesia | 275501.3390 | 1904569 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Pakistan | 235824.8620 | 881912 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Nigeria | 218541.2120 | 923768 | Africa | Western Africa |
Brazil | 215313.4980 | 8515767 | Americas | South America |
Bangladesh | 171186.3720 | 147570 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Russia | 144713.3140 | 17098242 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Mexico | 127504.1250 | 1964375 | Americas | Central America |
Japan | 123951.6920 | 377930 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Ethiopia | 123379.9240 | 1104300 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Philippines | 115559.0090 | 342353 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Egypt | 110990.1030 | 1002450 | Africa | Northern Africa |
DR Congo | 99010.2120 | 2344858 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Vietnam | 98186.8560 | 331212 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Iran | 88550.5700 | 1648195 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Turkey | 85341.2410 | 783562 | Asia | Western Asia |
Germany | 83369.8430 | 357114 | Europe | Western Europe |
Thailand | 71697.0300 | 513120 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
United Kingdom | 67508.9360 | 242900 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Tanzania | 65497.7480 | 945087 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
France | 64626.6280 | 551695 | Europe | Western Europe |
South Africa | 59893.8850 | 1221037 | Africa | Southern Africa |
Italy | 59037.4740 | 301336 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Myanmar | 54179.3060 | 676578 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Kenya | 54027.4870 | 580367 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Colombia | 51874.0240 | 1141748 | Americas | South America |
South Korea | 51815.8100 | 100210 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Spain | 47558.6300 | 505992 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Uganda | 47249.5850 | 241550 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Sudan | 46874.2040 | 1886068 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Argentina | 45510.3180 | 2780400 | Americas | South America |
Algeria | 44903.2250 | 2381741 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Iraq | 44496.1220 | 438317 | Asia | Western Asia |
Afghanistan | 41128.7710 | 652230 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Poland | 39857.1450 | 312679 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Ukraine | 39701.7390 | 603500 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Canada | 38454.3270 | 9984670 | Americas | Northern America |
Morocco | 37457.9710 | 446550 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Saudi Arabia | 36408.8200 | 2149690 | Asia | Western Asia |
Angola | 35588.9870 | 1246700 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Uzbekistan | 34627.6520 | 447400 | Asia | Central Asia |
Peru | 34049.5880 | 1285216 | Americas | South America |
Malaysia | 33938.2210 | 330803 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Yemen | 33696.6140 | 527968 | Asia | Western Asia |
Ghana | 33475.8700 | 238533 | Africa | Western Africa |
Mozambique | 32969.5180 | 801590 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Nepal | 30547.5800 | 147181 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Madagascar | 29611.7140 | 587041 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Venezuela | 28301.6960 | 916445 | Americas | South America |
Ivory Coast | 28160.5420 | 322463 | Africa | Western Africa |
Cameroon | 27914.5360 | 475442 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Niger | 26207.9770 | 1267000 | Africa | Western Africa |
Australia | 26177.4130 | 7692024 | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand |
North Korea | 26069.4160 | 120538 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Taiwan | 23893.3940 | 36193 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Burkina Faso | 22673.7620 | 272967 | Africa | Western Africa |
Mali | 22593.5900 | 1240192 | Africa | Western Africa |
Syria | 22125.2490 | 185180 | Asia | Western Asia |
Sri Lanka | 21832.1430 | 65610 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Malawi | 20405.3170 | 118484 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Zambia | 20017.6750 | 752612 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Romania | 19659.2670 | 238391 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Chile | 19603.7330 | 756102 | Americas | South America |
Kazakhstan | 19397.9980 | 2724900 | Asia | Central Asia |
Ecuador | 18001 | 276841 | Americas | South America |
Guatemala | 17843.9080 | 108889 | Americas | Central America |
Chad | 17723.3150 | 1284000 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Somalia | 17597.5110 | 637657 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Netherlands | 17564.0140 | 41850 | Europe | Western Europe |
Senegal | 17316.4490 | 196722 | Africa | Western Africa |
Cambodia | 16767.8420 | 181035 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Zimbabwe | 16320.5370 | 390757 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Guinea | 13859.3410 | 245857 | Africa | Western Africa |
Rwanda | 13776.6980 | 26338 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Benin | 13352.8640 | 112622 | Africa | Western Africa |
Burundi | 12889.5760 | 27834 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Tunisia | 12356.1170 | 163610 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Bolivia | 12224.1100 | 1098581 | Americas | South America |
Belgium | 11655.9300 | 30528 | Europe | Western Europe |
Haiti | 11584.9960 | 27750 | Americas | Caribbean |
Jordan | 11285.8690 | 89342 | Asia | Western Asia |
Dominican Republic | 11228.8210 | 48671 | Americas | Caribbean |
Cuba | 11212.1910 | 109884 | Americas | Caribbean |
South Sudan | 10913.1640 | 619745 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Sweden | 10549.3470 | 450295 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Czech Republic | 10493.9860 | 78865 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Honduras | 10432.8600 | 112492 | Americas | Central America |
Greece | 10384.9710 | 131990 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Azerbaijan | 10358.0740 | 86600 | Asia | Western Asia |
Portugal | 10270.8650 | 92090 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Papua New Guinea | 10142.6190 | 462840 | Oceania | Melanesia |
Hungary | 9967.3080 | 93028 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Tajikistan | 9952.7870 | 143100 | Asia | Central Asia |
Belarus | 9534.9540 | 207600 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
United Arab Emirates | 9441.1290 | 83600 | Asia | Western Asia |
Israel | 9038.3090 | 20770 | Asia | Western Asia |
Austria | 8939.6170 | 83871 | Europe | Western Europe |
Togo | 8848.6990 | 56785 | Africa | Western Africa |
Switzerland | 8740.4720 | 41284 | Europe | Western Europe |
Sierra Leone | 8605.7180 | 71740 | Africa | Western Africa |
Laos | 7529.4750 | 236800 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Hong Kong | 7488.8650 | 1104 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Serbia | 7221.3650 | 88361 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Nicaragua | 6948.3920 | 130373 | Americas | Central America |
Libya | 6812.3410 | 1759540 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Bulgaria | 6781.9530 | 110879 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Paraguay | 6780.7440 | 406752 | Americas | South America |
Kyrgyzstan | 6630.6230 | 199951 | Asia | Central Asia |
Turkmenistan | 6430.7700 | 488100 | Asia | Central Asia |
El Salvador | 6336.3920 | 21041 | Americas | Central America |
Singapore | 5975.6890 | 710 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Republic of the Congo | 5970.4240 | 342000 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Denmark | 5882.2610 | 43094 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Slovakia | 5643.4530 | 49037 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Central African Republic | 5579.1440 | 622984 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Finland | 5540.7450 | 338424 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Lebanon | 5489.7390 | 10452 | Asia | Western Asia |
Norway | 5434.3190 | 323802 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Liberia | 5302.6810 | 111369 | Africa | Western Africa |
Palestine | 5250.0720 | 6220 | Asia | Western Asia |
New Zealand | 5185.2880 | 270467 | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand |
Costa Rica | 5180.8290 | 51100 | Americas | Central America |
Ireland | 5023.1090 | 70273 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Mauritania | 4736.1390 | 1030700 | Africa | Western Africa |
Oman | 4576.2980 | 309500 | Asia | Western Asia |
Panama | 4408.5810 | 75417 | Americas | Central America |
Kuwait | 4268.8730 | 17818 | Asia | Western Asia |
Croatia | 4030.3580 | 56594 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Georgia | 3744.3850 | 69700 | Asia | Western Asia |
Eritrea | 3684.0320 | 117600 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Uruguay | 3422.7940 | 181034 | Americas | South America |
Mongolia | 3398.3660 | 1564110 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Moldova | 3272.9960 | 33846 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Puerto Rico | 3252.4070 | 8870 | Americas | Caribbean |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3233.5260 | 51209 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Albania | 2842.3210 | 28748 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Jamaica | 2827.3770 | 10991 | Americas | Caribbean |
Armenia | 2780.4690 | 29743 | Asia | Western Asia |
Lithuania | 2750.0550 | 65300 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Gambia | 2705.9920 | 10689 | Africa | Western Africa |
Qatar | 2695.1220 | 11586 | Asia | Western Asia |
Botswana | 2630.2960 | 582000 | Africa | Southern Africa |
Namibia | 2567.0120 | 825615 | Africa | Southern Africa |
Gabon | 2388.9920 | 267668 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Lesotho | 2305.8250 | 30355 | Africa | Southern Africa |
Slovenia | 2119.8440 | 20273 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Guinea-Bissau | 2105.5660 | 36125 | Africa | Western Africa |
North Macedonia | 2093.5990 | 25713 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Latvia | 1850.6510 | 64559 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Equatorial Guinea | 1674.9080 | 28051 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1531.0440 | 5130 | Americas | Caribbean |
Bahrain | 1472.2330 | 765 | Asia | Western Asia |
Timor-Leste | 1341.2960 | 14874 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Estonia | 1326.0620 | 45227 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Mauritius | 1299.4690 | 2040 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Cyprus | 1251.4880 | 9251 | Europe | Eastern Europe |
Eswatini | 1201.6700 | 17364 | Africa | Southern Africa |
Djibouti | 1120.8490 | 23200 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Reunion | 974.0520 | 2511 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Fiji | 929.7660 | 18272 | Oceania | Melanesia |
Comoros | 836.7740 | 1862 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Guyana | 808.7260 | 214969 | Americas | South America |
Bhutan | 782.4550 | 38394 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Solomon Islands | 724.2730 | 28896 | Oceania | Melanesia |
Macau | 695.1680 | 30 | Asia | Eastern Asia |
Luxembourg | 647.5990 | 2586 | Europe | Western Europe |
Montenegro | 627.0820 | 13812 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Suriname | 618.0400 | 163820 | Americas | South America |
Cape Verde | 593.1490 | 4033 | Africa | Western Africa |
Western Sahara | 575.9860 | 266000 | Africa | Northern Africa |
Malta | 533.2860 | 316 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Maldives | 523.7870 | 300 | Asia | Southern Asia |
Brunei | 449.0020 | 5765 | Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
Bahamas | 409.9840 | 13943 | Americas | Caribbean |
Belize | 405.2720 | 22966 | Americas | Central America |
Guadeloupe | 395.7520 | 1628 | Americas | Caribbean |
Iceland | 372.8990 | 103000 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Martinique | 367.5070 | 1128 | Americas | Caribbean |
Vanuatu | 326.7400 | 12189 | Oceania | Melanesia |
Mayotte | 326.1010 | 374 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
French Polynesia | 306.2790 | 4167 | Oceania | Polynesia |
French Guiana | 304.5570 | 83534 | Americas | South America |
New Caledonia | 289.9500 | 18575 | Oceania | Melanesia |
Barbados | 281.6350 | 430 | Americas | Caribbean |
Sao Tome and Principe | 227.3800 | 964 | Africa | Middle Africa |
Samoa | 222.3820 | 2842 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Curacao | 191.1630 | 444 | Americas | Caribbean |
Saint Lucia | 179.8570 | 616 | Americas | Caribbean |
Guam | 171.7740 | 549 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Kiribati | 131.2320 | 811 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Grenada | 125.4380 | 344 | Americas | Caribbean |
Micronesia | 114.1640 | 702 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Jersey | 110.7780 | 116 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Seychelles | 107.1180 | 452 | Africa | Eastern Africa |
Tonga | 106.8580 | 747 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Aruba | 106.4450 | 180 | Americas | Caribbean |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 103.9480 | 389 | Americas | Caribbean |
United States Virgin Islands | 99.4650 | 347 | Americas | Caribbean |
Antigua and Barbuda | 93.7630 | 442 | Americas | Caribbean |
Isle of Man | 84.5190 | 572 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Andorra | 79.8240 | 468 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Dominica | 72.7370 | 751 | Americas | Caribbean |
Cayman Islands | 68.7060 | 264 | Americas | Caribbean |
Bermuda | 64.1840 | 54 | Americas | Northern America |
Guernsey | 63.3010 | 78 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Greenland | 56.4660 | 2166086 | Americas | Northern America |
Faroe Islands | 53.0900 | 1393 | Europe | Northern Europe |
Northern Mariana Islands | 49.5510 | 464 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 47.6570 | 261 | Americas | Caribbean |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 45.7030 | 948 | Americas | Caribbean |
American Samoa | 44.2730 | 199 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Sint Maarten | 44.1750 | 34 | Americas | Caribbean |
Marshall Islands | 41.5690 | 181 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Liechtenstein | 39.3270 | 160 | Europe | Western Europe |
Monaco | 36.4690 | 2 | Europe | Western Europe |
San Marino | 33.6600 | 61 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Gibraltar | 32.6490 | 6 | Europe | Southern Europe |
Saint Martin | 31.7910 | 53 | Americas | Caribbean |
British Virgin Islands | 31.3050 | 151 | Americas | Caribbean |
Palau | 18.0550 | 459 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Cook Islands | 17.0110 | 236 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Anguilla | 15.8570 | 91 | Americas | Caribbean |
Nauru | 12.6680 | 21 | Oceania | Micronesia |
Wallis and Futuna | 11.5720 | 142 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Tuvalu | 11.3120 | 26 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Saint Barthelemy | 10.9670 | 21 | Americas | Caribbean |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 5.8620 | 242 | Americas | Northern America |
Montserrat | 4.3900 | 102 | Americas | Caribbean |
Falkland Islands | 3.7800 | 12173 | Americas | South America |
Niue | 1.9340 | 260 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Tokelau | 1.8710 | 12 | Oceania | Polynesia |
Vatican City | 0.5100 | 1 | Europe | Southern Europe |