How many countries are there in the world? It sounds like it should have one clean answer. It doesn’t — the number ranges from 193 to 197 depending on exactly who is counting and what counts as a “country” in the first place.
The Most Common Answers
- 193 — the number of full United Nations member states, the most widely cited figure
- 195 — 193 UN members plus the two permanent observer states, Vatican City and Palestine, discussed in our piece on UN member states vs. observer states
- 197 — sometimes used to also include Taiwan and Kosovo, both of which function as independent states in practice but lack universal international recognition
Our own database currently tracks over 250 countries and territories — see the full list on our Rankings page — because we include widely recognized dependent territories alongside fully sovereign states, which is useful for geographic and demographic reference even though those territories aren’t independent countries.
Why There’s No Single Definitive Answer
Statehood under international law generally requires a permanent population, defined territory, a functioning government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states — but recognition of whether a specific entity meets those criteria is ultimately a political decision made separately by each other country, not an automatic legal fact. That’s exactly why Taiwan, Kosovo, and a handful of other territories are recognized as independent by many governments and not by others.
Countries vs. Territories vs. Dependencies
Beyond disputed states, there’s also a large category of inhabited, named places that clearly aren’t independent countries at all — dependent territories like Puerto Rico, Greenland, French Polynesia, and Bermuda, which remain politically tied to a larger sovereign state even while having their own distinct identity, flag, and often significant self-government.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are officially recognized by the UN?
There are 193 full UN member states, the figure most commonly cited as the number of countries in the world.
Is Taiwan a country?
Taiwan functions as an independent, self-governing state in practice, but is not a UN member and is recognized as sovereign by only a minority of other countries, largely due to China’s territorial claim over it.
Why do some sources say there are 195 countries?
195 typically refers to the 193 UN member states plus the two UN permanent observer states, Vatican City and Palestine.
Explore all the countries and territories in our database using the Compare tool or the full Rankings page.
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