How Many Countries in the World? [2023]

There are 195 total countries in the world recognized by the United Nations. According to the Oxford Dictionary, A country is "a nation with its own government occupying a specific territory." A country can also refer to a group of people who share the same cultural heritage, identity, and traditions. Out of the total countries in the world, two are not recognized by the UN.

In order to be deemed a country, a country must be recognized by other members of the United Nations. Here, we have shared the list of total countries in the world, and have shared details about them.

Total Countries in the World

There are many countries in the world, located on several continents. For a country to be recognized globally, it needs to be listed and acknowledged by the United Nations. At present, 193 countries are recognized by the United Nations. However, a few countries still remain unrecognized.

The number of total countries in the world is 195, out of which 193 are United Nations Member States. However, Palestine and Vatican City are not recognized but are still acknowledged as countries.

List of Countries in the World Today

There are 195 total countries in the world at present. This statistic comprises 193 UN member states as well as two non-member states: Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican City). The following countries are not included in the list of total countries of the World:

• Taiwan - This country is represented by the People's Republic of China at the United Nations.
• Out of the total countries in the world, the Cook Islands and Niue are members of several UN-specialised organizations. However, neither are United Nations member states nor non-member observer nations.
• Dependent territories, Special Sovereignty Areas (independent territories), and some other countries in the world are classified as non-self-governing by the UN.

195 Countries Name

After how many countries in the world, it is important to know the names of the countries. All 195 countries are the Member States of the United Nations and are recognized as a nation with their own government. We have shared the names of the total countries in the world in the table shared below.

Location of Countries in the World

Different countries in the world are located across different continents. It is important to know the location of all member states of the United Nations. Here, we have shared the details of the locations of all 195 countries in the world:

• 48 countries are located in Asia
• 2 countries are located in Northern America
• 54 total countries are in Africa
• 33 countries are in Latin America and the Caribbean
• 44 out of the total countries in the world are in Europe
• 14 countries are in Oceania

Total Countries in World

Not all countries in the world have the same status. This could be because of various reasons such as the country being too small in size or being governed by some other country. The status of a region that is not recognised as a country can be either partially recognized, be a de facto state, or a micronation.

Partially Recognised Countries

Here, we have shared a list of countries in the world that are partially recognized:

• Greenland, a huge island between the North Atlantic and the Arctic appears like it should be its own country. While it has sovereignty over many of its domestic issues, it is ultimately ruled by Denmark, a small European country thousands of miles away.
• Kosovo is a self-declared state that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. However, 15 countries in the world have revoked their recognition of Kosovo due to Serbia's resistance. Kosovo is now recognized as an independent entity by 98 of the 193 United Nations member states.
• Abkhazia and South Ossetia are disputed Caucasus territories that broke away from Georgia after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria have all recognized the regions as independent states.
• Out of the total countries in the world, there is only one that recognises Northern Cyprus, which is Turkey. Following a failed coup d'état in 1974, Turkey took control of the island's northern half.

Countries in the World - De Facto States

There would have been 207 countries in the world if de facto states were included. De facto states are political entities with no international recognition. They are, therefore, not recognized by any UN member. Out of the total countries in the world, the following are de facto states.

• The Republic of Cabinda
• Ukraine's rebels Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic.
• Transnistria, a narrow stretch of land situated between Moldova and Ukraine.
• Somaliland formally called the "Republic of Somaliland," is a self-declared republic on the Gulf of Aden's coast but is not recognised as one.

Total Countries - Micronations

Besides the total countries in the world, there are also around 400 "micronations" - regions that claim to be an independent or sovereign nation. These regions may have populations ranging from a small hamlet to a single household but are not been legally recognized by other states.

Some examples of micronation are Principality of Seborga, which includes a small settlement on the French-Italian border. It is not recognized as a country but is known as a micronation. It was established on the suggestion of Giorgio Carbone, a flower planter.

FAQs on Total Countries of the World

Q1. How many countries are there in the world?

The number of countries in the world is 195. Only the countries that are member states of the United Nations are officially recognized as countries. In the list of countries in the world, the Vatican City and Palestine are an exception because they are not recognised as countries officially.

Q2. How many countries are there in Africa?

As per the list of countries in the world by the United Nations, there are 54 countries in Africa. The African countries are Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Benin, Nigeria, Congo, Chad, Angola, Gabon, Mauritius, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda, etc.

Q3. Which is the world’s largest country?

Out of the total countries in the world, Russia is the largest country by area. It covers a total area of 17,098,242 square kilometres. The total area that Russia covers is equivalent to 11% of the world’s total landmass. This transcontinental country spans Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.

Q4. Which country in the world is No 1?

The United States is considered No 1 among the total countries in the world. This is because the United States dominates when it comes to economic and military power. It is home to some of the most phenomenal companies and businesses in the world.

Q5. What is the 197 country in the world?

The 197th country in the world is Palestine. Although it is not officially recognized as a country by the United Nations, Palestine is considered to be a country by many. According to the UN list of total countries in the world, there are 195 countries, and two unofficial countries, Vatican City and Palestine.

Q6. Are there 195 or 197 total countries in the world?

Officially, there are 195 countries in the world recognized by the United Nations. All 195 countries are United Nations member states. However, two countries, namely Palestine and Vatican City are not UN member states but are considered countries.