How Many Countries Are There in the World? (The Real Answer)

Ask ten people how many countries exist and you will get at least three different answers. The truth is that the number depends entirely on your definition of the word "country". This guide breaks down every common answer so you will never be caught out in a quiz again.

The most common answer: 195

The figure you will hear most often is 195 countries. That number is made up of:

• 193 member states of the United Nations — from giants like China and India to microstates like Tuvalu and San Marino.
• 2 UN observer states — the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine.

If a pub quiz asks "how many countries are there?", 195 is almost always the answer they want.

Why some people say 193

Purists count only full UN member states, which gives 193. Vatican City and Palestine participate in UN activities but do not hold voting membership, so under the strictest definition they are excluded. This is the number diplomats usually use.

Why some people say 197 or more

Beyond the UN list are countries that function independently but lack universal recognition:

• Kosovo — recognised by over 100 UN members, but not by all.
• Taiwan — a fully self-governing democracy of more than 23 million people, recognised by only a handful of states because of pressure from Beijing.
• Western Sahara — recognised by dozens of states and the African Union, but largely controlled by Morocco.
• Others such as Somaliland, Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia operate with their own governments, currencies or passports, but with little to no international recognition.

Add Kosovo and Taiwan to the 195 figure and you reach 197, another commonly quoted total.

Why our spinner has 250 entries

The international standard ISO 3166-1 assigns codes to 249 countries and territories — everything from France to the Falkland Islands. This list includes dependent territories such as Greenland (Denmark), Puerto Rico (United States), Bermuda (United Kingdom) and French Polynesia (France). These places have their own flags, cultures, sports teams and internet domains, even though they are not sovereign states.

Spin a Country includes the full set of countries and territories, because from a learning point of view they are all fascinating. Greenland's geography, Bermuda's flag and New Caledonia's culture are worth discovering whether or not they hold a seat at the UN.

Quick reference table

• Strictest count (UN members only): 193
• Standard quiz answer (UN + observers): 195
• Including Kosovo and Taiwan: 197
• ISO country codes (countries + territories): 249
• Entries on spinacountry.com: 250

Why the number keeps changing

The map of the world is not fixed. South Sudan became the newest UN member in 2011. Before that, Montenegro and Timor-Leste joined in the 2000s. Countries also disappear: the Soviet Union split into 15 states in 1991, and Yugoslavia eventually became seven. There is every chance the list will change again within your lifetime — which is exactly what makes geography worth following.

Test yourself

Now that you know the numbers, put them to use. Hit the random country spinner and see how many of your spins you can place on a blank map. If you can name the capital as well, you are already ahead of most people.