How many independent countries are there on earth? How many states are there on earth
Adore travel, but, unfortunately, I won’t be able to travel around the world: (However, thanks to the Internet, I sometimes "I'm traveling" using the amazing Google Maps app.
Number of states on Earth
For an accurate answer, some clarification is first necessary: what exactly is meant by this concept? Definition state somewhat different from the concept country, despite some semantic similarity. By country we usually mean some cultural community, which is based on territory. In the case of a state - political power in a certain area. From a geographical point of view, it is customary to divide countries either relatively parts of the world, or relatively continent. In the second case, the undisputed leader can be considered Africa- 54 countries, and all on our planet 252 countries. However, this number may vary depending on the counting criteria.
Types of government
By characteristics internal structure , type of territorial and political division The following forms of state are distinguished:
- unitary- possessing signs of sovereignty;
- federation- a union state, parts of which have signs of sovereignty;
- confederation- a temporary union pursuing certain goals.
Of course, each country is different unique and inimitableA, but I would like to briefly highlight some of the existing ones.
Kiribati. The only one in the world located in all hemispheres of our planet. She represents hundreds of islands that are scattered in Pacific Ocean and geographically refer to all hemispheres (western, northern, eastern, southern).
Ethiopia. The country is distinguished by its calendar, according to which now is only 2010. This lag is due to the strong influence Coptic Church, and since in the 16th century most of the Christian world changed the date of Christ's birth, everything in this country remained unchanged.
Greenland. As funny as it may be, this country cannot enter into FIFA- completely impossible grow grass for the lawn. Due to the peculiar climate, football fans are forced to play matches simply on gravel, and sometimes even in mud.
Somalia. This country is the least peaceful, constantly attacking its neighbors. Simultaneously with the hostilities, the continuous revolution.
To find out the answer you need, you need to understand what exactly you want to know? How many countries, how many states? These concepts are different - they are different. Depending on them, the quantity is said.
The most countries are in Eurasia (accommodating 94 countries), the fewest are in South America. Australia contains only 13 countries. Africa contains 52 states.
Country or state?
A country is a land territory, and a state is a territory in which there is a government. Some countries, such as Cyprus, can be considered either one or two. The country is one, but divided into two parts, with different governments. Because of this, different digital indicators.
How many countries are there?
The total number of countries as territories is 262. This includes official states, territories dependent on another state, unrecognized countries, islands, and partially recognized states.
How many states?
There are 194 recognized states. Of these, 192 are members of the United Nations. Two observer countries are the Vatican and Taiwan (Republic of China). The Vatican is a dwarf in Italy.
Unrecognized countries are territories that are not separate states; most countries in the world have not accepted them. Applies to 10 countries: Kosovo, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Transnistria, Lugansk People's Republic, Donetsk People's Republic, Turkish Republic of Cyprus, South Ossetia, Republic of China, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Dependent territories
Dependent territories are lands belonging to a state, governed by its government, but located outside the territory of such a state. There are some islands in the Indian Ocean that belong to Great Britain. There are also Antarctic parts that belong to France. In total there are 20 of these.
The Canary Islands (located in Africa), the cities of Ceuta and Melilla are considered dependent territories of Spain.
Antarctic
The territory of this part of the world is divided between 8 countries: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway and Queen Maud Island.
There are state entities, parts of countries that have a different name. This includes the Order of Malta, Azad Kashmir (part of Pakistan, which is a separate republic), Somaliland (the country is practically not recognized by anyone, it acts on its own).
Virtual countries
Countries that are not claimed by another country (allowed to be independent), but at the same time governed by them. These include Sealand (Great Britain), the Principality of Seborga (Italy), Tavolara, and Molossia. There are also military bases.
India has a very high population density
Let's look at the political map of the world. on her different colors countries are painted.
The most variegated of the continents is Africa, it has the most countries - 54. There are few countries in South America - only 12. On the mainland North America only 3 countries: Canada, United States of America and Mexico. And in Australia there is only one country - Australia. There are a total of 196 countries on Earth, but according to different calculations (with different criteria), this number may change. The fact is that there are many unrecognized states on Earth. For example, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized Russian Federation, but are not recognized by most countries in the world. At the same time, Russia has still not officially recognized or established diplomatic relations with entities such as Kosovo and Northern Cyprus, but there are countries that have recognized them and are working closely with them. Most often, in this matter, states proceed from their national interests.
Largest largest countries by area
- Russia 17,102,345 km2
- Canada 9,976,139 km2
- China 9,640,821 km2
- USA 9,522,057 km2
- Brazil 8,511,965 km2
- Australia 7,686,850 km2
- India 3,287,590 km2
- Argentina 2,766,890 km2
- Kazakhstan 2,724,900 km2
- Algeria 2,381,740 km2
Smallest countries
The first place “from the bottom” in terms of territory size rightfully belongs to the Vatican, where the residence of the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, is located. The area of the Vatican is less than 0.5 km2, and only 826 people live here, so the population density is very low. In second place is the Principality of Monaco, where almost 33,000 people live on an area of 1.95 km2, the population density there is almost 150 times greater. In third place is Gibraltar, located on a rocky cape (area 6.5 km2).
Try yourself in tests, then you can take part in geographical duels, battles and tournaments!
Countries of the world
How many countries are there in the world?
If we add unrecognized countries and dependent territories to the recognized countries, we can count up to 300 countries.
However, obtaining accurate data impossible due to the controversial or ambiguous status of such entities.
How many countries are there in the world?
To answer this question, you must first clarify: what do you mean by the concept of a country and how do you distinguish it from the concept of a state? These concepts are close in meaning, but still different. In the first case, a certain community based on territory, culture, and people is often implied. In the second - a single power, mainly political, in a certain territory.
But everything is even more complicated: there is not a single generally accepted definition of these concepts, and there is no regulation according to which states should be recognized or not (every political force always has opponents with all the ensuing contradictions and clashes).
In practice, it all comes down to bilateral or multilateral recognition, which is always associated with the personal motives of the parties. For example, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized by the Russian Federation, but not recognized by most countries in the world. At the same time, Russia has still not officially recognized or established diplomatic relations with such entities as Kosovo and Northern Cyprus, but there are countries that have recognized them, cooperate closely with them and encourage them. Everyone decides for himself, based on national interests and the ability to defend them.
When calculating the number of countries in the world, one can rely on the degree of sovereignty of the state, even if it is also relative. But according to this criterion the remaining colonies and dependent territories in the world (for example, the Cook Islands and Eastern Samoa) are immediately excluded from the list.
As a result, separate tables appeared on the website: recognized countries of the world, which are taken into account in this calculation, as well as UN member countries, unrecognized countries, dependent territories, which, if desired, could also be taken into account.
Countries in different parts of the world
Geographically, it is convenient to divide countries by parts of the world or by continents. In this case, Africa leads in terms of the number of countries, where there are fifty-four of them. The fewest countries are located in South America - only twelve. Well, there are 197 countries in total on Earth, but according to different calculations (with different criteria), this number may vary.
Plan
Introduction
1,193 states (UN members and Vatican City)
2 States not recognized by most other UN states
3 Territories with uncertain status
4 Quasi-state entities
References
Introduction
As of August 2008, the UN includes 192 states of the world. Another generally recognized state is the Vatican (as well as for a long time formerly Switzerland]) - is a subject international law and permanent observer non-member of the UN.
About a dozen state entities are independent states in fact, but are either not recognized by other states, or are recognized by an insufficient number of other states, and their status is controversial.
On the other hand, the two countries of Palestine and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (as well as one quasi-state entity, the Order of Malta) are recognized by many states, but are not actually independent. Their status is not settled.
In many parts of the world there are regions whose populations are fighting for recognition of their independent statehood.
Finally, individuals or groups of people have also proclaimed virtual states (microstates, micronations), which do not have ethnic, territorial and historical legitimacy, and often even territory.
The European Union has the characteristics of a state and a confederation, but in international law it is not considered a state or a subject of international law.
193 states (UN members and Vatican City)
1. Australia - Commonwealth of Australia
2. Austria - Republic of Austria
3. Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan
4. Albania - Republic of Albania
5. Algeria - Algerian People's Democratic Republic
6. Angola - Republic of Angola
7. Andorra - Principality of Andorra
8. Antigua and Barbuda - Antigua and Barbuda
9. Argentina - Argentine Republic
10. Armenia - Republic of Armenia
11. Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
12. Bahamas - Commonwealth of the Bahamas
13. Bangladesh - People's Republic of Bangladesh
14. Barbados - Barbados
15. Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain
16. Belarus - Republic of Belarus
17. Belize - Belize
18. Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium
19. Benin - Republic of Benin
20. Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria
21. Bolivia - Plurinational State of Bolivia
22. Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bosnia and Herzegovina
23. Botswana - Republic of Botswana
24. Brazil - Federative Republic of Brazil
25. Brunei - State of Brunei Darussalam
26. Burkina Faso - Burkina Faso
27. Burundi - Republic of Burundi
28. Bhutan - Kingdom of Bhutan
29. Vanuatu - Republic of Vanuatu
30. Vatican - Vatican
31. Great Britain - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
32. Hungary - Republic of Hungary
33. Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
34. East Timor - Democratic Republic of East Timor
35. Vietnam - Socialist Republic of Vietnam
36. Gabon - Gabonese Republic
37. Haiti - Republic of Haiti
38. Guyana - Cooperative Republic of Guyana
39. Gambia - Republic of Gambia
40. Ghana - Republic of Ghana
41. Guatemala - Republic of Guatemala
42. Guinea - Republic of Guinea
43. Guinea-Bissau - Republic of Guinea-Bissau
44. Germany - Federal Republic of Germany
45. Honduras - Republic of Honduras
46. Grenada - Grenada
47. Greece - Hellenic Republic
48. Georgia - Georgia
49. Denmark - Kingdom of Denmark
50. Djibouti - Republic of Djibouti
51. Dominica - Commonwealth of Dominica
52. Dominican Republic - Dominican Republic
53. Egypt - Arab Republic of Egypt
54. Zambia - Republic of Zambia
55. Zimbabwe - Republic of Zimbabwe
56. Israel - State of Israel
57. India - Republic of India
58. Indonesia - Republic of Indonesia
Jordan - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
60. Iraq - Republic of Iraq
61. Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran
62. Ireland - Ireland
63. Iceland - Iceland
64. Spain - Kingdom of Spain
65. Italy - Italian Republic
66. Yemen - Republic of Yemen
67. Cape Verde - Republic of Cape Verde
68. Kazakhstan - Republic of Kazakhstan
69. Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia
70. Cameroon - Republic of Cameroon
71. Canada - Canada
72. Qatar - State of Qatar
73. Kenya - Republic of Kenya
74. Cyprus - Republic of Cyprus
75. Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyz Republic)
76. Kiribati - Republic of Kiribati
77. China - People's Republic of China
78. Comoros - Union of Comoros
79. Republic of the Congo - Republic of the Congo
80. DR Congo - Democratic Republic of the Congo
81. Colombia - Republic of Colombia
82. DPRK - Democratic People's Republic of Korea
83. Republic of Korea
84. Costa Rica - Republic of Costa Rica
85. Cote d'Ivoire - Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
86. Cuba - Republic of Cuba
87. Kuwait - State of Kuwait
88. Laos - Lao People's Democratic Republic
89. Latvia - Republic of Latvia
90. Lesotho - Kingdom of Lesotho
91. Liberia - Republic of Liberia
92. Lebanon - Lebanese Republic
93. Libya - Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
94. Lithuania - Republic of Lithuania
95. Liechtenstein - Principality of Liechtenstein
96. Luxembourg - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
97. Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius
98. Mauritania - Islamic Republic of Mauritania
99. Madagascar - Republic of Madagascar
100. Republic of Macedonia - Republic of Macedonia
101. Malawi - Republic of Malawi
102. Malaysia - Malaysia
103. Mali - Republic of Mali
104. Maldives - Republic of Maldives
105. Malta - Republic of Malta
106. Morocco - Kingdom of Morocco
107. Marshall Islands - Republic of the Marshall Islands
108. Mexico - United Mexican States
109. Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique
110. Moldova - Republic of Moldova
111. Monaco - Principality of Monaco
112. Mongolia - Mongolia
113. Myanmar - Republic of the Union of Myanmar
114. Namibia - Republic of Namibia
115. Nauru - Republic of Nauru
116. Nepal - Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
117. Niger - Niger Republic
118. Nigeria - Federal Republic of Nigeria
119. Netherlands - Kingdom of the Netherlands
120. Nicaragua - Republic of Nicaragua
121. New Zealand - New Zealand
122. Norway - Kingdom of Norway
123. UAE - United Arab Emirates
124. Oman - Sultanate of Oman
125. Pakistan - Islamic Republic of Pakistan
126. Palau - Republic of Palau
127. Panama - Republic of Panama
128. Papua New Guinea - Independent State of Papua New Guinea
129. Paraguay - Republic of Paraguay
130. Peru - Republic of Peru
131. Poland - Republic of Poland
132. Portugal - Portuguese Republic
133. Russia - Russian Federation
134. Rwanda - Republic of Rwanda
135. Romania - Romania
136. El Salvador - Republic of El Salvador
137. Samoa - Independent State of Samoa
138. San Marino - Republic of San Marino
139. Sao Tome and Principe - Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
140. Saudi Arabia- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
141. Swaziland - Kingdom of Swaziland
142. Seychelles- Republic of Seychelles
143. Senegal - Republic of Senegal
147. Serbia - Republic of Serbia
148. Singapore - Republic of Singapore
149. Syria - Syrian Arab Republic
150. Slovakia - Slovak Republic
151. Slovenia - Republic of Slovenia
152. USA - United States of America
153. Solomon Islands - Solomon Islands
154. Somalia - Somali Republic
155. Sudan - Republic of Sudan
156. Suriname - Republic of Suriname
157. Sierra Leone - Republic of Sierra Leone
158. Tajikistan - Republic of Tajikistan
159. Thailand - Kingdom of Thailand
160. Tanzania - United Republic of Tanzania
161. Togo - Togolese Republic
162. Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga
163. Trinidad and Tobago - Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
164. Tuvalu - Tuvalu
165. Tunisia - Tunisian Republic
166. Turkmenistan - Turkmenistan
167. Türkiye - Republic of Turkey
168. Uganda - Republic of Uganda
169. Uzbekistan - Republic of Uzbekistan
170. Ukraine - Ukraine
171. Uruguay - Eastern Republic of Uruguay
172. Federated States of Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia
173. Fiji - Republic of Fiji Islands
174. Philippines - Republic of the Philippines
175. Finland - Republic of Finland
176. France - French Republic
177. Croatia - Republic of Croatia
178. CAR - Central African Republic
179. Chad - Republic of Chad
180. Montenegro - Montenegro
181. Czech Republic - Czech Republic
182. Chile - Republic of Chile
183. Switzerland - Swiss Confederation
184. Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden
185. Sri Lanka - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
186. Ecuador - Republic of Ecuador
187. Equatorial Guinea - Republic of Equatorial Guinea
188. Eritrea - State of Eritrea
189. Estonia - Republic of Estonia
190. Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
191. South Africa - Republic of South Africa
193. Japan - Japan
2. States not recognized by most other UN states
1. Republic of Abkhazia (most states recognize Abkhazia as part of Georgia)
More interesting articles:
How many countries are there in the world? Today, according to data for 2013, there are 194 (members of the UN and the Vatican) independent states. The Vatican is recognized by the UN, but is not part of it. ( Note that for 2017, the number of countries has not changed.) How many countries are there in the world? The number of countries exceeds the number of states and now there are 262 countries. Since the concept of a country is much broader than the concept of a state.
Read. There are countries that are not recognized by other states as independent states (unrecognized states); there are also territories with an uncertain status and dependent territories. Without the status of states, the last three categories of territories still have the status of countries.
194 countries have the status of independent states
1. Australia - Commonwealth of Australia
2. Austria - Republic of Austria
3. Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan
4. Albania - Republic of Albania
5. Algeria - Algerian People's Democratic Republic
6. Angola - Republic of Angola
7. Andorra - Principality of Andorra
8. Antigua and Barbuda - Antigua and Barbuda
9. Argentina - Argentine Republic
10. Armenia - Republic of Armenia
11. Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
12. Bahamas - Commonwealth of the Bahamas
13. Bangladesh - People's Republic of Bangladesh
14. Barbados - Barbados
15. Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain
16. Belarus - Republic of Belarus
17. Belize - Belize
18. Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium
19. Benin - Republic of Benin
20. Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria
21. Bolivia - Republic of Bolivia
22. Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bosnia and Herzegovina
23. Botswana - Republic of Botswana
24. Brazil - Federative Republic of Brazil
25. Brunei - Brunei Darussalam
26. Burkina Faso - Democratic Republic of Burkina Faso
27. Burundi - Republic of Burundi
28. Bhutan - Kingdom of Bhutan
29. Vanuatu - Republic of Vanuatu
30. Vatican City - Vatican City State
31. Great Britain - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
32. Hungary - Republic of Hungary
33. Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
34. East Timor) - Democratic Republic of East Timor
35. Vietnam - Socialist Republic of Vietnam
36. Gabon - Gabonese Republic
37. Haiti - Republic of Haiti
38. Guyana - Cooperative Republic of Guyana
39. Gambia - Republic of Gambia
40. Ghana - Republic of Ghana
41. Guatemala - Republic of Guatemala
42. Guinea - Republic of Guinea
43. Guinea-Bissau - Republic of Guinea-Bissau
44. Germany - Federal Republic of Germany
45. Honduras - Republic of Honduras
46. Grenada - Grenada
47. Greece - Hellenic Republic
48. Georgia - Republic of Georgia
49. - Kingdom of Denmark
50. Djibouti - Republic of Djibouti
51. Dominica - Commonwealth of Dominica
52. Dominican Republic - Dominican Republic
53. Egypt - Arab Republic of Egypt
54. Zambia - Republic of Zambia
55. Zimbabwe - Republic of Zimbabwe
56. Israel - State of Israel
57. - Republic of India
58. Indonesia - Republic of Indonesia
59. Jordan - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
60. Iraq - Republic of Iraq
61. Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran
62. Ireland - Republic of Ireland
63. Iceland - Republic of Iceland
64. Spain - Kingdom of Spain
65. Italy - Italian Republic
66. Yemen - Republic of Yemen
67. Cape Verde - Republic of Cape Verde
68. Kazakhstan - Republic of Kazakhstan
69. Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia
70. Cameroon - Republic of Cameroon
71. Canada - Canada
72. Qatar - State of Qatar
73. Kenya - Republic of Kenya
74. Cyprus - Republic of Cyprus
75. Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic
76. Kiribati - Republic of Kiribati
77. - People's Republic of China
78. Comoros - Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros
79. Congo - Republic of the Congo
80. DR Congo) - Democratic Republic of the Congo
81. Colombia - Republic of Colombia
82. DPRK
83. Republic of Korea
84. Costa Rica - Republic of Costa Rica
85. Cote d'Ivoire - Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
86. Cuba - Republic of Cuba
87. Kuwait - State of Kuwait
88. Laos - Lao People's Democratic Republic
89. Latvia - Republic of Latvia
90. Lesotho - Kingdom of Lesotho
91. Liberia - Republic of Liberia
92. Lebanon - Lebanese Republic
93. Libya - Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
94. Lithuania - Republic of Lithuania
95. Liechtenstein - Principality of Liechtenstein
96. Luxembourg - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
97. Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius
98. Mauritania - Islamic Republic of Mauritania
99. Madagascar - Republic of Madagascar
100. Macedonia - Republic of Macedonia
101. Malawi - Republic of Malawi
102. Malaysia - Federation of Malaya
103. Mali - Republic of Mali
104. Maldives - Republic of Maldives
105. Malta - Republic of Malta
106. Morocco - Kingdom of Morocco
107. Marshall Islands - Republic of the Marshall Islands
108. Mexico - United Mexican States
109. Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique
110. Moldova - Republic of Moldova
111. Monaco - Principality of Monaco
112. Mongolia - Republic of Mongolia
113. Myanmar - Union of Myanmar
114. Namibia - Republic of Namibia
115. Nauru - Republic of Nauru
116. Nepal - Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
117. Niger - Niger Republic
118. Nigeria - Federal Republic of Nigeria
119. Netherlands - Kingdom of the Netherlands
120. Nicaragua - Republic of Nicaragua
121. New Zealand - New Zealand
122. Norway - Kingdom of Norway
123. UAE - United Arab Emirates
124. Oman - Sultanate of Oman
125. Pakistan - Islamic Republic of Pakistan
126. Palau - Republic of Palau
127. Panama - Republic of Panama
128. Papua New Guinea - Independent State of Papua New Guinea
129. Paraguay - Republic of Paraguay
130. Peru - Republic of Peru
131. Poland - Republic of Poland
132. Portugal - Portuguese Republic
133. - Russian Federation
134. Rwanda - Republic of Rwanda
135. Romania - Romania
136. El Salvador - Republic of El Salvador
137. Samoa - Independent State of Samoa
138. San Marino - Republic of San Marino
139. Sao Tome and Principe - Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
140. Saudi Arabia - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
141. Swaziland - Kingdom of Swaziland
142. Seychelles - Republic of Seychelles
143. Senegal - Republic of Senegal
144. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
145. Saint Kitts and Nevis - Saint Kitts and Nevis
146. Saint Lucia - Saint Lucia
147. Serbia - Republic of Serbia
148. Singapore - Republic of Singapore
149. Syria - Syrian Arab Republic
150. Slovakia - Slovak Republic
151. Slovenia - Republic of Slovenia
152. - United States of America
153. Solomon Islands - Solomon Islands
154. Somalia - Somalia
155. Sudan - Sudanese Republic
156. Suriname - Republic of Suriname
157. Sierra Leone - Republic of Sierra Leone
158. Tajikistan - Republic of Tajikistan
159. Thailand - Kingdom of Thailand
160. Tanzania - United Republic of Tanzania
161. Togo - Togolese Republic
162. Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga
163. Trinidad and Tobago - Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
164. Tuvalu - Tuvalu
165. Tunisia - Tunisian Republic
166. Turkmenistan - Turkmenistan
167. Türkiye - Republic of Turkey
168. Uganda - Republic of Uganda
169. - Ukraine
170. Uzbekistan - Republic of Uzbekistan
171. Uruguay - Eastern Republic of Uruguay
172. Federated States of Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia
173. Fiji - Republic of Fiji Islands
174. Philippines - Republic of the Philippines
175. Finland - Republic of Finland
176. France - French Republic
177. Croatia - Republic of Croatia
178. CAR - Central African Republic
179. Chad - Republic of Chad
180. Montenegro - Republic of Montenegro
181. Czech Republic - Czech Republic
182. Chile - Republic of Chile
183. Switzerland - Swiss Confederation
184. Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden
185. Sri Lanka - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
186. Ecuador - Republic of Ecuador
187. Equatorial Guinea - Republic of Equatorial Guinea
188. Eritrea - State of Eritrea
189. Estonia - Republic of Estonia
190. Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
191. South Africa - Republic of South Africa
192. South Sudan— South Sudan
193. Jamaica - Jamaica
194. Japan - Japan
There are states with an uncertain status, that is, in fact they are independent and some states have recognized them, but they are not members of the UN, let's see how many such countries there are in the world.
1. Republic of Abkhazia
2. Republic of China
3. Republic of Kosovo
4. Palestine
5. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
6. Republic of South Ossetia
7. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
8. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
9. Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
10. Somaliland
11. Azawad
12. Azad Jammu and Kashmir
In addition, there are 56 more territories that have their own flags:
4 territories with a special status specified in international agreements:
1. Åland Islands
2. Spitsbergen
3. Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
4. Macao (Macau)
38 dependent territories with permanent populations (territories of Australia, Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, USA, France).
14 overseas territories considered an integral part of the respective states, but territorially significantly removed from the main part of the state, in particular, belonging to another part of the world (2 autonomous regions of Portugal, 3 territories of Spain, 3 communities of the Netherlands, 1 overseas state of the USA and 5 overseas regions of France ).
Now you know how many countries there are in the world.
Every person at school studied a subject such as geography, but if you ask any passerby on the street: “How many countries are there in the world?”, then probably no one will give an exact answer.
It is noteworthy that such a question will baffle even experienced geographers or local historians, since several methods for counting countries and states have been adopted.
For the most accurate answer to the question, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of “state” and “country”.
States include territorial units that are officially recognized as independent by other states, have clear boundaries and accompanying attributes, which include the presence of a flag and anthem. A country does not always have these characteristics. In particular, a colony or a disputed territory can be called a country.
The total number of countries existing in the world today is officially recorded by the UN
According to the UN, there are only 192 states, a list of which is provided on the official website of the organization.
This number did not include two states that can be found on the world map, since they are not members of the United Nations. This is Kosovo and the Vatican. Also among the states that have this particular status is Taiwan, which has long since left the jurisdiction of China. The latter does not recognize the official status of this small country, since it has claims on the territory of Taiwan, therefore the UN, guided by political motives, does not include the state in the official list of countries in modern world. But this is not the only reason for the dispute over how many countries there are in the world.
In addition to countries that have an unambiguous status, today there are 12 states in the world whose status is not defined.
In particular, 8 states were recognized as one of the members of the organization, 2 countries are recognized as such by neighboring states, and 2 remain unrecognized. At the same time, 8 states are not members of the organization, but according to all the rules of international law they must remain independent until precise definition their political fate. In addition to Taiwan and Kosovo, this list includes South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Palestine, the Republic of Northern Cyprus, SADR, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Virtual states
There is a concept of “state”, according to which every country that claims the right to be called a state must have borders. The spread of virtual reality makes it possible to get rid of this convention. A state created in virtual reality may have other attributes to be called such.
The virtual state has a coat of arms, flag, banknotes
Also, such territorial units created in the network, according to international law, can declare their claims to the lands of Antarctica and the Arctic, which gives them the opportunity to fully become a state.
A similar bright representative of a virtual country is Westarctica, which was born in 2001, or the unrecognized state of Sealand, located in the waters surrounding the British Isles. There is also Wirtlandia and Vimperium.
The Order of Malta, which also does not fall under general signs States, however, are considered as such and are observers at the UN.
The total number of states in the world that fully comply with all criteria is 195, but when counting all disputed territories and virtual countries, total number will amount to 262 states.
We recommend watching a video about how many countries there are in the world:
