How Many Countries Are There in the World?

As of 2025, there are 195 countries in the world. This total includes:

Type of Country	Number	Details
UN Member States	193	These are fully recognized sovereign nations that are members of the United Nations.
Observer States	2	The Holy See (Vatican City) and Palestine hold observer status at the UN but are widely recognized as countries.

So, the answer to the question “How many countries are there in the world?” is:

195 countries (193 UN members + 2 observer states)

What Counts as a Country?

A country is generally defined by the following criteria:

• A defined territory with borders
• A permanent population
• A government
• The capacity to enter relations with other sovereign states (as per the Montevideo Convention of 1933)

However, the number can vary based on political recognition. For example, Taiwan is recognized by several nations but not by the United Nations due to diplomatic pressure from China. Some also include Kosovo, Western Sahara, and others in alternative country lists, which can bring the number closer to 200+, depending on the criteria used.

Countries by Continent

Continent	Number of Countries
Africa	54
Asia	49
Europe	44
North America	23
Oceania	16
South America	12

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