Countries · 2026

How Many Countries Are There in the World?

Q: How many countries are there in the world?

195: 193 UN member states and 2 observer states (Vatican City and Palestine).

There are 195 countries in the world today: 193 member states of the United Nations and 2 non-member observer states — the Holy See (Vatican City) and Palestine. Kosovo and Taiwan are independent in practice but not universally recognised, which is why some lists say 197.

195

Countries in the world

193

UN member states

UN observer states

Dependent territories and regions

UN member state
UN observer state
Partially recognised

List of all 197 countries

#	Country	Capital	Continent	Population	Status
Afghanistan	1	Kabul	Asia	43.8 million	UN member state
Albania	2	Tirana	Europe	2.3 million	UN member state
Algeria	3	Algiers	Africa	47.4 million	UN member state
Andorra	4	Andorra la Vella	Europe	82,904	UN member state
Angola	5	Luanda	Africa	39.0 million	UN member state
Antigua and Barbuda	6	Saint John's	Americas	94,209	UN member state
Argentina	7	Buenos Aires	Americas	45.9 million	UN member state
Armenia	8	Yerevan	Europe	3.1 million	UN member state
Australia	9	Canberra	Oceania	27.6 million	UN member state
Austria	10	Vienna	Europe	9.2 million	UN member state
Azerbaijan	11	Baku	Europe	10.2 million	UN member state
Bahamas	12	Nassau	Americas	403,033	UN member state
Bahrain	13	Manama	Asia	1.6 million	UN member state
Bangladesh	14	Dhaka	Asia	175.7 million	UN member state
Barbados	15	Bridgetown	Americas	282,623	UN member state
Belarus	16	Minsk	Europe	9.1 million	UN member state
Belgium	17	Brussels	Europe	11.9 million	UN member state
Belize	18	Belmopan	Americas	422,924	UN member state
Benin	19	Porto-Novo	Africa	14.8 million	UN member state
Bhutan	20	Thimphu	Asia	796,682	UN member state
Bolivia	21	La Paz	Americas	12.6 million	UN member state
Bosnia and Herzegovina	22	Sarajevo	Europe	3.1 million	UN member state
Botswana	23	Gaborone	Africa	2.6 million	UN member state
Brazil	24	Brasília	Americas	212.8 million	UN member state
Brunei	25	Bandar Seri Begawan	Asia	466,330	UN member state
Bulgaria	26	Sofia	Europe	6.4 million	UN member state
Burkina Faso	27	Ouagadougou	Africa	24.1 million	UN member state
Burundi	28	Gitega	Africa	14.4 million	UN member state
Cambodia	29	Phnom Penh	Asia	17.8 million	UN member state
Cameroon	30	Yaounde	Africa	29.9 million	UN member state
Canada	31	Ottawa	Americas	41.7 million	UN member state
Cape Verde	32	Praia	Africa	527,326	UN member state
Central African Republic	33	Bangui	Africa	5.5 million	UN member state
Chad	34	N'Djamena	Africa	21.0 million	UN member state
Chile	35	Santiago	Americas	19.9 million	UN member state
China	36	Beijing	Asia	1.41 billion	UN member state
Colombia	37	Bogotá	Americas	53.4 million	UN member state
Comoros	38	Moroni	Africa	882,847	UN member state
Costa Rica	39	San José	Americas	5.2 million	UN member state
Côte d'Ivoire	40	Yamoussoukro	Africa	32.7 million	UN member state
Croatia	41	Zagreb	Europe	3.9 million	UN member state
Cuba	42	Havana	Americas	10.9 million	UN member state
Cyprus	43	Nicosia	Europe	1.4 million	UN member state
Czechia	44	Prague	Europe	10.9 million	UN member state
Denmark	45	Copenhagen	Europe	6.0 million	UN member state
Djibouti	46	Djibouti	Africa	1.2 million	UN member state
Dominica	47	Roseau	Americas	65,871	UN member state
Dominican Republic	48	Santo Domingo	Americas	11.5 million	UN member state
DR Congo	49	Kinshasa	Africa	112.8 million	UN member state
Ecuador	50	Quito	Americas	18.3 million	UN member state
Egypt	51	Cairo	Africa	118.4 million	UN member state
El Salvador	52	San Salvador	Americas	6.4 million	UN member state
Equatorial Guinea	53	Malabo	Africa	1.9 million	UN member state
Eritrea	54	Asmara	Africa	3.6 million	UN member state
Estonia	55	Tallinn	Europe	1.4 million	UN member state
Eswatini	56	Mbabane	Africa	1.3 million	UN member state
Ethiopia	57	Addis Ababa	Africa	135.5 million	UN member state
Fiji	58	Suva	Oceania	933,154	UN member state
Finland	59	Helsinki	Europe	5.6 million	UN member state
France	60	Paris	Europe	68.7 million	UN member state
Gabon	61	Libreville	Africa	2.6 million	UN member state
Gambia	62	Banjul	Africa	2.8 million	UN member state
Georgia	63	Tbilisi	Europe	3.9 million	UN member state
Germany	64	Berlin	Europe	83.5 million	UN member state
Ghana	65	Accra	Africa	35.1 million	UN member state
Greece	66	Athens	Europe	10.4 million	UN member state
Grenada	67	Saint George's	Americas	117,303	UN member state
Guatemala	68	Guatemala City	Americas	18.7 million	UN member state
Guinea	69	Conakry	Africa	15.1 million	UN member state
Guinea-Bissau	70	Bissau	Africa	2.2 million	UN member state
Guyana	71	Georgetown	Americas	835,986	UN member state
Haiti	72	Port-au-Prince	Americas	11.9 million	UN member state
Honduras	73	Tegucigalpa	Americas	11.0 million	UN member state
Hungary	74	Budapest	Europe	9.5 million	UN member state
Iceland	75	Reykjavik	Europe	392,404	UN member state
India	76	New Delhi	Asia	1.46 billion	UN member state
Indonesia	77	Jakarta	Asia	285.7 million	UN member state
Iran	78	Tehran	Asia	92.4 million	UN member state
Iraq	79	Baghdad	Asia	47.0 million	UN member state
Ireland	80	Dublin	Europe	5.5 million	UN member state
Israel	81	Jerusalem	Asia	10.1 million	UN member state
Italy	82	Rome	Europe	58.9 million	UN member state
Jamaica	83	Kingston	Americas	2.8 million	UN member state
Japan	84	Tokyo	Asia	123.4 million	UN member state
Jordan	85	Amman	Asia	11.5 million	UN member state
Kazakhstan	86	Astana	Asia	20.8 million	UN member state
Kenya	87	Nairobi	Africa	57.5 million	UN member state
Kiribati	88	Tarawa	Oceania	136,488	UN member state
Kosovo	89	Pristina	Europe	1.6 million	Partially recognised
Kuwait	90	Kuwait City	Asia	4.9 million	UN member state
Kyrgyzstan	91	Bishkek	Asia	7.3 million	UN member state
Laos	92	Vientiane	Asia	7.9 million	UN member state
Latvia	93	Riga	Europe	1.8 million	UN member state
Lebanon	94	Beirut	Asia	5.8 million	UN member state
Lesotho	95	Maseru	Africa	2.4 million	UN member state
Liberia	96	Monrovia	Africa	5.7 million	UN member state
Libya	97	Tripoli	Africa	7.5 million	UN member state
Liechtenstein	98	Vaduz	Europe	41,024	UN member state
Lithuania	99	Vilnius	Europe	2.9 million	UN member state
Luxembourg	100	Luxembourg	Europe	686,970	UN member state
Madagascar	101	Antananarivo	Africa	32.7 million	UN member state
Malawi	102	Lilongwe	Africa	22.2 million	UN member state
Malaysia	103	Kuala Lumpur	Asia	36.0 million	UN member state
Maldives	104	Malé	Asia	529,676	UN member state
Mali	105	Bamako	Africa	25.2 million	UN member state
Malta	106	Valletta	Europe	579,704	UN member state
Marshall Islands	107	Majuro	Oceania	36,282	UN member state
Mauritania	108	Nouakchott	Africa	5.3 million	UN member state
Mauritius	109	Port Louis	Africa	1.2 million	UN member state
Mexico	110	Mexico City	Americas	131.9 million	UN member state
Micronesia	111	Palikir	Oceania	113,683	UN member state
Moldova	112	Chisinau in Romanian	Europe	2.4 million	UN member state
Monaco	113	Monaco	Europe	38,341	UN member state
Mongolia	114	Ulaanbaatar	Asia	3.6 million	UN member state
Montenegro	115	Podgorica	Europe	623,129	UN member state
Morocco	116	Rabat	Africa	38.4 million	UN member state
Mozambique	117	Maputo	Africa	35.6 million	UN member state
Myanmar	118	Rangoon	Asia	54.9 million	UN member state
Namibia	119	Windhoek	Africa	3.1 million	UN member state
Nauru	120	no official capital	Oceania	12,025	UN member state
Nepal	121	Kathmandu	Asia	29.6 million	UN member state
Netherlands	122	Amsterdam	Europe	18.1 million	UN member state
New Zealand	123	Wellington	Oceania	5.3 million	UN member state
Nicaragua	124	Managua	Americas	7.0 million	UN member state
Niger	125	Niamey	Africa	27.9 million	UN member state
Nigeria	126	Abuja	Africa	237.5 million	UN member state
North Korea	127	Pyongyang	Asia	26.6 million	UN member state
North Macedonia	128	Skopje	Europe	1.8 million	UN member state
Norway	129	Oslo	Europe	5.6 million	UN member state
Oman	130	Muscat	Asia	5.5 million	UN member state
Pakistan	131	Islamabad	Asia	255.2 million	UN member state
Palau	132	Ngerulmud	Oceania	17,663	UN member state
Palestine	133	—	Asia	5.4 million	UN observer state
Panama	134	Panama City	Americas	4.6 million	UN member state
Papua New Guinea	135	Port Moresby	Oceania	10.8 million	UN member state
Paraguay	136	Asunción	Americas	7.0 million	UN member state
Peru	137	Lima	Americas	34.6 million	UN member state
Philippines	138	Manila	Asia	116.8 million	UN member state
Poland	139	Warsaw	Europe	36.4 million	UN member state
Portugal	140	Lisbon	Europe	10.8 million	UN member state
Qatar	141	Doha	Asia	3.0 million	UN member state
Republic of the Congo	142	Brazzaville	Africa	6.5 million	UN member state
Romania	143	Bucharest	Europe	19.0 million	UN member state
Russia	144	Moscow	Europe	143.5 million	UN member state
Rwanda	145	Kigali	Africa	14.6 million	UN member state
Saint Kitts and Nevis	146	Basseterre	Americas	46,922	UN member state
Saint Lucia	147	Castries	Americas	180,149	UN member state
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	148	Kingstown	Americas	99,924	UN member state
Samoa	149	Apia	Oceania	219,306	UN member state
San Marino	150	San Marino	Europe	34,109	UN member state
Sao Tome and Principe	151	Sao Tome	Africa	240,254	UN member state
Saudi Arabia	152	Riyadh	Asia	37.0 million	UN member state
Senegal	153	Dakar	Africa	18.9 million	UN member state
Serbia	154	Belgrade	Europe	6.5 million	UN member state
Seychelles	155	Victoria	Africa	122,730	UN member state
Sierra Leone	156	Freetown	Africa	8.8 million	UN member state
Singapore	157	Singapore	Asia	6.1 million	UN member state
Slovakia	158	Bratislava	Europe	5.4 million	UN member state
Slovenia	159	Ljubljana	Europe	2.1 million	UN member state
Solomon Islands	160	Honiara	Oceania	838,645	UN member state
Somalia	161	Mogadishu	Africa	19.7 million	UN member state
South Africa	162	Pretoria	Africa	64.7 million	UN member state
South Korea	163	Seoul	Asia	51.7 million	UN member state
South Sudan	164	Juba	Africa	12.2 million	UN member state
Spain	165	Madrid	Europe	49.4 million	UN member state
Sri Lanka	166	Colombo	Asia	21.8 million	UN member state
Sudan	167	Khartoum	Africa	51.7 million	UN member state
Suriname	168	Paramaribo	Americas	639,850	UN member state
Sweden	169	Stockholm	Europe	10.6 million	UN member state
Switzerland	170	Bern	Europe	9.1 million	UN member state
Syria	171	Damascus	Asia	25.6 million	UN member state
Taiwan	172	Taipei	Asia	—	Partially recognised
Tajikistan	173	Dushanbe	Asia	10.8 million	UN member state
Tanzania	174	Dodoma	Africa	70.5 million	UN member state
Thailand	175	Bangkok	Asia	71.6 million	UN member state
Timor-Leste	176	Dili	Asia	1.4 million	UN member state
Togo	177	Lome	Africa	8.6 million	UN member state
Tonga	178	Nuku'alofa	Oceania	103,742	UN member state
Trinidad and Tobago	179	Port of Spain	Americas	1.4 million	UN member state
Tunisia	180	Tunis	Africa	12.3 million	UN member state
Türkiye	181	Ankara	Asia	85.9 million	UN member state
Turkmenistan	182	Ashgabat	Asia	7.6 million	UN member state
Tuvalu	183	Funafuti	Oceania	9,492	UN member state
Uganda	184	Kampala	Africa	51.4 million	UN member state
Ukraine	185	Kyiv	Europe	39.0 million	UN member state
United Arab Emirates	186	Abu Dhabi	Asia	11.5 million	UN member state
United Kingdom	187	London	Europe	69.5 million	UN member state
United States	188	Washington, D.C.	Americas	341.8 million	UN member state
Uruguay	189	Montevideo	Americas	3.4 million	UN member state
Uzbekistan	190	Tashkent	Asia	37.1 million	UN member state
Vanuatu	191	Port-Vila	Oceania	335,169	UN member state
Vatican City	192	Vatican City	Europe	882	UN observer state
Venezuela	193	Caracas	Americas	28.5 million	UN member state
Vietnam	194	Hanoi	Asia	101.6 million	UN member state
Yemen	195	Sanaa	Asia	41.8 million	UN member state
Zambia	196	Lusaka	Africa	21.9 million	UN member state
Zimbabwe	197	Harare	Africa	17.0 million	UN member state

Data: United Nations member states; CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).

Why 195?

The usual answer counts the 193 UN member states plus the two states with permanent observer status, the Holy See and Palestine. Membership of the UN is the closest thing to an official world list of countries; South Sudan, admitted in 2011, was the last country to join.

How many countries are there on each continent?

Africa: 54 countries
Americas: 35 countries
Asia: 44 countries
Europe: 48 countries
Oceania: 14 countries

Counts include the two observer states and exclude Kosovo and Taiwan.

Kosovo, Taiwan and other disputed countries

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognised by roughly half of UN members. Taiwan governs itself but is recognised by only about a dozen states. Others, such as Western Sahara, Northern Cyprus, Abkhazia and Somaliland, have little or no recognition and are not counted.

Countries vs territories

Places such as Greenland, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Macau and Bermuda have their own flags, currencies or passports but belong to another country. Our site covers 236 countries and territories in total.

Related rankings

Frequently asked questions

How many countries are there in the world?

195: 193 UN member states and 2 observer states (Vatican City and Palestine).

How many countries are in the UN?

193 — every country except Vatican City, Palestine, Kosovo and Taiwan.

How many countries are in Africa?

54 countries — more than any other continent. Western Sahara is a disputed territory and not counted.

How many countries are in Europe?

48 countries in our list, including transcontinental Russia and Turkey where they are classed as European; Kosovo is not counted.

How many countries are in Asia?

44 countries.

What is the newest country in the world?

South Sudan, which became independent from Sudan on 9 July 2011. See the newest countries in the world.