The seven continents are currently divided up among 195 recognized countries in the world. 193 of those countries are members of the United Nations (Vatican City and Kosovo are not currently members). In some cases, the number of countries may be counted to 196 which would include Taiwan. Taiwan qualifies as a country by most measures but due to political issues with China, it has yet to be fully recognized as a country. The world’s newest country is South Sudan, which was added in 2011 to the countries of the world and also to the United Nations. There additionally 61 dependent territories (colonies) and six disputed territories in the world today. The dependent territories and colonies are administrated by eight different countries including Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, France, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The number of countries is often disputed due to the definition being unclear. There is no correct answer to the question of “How many countries of the world are there?,” as it all depends on what governmental, academic, or agency organization that is validating claims to sovereignty. Depending on the source, you can find the number of countries in the world to be a few as 189 and as many as 196.
List of Countries of The World
+ Countries in Africa
+ Countries in Asia
+ Countries in Australia
+ Countries in Europe
+ Countries in North America
+ Countries in South America
+ Countries in Oceania
+ World Totals
Countires of the World List | Capital City | Population | Continent |
---|---|---|---|
Countries of Africa | |||
Algeria | Algiers | 39,667,203 | Africa |
Angola | Luanda | 25,326,755 | Africa |
Benin | Porto-Novo | 10,782,365 | Africa |
Botswana | Gaborone | 2,176,741 | Africa |
Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou | 18,450,347 | Africa |
Burundi | Bujumbura | 9,824,320 | Africa |
Cameroon | Yaoundé | 21,918,057 | Africa |
Cape Verde | Praia | 525,662 | Africa |
Central African Republic | Bangui | 4,900,413 | Africa |
Chad | N’Djamena | 13,675,741 | Africa |
Comoros | Moroni | 783,544 | Africa |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa | 77,267,269 | Africa |
Djibouti | Djibouti | 961,037 | Africa |
Egypt | Cairo | 88,523,985 | Africa |
Equatorial Guinea | Malabo | 1,996,227 | Africa |
Eritrea | Asmara | 6,895,222 | Africa |
Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | 99,391,145 | Africa |
Gabon | Libreville | 1,873,230 | Africa |
Gambia | Banjul | 2,022,474 | Africa |
Ghana | Accra | 27,414,682 | Africa |
Guinea | Conakry | 10,935,259 | Africa |
Guinea-Bissau | Bissau | 1,788,088 | Africa |
Ivory Coast | Abidjan, Yamoussoukro | 23,126,355 | Africa |
Kenya | Nairobi | 45,533,204 | Africa |
Lesotho | Maseru | 1,908,335 | Africa |
Liberia | Monrovia | 4,046,007 | Africa |
Libya | Tripoli | 6,278,522 | Africa |
Madagascar | Antananarivo | 23,043,955 | Africa |
Malawi | Lilongwe | 16,307,685 | Africa |
Mali | Bamako | 17,796,125 | Africa |
Mauritania | Nouakchott | 3,632,657 | Africa |
Mauritius | Port Louis | 1,263,916 | Africa |
Morocco | Rabat | 34,380,277 | Africa |
Mozambique | Maputo | 28,013,037 | Africa |
Namibia | Windhoek | 2,281,238 | Africa |
Niger | Niamey | 18,880,785 | Africa |
Nigeria | Abuja | 186,202,652 | Africa |
Republic of the Congo | Brazzaville | 4,706,257 | Africa |
Rwanda | Kigali | 11,324,426 | Africa |
São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé | 194,000 | Africa |
Senegal | Dakar | 14,150,852 | Africa |
Seychelles | Victoria | 970,457 | Africa |
Sierra Leone | Freetown | 6,513,357 | Africa |
Somalia | Mogadishu | 10,972,148 | Africa |
South Africa | Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Pretoria | 5,495,724 | Africa |
South Sudan | Juba | 12,519,321 | Africa |
Sudan | Khartoum | 42,235,712 | Africa |
Swaziland | Mbabane | 1,119,524 | Africa |
Tanzania | Dodoma | 51,046,045 | Africa |
Togo | Lomé | 7,065,418 | Africa |
Tunisia | Tunis | 11,118,759 | Africa |
Uganda | Kampala | 37,102,024 | Africa |
Zambia | Lusaka | 15,474,644 | Africa |
Zimbabwe | Harare | 13,503,963 | Africa |
Totals: 54 | 1,125,307,147 | To Top ↑ | |
Countires of Asia | |||
Afghanistan | Kabul | 30,419,928 | Asia |
Armenia^ | Yerevan | 3,229,900 | Asia/Europe |
Azerbaijan^ | Baku | 9,493,600 | Asia/Europe |
Bahrain | Manama | 1,248,348 | Asia |
Bangladesh | Dhaka | 158,039,000 | Asia |
Bhutan | Thimphu | 766,896 | Asia |
Brunei | Bandar Seri Begawan | 428,786 | Asia |
Cambodia | Phnom Penh | 15,052,665 | Asia |
China | Beijing | 1,373,239,923 | Asia |
Cyprus^ | Nicosia | 1,099,341 | Asia/Europe |
East Timor (Timor-Leste) | Dili | 1,143,667 | Asia |
Georgia^ | Tbilisi | 4,661,473 | Asia/Europe |
India | New Delhi | 1,290,193,422 | Asia |
Indonesia | Jakarta | 248,645,008 | Asia |
Iran | Tehran | 78,868,711 | Asia |
Iraq | Baghdad | 36,129,225 | Asia |
Israel | Jerusalem | 8,502,900 | Asia |
Japan | Tokyo | 127,368,088 | Asia |
Jordan | Amman | 6,508,887 | Asia |
Kazakhstan^ | Astana | 17,522,010 | Asia/Europe |
Kuwait | Kuwait City | 4,146,314 | Asia |
Kyrgyzstan | Bishkek | 5,496,737 | Asia |
Laos | Vientiane | 6,586,266 | Asia |
Lebanon | Beirut | 4,140,289 | Asia |
Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 31,179,952 | Asia |
Maldives | Malé | 394,451 | Asia |
Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar | 3,179,997 | Asia |
Myanmar (Burma) | Naypyidaw | 54,584,650 | Asia |
Nepal | Kathmandu | 29,890,686 | Asia |
North Korea | Pyongyang | 24,589,122 | Asia |
Oman | Muscat | 3,090,150 | Asia |
Pakistan | Islamabad | 190,291,129 | Asia |
Philippines | Manila | 103,224,000 | Asia |
Qatar | Doha | 1,951,591 | Asia |
Russia^ | Moscow | 143,975,923 | Asia/Europe |
Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | 31,534,504 | Asia |
Singapore | Singapore | 5,535,000 | Asia |
South Korea | Seoul | 50,004,441 | Asia |
Sri Lanka | Colombo | 21,481,334 | Asia |
Syria | Damascus | 22,530,746 | Asia |
Tajikistan | Dushanbe | 7,768,385 | Asia |
Thailand | Bangkok | 67,091,089 | Asia |
Turkey^ | Ankara | 79,749,461 | Asia/Europe |
Turkmenistan | Ashgabat | 5,054,828 | Asia |
United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi | 5,314,317 | Asia |
Uzbekistan | Tashkent | 28,394,180 | Asia |
Vietnam | Hanoi | 91,519,289 | Asia |
Yemen | Sana’a | 24,771,809 | Asia |
Totals: 48 | 4,460,032,418 | To Top ↑ | |
Countries of Australia | |||
Australia | Canberra – Sydney | 24,255,949 | Australia (Oceania) |
New Zealand | Wellington – Auckland | 4,727,459 | Australia (Oceania) |
Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby | 7,321,589 | Australia (Oceania) |
Totals: 3 | 36,304,997 | To Top ↑ | |
Countries of Europe | |||
Albania | Tirana | 2,831,741 | Europe |
Andorra | Andorra la Vella | 68,403 | Europe |
Armenia^ | Yerevan | 3,229,900 | Asia/Europe |
Austria | Vienna | 8,169,929 | Europe |
Azerbaijan^ | Baku | 9,493,600 | Asia/Europe |
Belarus | Minsk | 9,458,047 | Europe |
Belgium | Brussels | 11,007,785 | Europe |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sarajevo | 3,843,126 | Europe |
Bulgaria | Sofia | 7,621,337 | Europe |
Croatia | Zagreb | 4,437,460 | Europe |
Cyprus^ | Nicosia | 1,099,341 | Asia/Europe |
Czech Republic | Prague | 10,256,760 | Europe |
Denmark | Copenhagen | 5,564,219 | Europe |
Estonia | Tallinn | 1,340,194 | Europe |
Finland | Helsinki | 5,157,537 | Europe |
France | Paris | 66,104,554 | Europe |
Georgia^ | Tbilisi | 4,661,473 | Asia/Europe |
Germany | Berlin | 80,716,124 | Europe |
Greece | Athens | 11,123,034 | Europe |
Hungary | Budapest | 10,075,034 | Europe |
Iceland | Reykjavík | 307,261 | Europe |
Ireland | Dublin | 4,234,925 | Europe |
Italy | Rome | 60,655,464 | Europe |
Kazakhstan^ | Astana | 17,522,010 | Asia/Europe |
Kosovo* | Pristina | 1,844,715 | Europe |
Latvia | Riga | 2,067,900 | Europe |
Liechtenstein | Vaduz | 32,842 | Europe |
Lithuania | Vilnius | 2,988,400 | Europe |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 448,569 | Europe |
Macedonia | Skopje | 2,054,800 | Europe |
Malta | Valletta | 397,499 | Europe |
Moldova | Chișinău | 4,434,547 | Europe |
Monaco | Monaco | 31,987 | Europe |
Montenegro | Podgorica | 616,258 | Europe |
Netherlands | Amsterdam | 16,902,103 | Europe |
Norway | Oslo | 5,018,836 | Europe |
Poland | Warsaw | 38,625,478 | Europe |
Portugal | Lisbon | 10,409,995 | Europe |
Romania | Bucharest | 21,698,181 | Europe |
Russia^ | Moscow | 143,975,923 | Asia/Europe |
San Marino | San Marino | 27,730 | Europe |
Serbia | Belgrade | 7,120,666 | Europe |
Slovakia | Bratislava | 5,422,366 | Europe |
Slovenia | Ljubljana | 2,050,189 | Europe |
Spain | Madrid | 47,059,533 | Europe |
Sweden | Stockholm | 9,090,113 | Europe |
Switzerland | Bern | 7,507,475 | Europe |
Turkey^ | Ankara | 79,749,461 | Asia/Europe |
Ukraine | Kiev | 45,360,224 | Europe |
United Kingdom | London | 65,110,274 | Europe |
Vatican City | Vatican City | 900 | Europe |
Totals: 51 | 605,148,242 | To Top ↑ | |
Countries of North America | |||
Antigua and Barbuda | St. John’s | 88,057 | North America |
Bahamas | Nassau | 369,670 | North America |
Barbados | Bridgetown | 277,821 | North America |
Belize | Belmopan | 368,310 | North America |
Canada | Ottawa | 36,851,774 | North America |
Costa Rica | San José | 4,832,234 | North America |
Cuba | Havana | 11,204,000 | North America |
Dominica | Roseau | 67,117 | North America |
Dominican Republic | Santo Domingo | 10,911,819 | North America |
El Salvador | San Salvador | 6,163,000 | North America |
Grenada | St. George’s | 10,437 | North America |
Guatemala | Guatemala City | 16,176,133 | North America |
Haiti | Port-au-Prince | 10,033,254 | North America |
Honduras | Tegucigalpa | 8,576,500 | North America |
Jamaica | Kingston | 2,719,814 | North America |
Mexico | Mexico City | 114,322,757 | North America |
Nicaragua | Managua | 6,071,045 | North America |
Panama | Panama City | 3,454,698 | North America |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Basseterre | 52,249 | North America |
Saint Lucia | Castries | 172,746 | North America |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Kingstown | 109,088 | North America |
Trinidad and Tobago | Port of Spain | 1,339,002 | North America |
United States of America | Washington, D.C. | 329,314,000 | North America |
Totals: 23 | 563,485,525 | To Top ↑ | |
Countries of South America | |||
Argentina | Buenos Aires | 40,482,489 | South America |
Bolivia | La Paz and Sucre | 9,863,224 | South America |
Brazil | Brasília | 202,241,714 | South America |
Chile | Santiago | 16,928,873 | South America |
Colombia | Bogotá | 46,920,257 | South America |
Ecuador | Quito | 14,573,101 | South America |
Guyana | Georgetown | 772,298 | South America |
Paraguay | Asunción | 6,831,306 | South America |
Peru | Lima | 29,132,013 | South America |
Suriname | Paramaribo | 472,155 | South America |
Uruguay | Montevideo | 3,477,780 | South America |
Venezuela | Caracas | 31,768,930 | South America |
Totals: 12 | 403,464,140 | To Top ↑ | |
Countries of Oceania | |||
Fiji | Suva | 909,389 | Oceania |
Kiribati | Tarawa | 103,245 | Oceania |
Marshall Islands | Majuro | 52,879 | Oceania |
Federated States of Micronesia | Palikir | 106,348 | Oceania |
Nauru | Yaren | 10,084 | Oceania |
Palau | Ngerulmud | 17,948 | Oceania |
Samoa | Apia | 194,899 | Oceania |
Solomon Islands | Honiara | 539,241 | Oceania |
Tonga | Nuku’alofa | 103,036 | Oceania |
Tuvalu | Funafuti | 10,647 | Oceania |
Vanuatu | Port-Vila | 243,304 | Oceania |
Totals: 11 | 2,291,020 | ||
To Top ↑ | |||
WORLD TOTALS: 195 | 7,347,896,647 |
^ Portions of the country in both Europe and Asia
* Not universally recognized as a country
The world is ever-changing. The geography changes slow and steady. The political divisions that make up the countries of the world are always expanding as well. Prior to World War I (1914), there were just 57 countries in the world. 100 Years later we have 195 which is an increase by almost 4X!
Keep in mind that a list of this nature is always an approximation. With the popluation of the world ever-growing and the number of countries seemingly always expanding it is very difficult to keep information up to date. However, we do our best to keep this page updated. If you see anything that may be inaccurate please leave us a comment below!
“There additionally 61 dependent territories (colonies) and six disputed territories in the world today.”
what are the 61 dependent territories (colonies) and the six disputed territories?