Based on the United Nations definition and classification, there are 195 countries in the world.
Understanding the Number of Countries
Determining the exact number of "countries" in the world can be complex, as the definition of a country or state can vary. However, a widely accepted count is derived from membership in the United Nations.
According to the reference from Worldometer:
Countries (following the U.N. definition and classification, for which we have counted 195 countries in the world) Dependencies and other territories.
This count of 195 countries is based on:
- 193 Member States of the United Nations: These are fully recognized sovereign states with membership in the UN.
- 2 Observer States: These are states that are not full members of the UN but have permanent observer status. Currently, these are the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine.
When people refer to the number of countries, they most commonly use this count of 195, which aligns with the U.N. framework.
Why the Number Can Vary
While 195 is a standard count based on the U.N. definition, you might encounter slightly different numbers depending on the criteria used:
- Independent States Not in the UN: There are territories that function as independent states but are not members or observers of the UN because their statehood is disputed by other countries. Examples include Kosovo and Taiwan. Including these could slightly increase the count.
- Dependencies and Territories: Many definitions strictly count only sovereign states and exclude dependencies, overseas territories, or constituent countries that are part of a larger sovereign state (like Puerto Rico or the Falkland Islands). The Worldometer reference explicitly separates "Dependencies and other territories" from the count of 195 countries.
Therefore, while definitions exist that might yield a different number, the 195 countries figure, following the U.N. definition used by sources like Worldometer, is the most commonly cited and recognized number.
