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Population Review

How many countries are there in the world?

There are 195 internationally recognized sovereign states in the world (193 UN member states plus 2 observer states: the Vatican and Palestine). Population Review tracks demographic data for 211 countries and territories, including some non-sovereign territories.

Context

The exact count depends on how "country" is defined. The UN recognizes 193 member states. The World Bank tracks data for approximately 217 economies. Some territories (Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong) function independently but have disputed or non-sovereign status. Our coverage includes all entities tracked by the World Bank Open Data API.

Explore Further

All CountriesCountry Rankings

Related Questions

What is the population of the United States?What is the most populated state in the US?What is the least populated state in the US?How many states are there in the United States?What is the average household income in America?

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 195 internationally recognized sovereign states in the world (193 UN member states plus 2 observer states: the Vatican and Palestine). Population Review tracks demographic data for 211 countries and territories, including some non-sovereign territories.