How many countries are there in the world?
There are 195 countries in the world by the most common count: 193 United Nations members plus two observer states, the Vatican City and Palestine.
The United Nations has 193 member states. South Sudan, which became independent in 2011, is the newest. The Holy See, which governs Vatican City, and the State of Palestine have permanent observer status, giving the commonly used total of 195.
Counts differ because some places have declared independence but are recognized by only some countries. Examples include Taiwan, Kosovo and Western Sahara. Sports bodies use their own lists too: FIFA, for example, has more than 200 member associations because England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete separately.
Biggest and smallest
Russia is the largest country by area, and Vatican City, at less than half a square kilometer, is the smallest. India and China are the most populous, each with more than 1.4 billion people. Africa has the most countries of any continent, with 54.
Did You Know?
Some territories, such as Greenland, Puerto Rico and Hong Kong, have their own governments or flags but are not independent countries.