how many countries are there in the world riiiiggghhhttt.... NOW!?

Question

how bout now!

Answer 1

On this list are 243 entities considered to be countries. This corresponds to:

* 202 sovereign states:
o 193 states with general international recognition:
+ 192 member states of the United Nations (UN).
+ 1 state with general international recognition but not UN membership, governed by the Holy See (a UN permanent observer), the Vatican City.
o 9 states lacking general international recognition, none of which are UN members, that are nonetheless defined as states in the body of customary international law, drawing on the precedent of the Montevideo Convention:
+ 1 state, no longer a UN member since late 1971, recognized by 23 UN member states and the Holy See (Vatican City), and currently with de facto international relations with many others, the Republic of China (commonly referred to as Taiwan).
+ 1 state, recognized by 43 UN member states but never admitted to the UN itself, with most of its claimed territory under Moroccan de facto administration, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Western Sahara.
+ 1 state, member of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, recognized by Arab states and some other UN members though never itself a UN member, with no sovereignty over its claimed territories, the State of Palestine in the Palestinian territories.[2]
+ 6 de facto independent states lacking any significant measure of diplomatic recognition from other states:
# 1 de facto independent state, diplomatically recognized by no UN member states except Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.[3]
# 5 de facto independent states, namely Abkhazia,[4] Nagorno-Karabakh,[5] Pridnestrovie,[6] Somaliland,[7] and South Ossetia,[8] none recognized by any UN member states.
* 36 inhabited dependent territories:
o 3 external territories of Australia (Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island).
o 2 overseas countries in the Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland and Faroe Islands).
o 5 overseas territories of France:[9]
+ 1 sui generis (unique) community (New Caledonia).
+ 4 overseas communities:
# 1 territorial community (Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
# 1 territory (Wallis and Futuna)
# 1 overseas country (French Polynesia)
# 1 departmental community (Mayotte)
o 2 overseas countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba and Netherlands Antilles).
o 3 dependent territories of New Zealand:
+ 2 states in free association with New Zealand (Cook Islands and Niue).
+ 1 overseas territory (Tokelau).
o 16 dependent territories of the United Kingdom:
+ 3 Crown dependencies (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man).
+ 13 overseas territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena (and its dependencies Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha), Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia).
o 5 unincorporated territories of the United States:
+ 2 commonwealths (Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico).
+ 2 organized territories (Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands).
+ 1 de facto organized territory lacking an Organic Act (American Samoa).
* 5 areas of special sovereignty:
o 4 special entities recognized by international treaty or agreement (Åland in Finland, Svalbard in Norway, as well as the 2 special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China - Hong Kong and Macau).
o 1 UN-administered territory inside the de jure territory of a sovereign state and under de jure sovereignty of that sovereign state (Kosovo in Serbia under UN interim civilian administration).

In the Annex to the list of countries, an outline is given on the entities not included in this list. This includes distinct political and legal entities which are countries but are considered integral parts of a sovereign state, notably the constituent countries of the United Kingdom and the Länder of Germany.

Answer 2

Many sources offer different answers, and depending on the source, there are 189, 191, 192, 193 or 194 independent countries in the world today.

Answer 3

The UN recognizes 193 wholly sovereign states. There are 9 additional states that are de facto sovereign but not legally independent.

"Country" is a somewhat vague term as there are a number of places that are considered "countries" that aren't really independent. There are 243 places considered countries.

Answer 4

This list is complete and up-to-date as of May 27, 2006.

A
Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia[3]
Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK overseas territory)
Åland – Åland Islands (Autonomous province of Finland)
Albania – Republic of Albania
Algeria – People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
American Samoa – Territory of American Samoa (US overseas territory)
Andorra – Principality of Andorra
Angola – Republic of Angola
Anguilla (UK overseas territory)
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina – Argentine Republic[9]
Armenia – Republic of Armenia
Aruba (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Ascension Island (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
Austria – Republic of Austria
Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan[10]

B
Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
Bangladesh – People's Republic of Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus – Republic of Belarus
Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
Belize
Benin – Republic of Benin
Bermuda (UK overseas territory)
Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina[11]
Botswana – Republic of Botswana
Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
Brunei – Negara Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
See Myanmar for Burma[1]
Burundi – Republic of Burundi

C
Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
Canada[12]
Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde
Cayman Islands (UK overseas territory)
Central African Republic[13]
Chad – Republic of Chad
Chile – Republic of Chile
China, People's Republic of – People's Republic of China[14]
China, Republic of – Republic of China [15]
Christmas Island – Territory of Christmas Island (Australian overseas territory)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australian overseas territory)
Colombia – Republic of Colombia
Comoros – Union of the Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of – Democratic Republic of the Congo[16]
Congo, Republic of – Republic of the Congo[17]
Cook Islands (Associated state of New Zealand)
Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
C̫te d'Ivoire РRepublic of C̫te d'Ivoire[1]
Croatia – Republic of Croatia
Cuba – Republic of Cuba
Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus[18]
Czech Republic[19]

D
Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
See Akrotiri and Dhekelia for Dhekelia
Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
Dominican Republic

E
See Timor-Leste for East Timor[1]
Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea – State of Eritrea
Estonia – Republic of Estonia
Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

F
Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory)[20]
Faroe Islands (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
Fiji – Republic of the Fiji Islands
Finland – Republic of Finland
France – French Republic
French Polynesia (French overseas community)

G
Gabon – Gabonese Republic
Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia
Georgia[21]
Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
Ghana – Republic of Ghana
Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
Greece – Hellenic Republic
Greenland (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
Grenada
Guam – Territory of Guam (US overseas territory)
Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey (British Crown dependency)[22]
Guinea – Republic of Guinea
Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana

H
Haiti – Republic of Haiti
Honduras – Republic of Honduras
Hong Kong – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)[23]
Hungary – Republic of Hungary

I
Iceland – Republic of Iceland
India – Republic of India
Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
Iraq – Republic of Iraq
Ireland[24]
Isle of Man (British Crown dependency)
Israel – State of Israel
Italy – Italian Republic
See Côte d'Ivoire for Ivory Coast[1]

J
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey (British Crown dependency)
Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

K
Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
Kenya – Republic of Kenya
Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of – Democratic People's Republic of Korea[25]
Korea, Republic of – Republic of Korea[26]
Kosovo – Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohia (Autonomous province of Serbia under UN protectorate)[27]
Kuwait – State of Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic[28]

L
Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia – Republic of Latvia
Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon
Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
Liberia – Republic of Liberia
Libya – Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

M
Macao – Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)[1][29]
Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia[30]
Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
Malawi – Republic of Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives – Republic of Maldives
Mali – Republic of Mali
Malta – Republic of Malta
Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
Mayotte (French overseas community)
Mexico – United Mexican States
Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
Moldova – Republic of Moldova[31]
Monaco – Principality of Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro – Republic of Montenegro
Montserrat (UK overseas territory)
Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco[32]
Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
Myanmar – Union of Myanmar (also rendered as Burma[1])

N
Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic[4]
Namibia – Republic of Namibia
Nauru – Republic of Nauru
Nepal – State of Nepal
Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands[33]
Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
New Caledonia – Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies (French community sui generis)
New Zealand
Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
Niger – Republic of Niger
Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
Niue (Associated state of New Zealand)
See Korea, Democratic People's Republic of for North Korea
Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (Australian overseas territory)
Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus[2]
Northern Mariana Islands – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US overseas commonwealth)
Norway – Kingdom of Norway

O
Oman – Sultanate of Oman

P
Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Palau – Republic of Palau
Palestine – State of Palestine[34]
Panama – Republic of Panama
Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
Peru – Republic of Peru
Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
Pitcairn Islands – Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (UK overseas territory)
Poland – Republic of Poland
Portugal – Portuguese Republic
Pridnestrovie – Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (also rendered as Transnistria[1])[5]
Puerto Rico – Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (US overseas commonwealth)

Q
Qatar – State of Qatar

R
Romania
Russia – Russian Federation
Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda

S
Saint Helena (UK overseas territory)
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas community)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Senegal – Republic of Senegal
Serbia – Republic of Serbia[35]
Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
Singapore – Republic of Singapore
Slovakia – Slovak Republic
Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia[36]
Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland[6]
South Africa – Republic of South Africa
See Korea, Republic of for South Korea
South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia[7]
Spain – Kingdom of Spain
Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
Suriname – Republic of Suriname
Svalbard (Territory of Norway)[37]
Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland
Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
Syria – Syrian Arab Republic

T
See China, Republic of for the country that is commonly referred to as Taiwan
Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
Timor-Leste – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (also rendered as East Timor[1])
Togo – Togolese Republic
Tokelau (Overseas territory of New Zealand)
Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
See Pridnestrovie for Transnistria[1]
Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
Tunisia – Tunisian Republic
Turkey – Republic of Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands (UK overseas territory)
Tuvalu

U
Uganda – Republic of Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States – United States of America
Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay
Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan

V
Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
Vatican City – State of the Vatican City[38]
Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Virgin Islands, British – British Virgin Islands (UK overseas territory)
Virgin Islands, United States – United States Virgin Islands (US overseas territory)

W
Wallis and Futuna – Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands (French overseas community)
Western Sahara – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic[39]

Y
Yemen – Republic of Yemen

Z
Zambia – Republic of Zambia
Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe