What is the exact number of countries in the world?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

It would seem that the question is what is the total number of countries in the world, but it often puzzles geographers, because different counting methods give different results.

First, we need to distinguish between the concepts of "country" and "state", because they are not identical. The state has independence recognized by other states, official state borders and other attributes, when as a country - not always. In addition, the concept of "country" often includes colonies and disputed dependent and semi-dependent territories.

For example, the number of countries in the world in accordance with the number of UN members is 192 states, but there are at least 2 states that are not members of the UN - Kosovo and the Vatican. In addition, there is Taiwan, which in statistical reference books and encyclopedias has long had a separate status from China, but the PRC does not recognize Taiwan as a separate state, considering it its own special territory, therefore, for political reasons, the UN does not include it as a separate member. But even on this there is a dispute about what isthe number of countries in the world does not end.

In addition to countries with unambiguous status, there are also states with indeterminate status. The number of countries in the world with this status is now 12: 8 of them are recognized by one or more UN member countries, 2 are recognized by one or partially recognized by several states, and 2 are officially unrecognized by anyone. These 8 countries, recognized by at least one member of the UN, are also not part of this organization, however, according to international law, they must be recognized as independent states, but for one reason or another, their political status remains unclear. The list of these countries includes the already mentioned Republic of Kosovo and Taiwan (Republic of China), as well as the Republic of South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Palestine, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Cyprus considers it an occupied territory), the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (separated from and recognized by Pakistan).

Among other things, when answering the question of how many countries there are in the world, one cannot fail to mention the phenomenon of virtual states. According to the theory of statehood, each state should have a territory, but the Internet makes it possible to neglect this need. On the other hand, a virtual state can have a flag, a coat of arms, even issue banknotes and stamps.

In addition, such states can claim the territory of Antarctica,

to meet all the signs of the state. These territories include the Westarctic, founded in 2001, as well as the famous unrecognized state of Sealand, located in the territorial waters of Great Britain. But Britain does not claim its territory, which consists of a platform built during the Second World War. There are also Wirtlandia and Vimperium, which are based entirely on the Internet. Also, the Order of M alta cannot be called a state in the generally accepted sense, which nevertheless has the status of an observer at the UN.

Thus, it is not possible to unequivocally say what the number of countries in the world is. According to the generally accepted method of counting, there are 195 states, but if we talk specifically about countries and include unrecognized and disputed territories in this concept, then the answer can be 262.