How many recognized countries are there in the world

Generally, the UN seems to be a reliable source for the total number of countries. For a country to be a part of this organization, a country must apply for membership, be assessed, and then be voted in. The country has to be approved by the five permanent member countries: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The constant flux of politics and globalization are continually redefining countries, so agreeing on a final count can be difficult.

In addition to the reasons already described, here are some additional facts. Some researchers believe that there could be even more countries in the future. This is because Libya has often been in turmoil, because of extremists there fighting for control and different governments trying to take over since Gaddafi was overthrown.

Based in Barcelona, Spain, Catalonia is the country's financial center. Catalans have wanted a separate state for many years, although many are opposed to separation. Of the countries in the world: 54 countries are in Africa 48 in Asia 44 in Europe 33 in Latin America and the Caribbean 14 in Oceania 2 in Northern America Flags Flags of all countries in the world List of countries Below is the full table of countries ranked by the most populous and showing current population, share of world population, and land area: See also: List with both countries and dependencies together Alphabetical list of countries includes dependencies.

United States. DR Congo. United Kingdom. South Africa. South Korea. Saudi Arabia. North Korea. Sri Lanka. Burkina Faso. It might sound like a simple question with a straightforward answer, but nothing is really straightforward when it comes to state politics. There are members of the United Nations U. So, according to the U. As such, the total number varies depending on the source.

To complicate a seemingly simple question even further, some people use different definitions of what a country is. Most crucially of all, a nation needs to be recognized by other members of the United Nations in order to be considered a country. Since , 29 new countries have appeared on the world map.

Almost half of these came about from the break-up of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The last time the number of full U.

In official parlance, this is referred to as diplomatic recognition. The political situation surrounding Taiwan is slippery, to say the least since mainland China insists that themselves and Taiwan are inseparable. As such, China is known to cut ties with any country that sets up diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Kosovo has also suffered revocations of recognition due to international pressure from Serbia and Russia.

The self-proclaimed state of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in Today, 98 out of U. Geography Expert. Updated February 27, Featured Video. View Article Sources. Cite this Article Format. Rosenberg, Matt. The Number of Countries in the World. Non-Member Countries of the United Nations. Capitals of Every Independent Country. What's the Difference Between an Embassy and a Consulate?

What Is a City State? Definition and Modern Examples. History and Principles of the United Nations. The World's 10 Smallest Countries. Member Countries of the United Nations.