There is no single answer to how many countries exist because the definition of a "country" depends on who is being asked. As of , the most widely accepted count is 195 , which includes the 193 member states of the United Nations plus two non-member observer states. The Core Lists
Based on the standard 195-country count, the nations are distributed across the continents as follows: Number of Countries Asia Europe Latin America & Caribbean Oceania Northern America Why is it Complicated? how many countries are there in the world
: FIFA recognizes 211 member associations (including the four constituent countries of the UK: England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland ), while the ISO standard list used for digital country codes includes 249 territories and uninhabited islands. Global Distribution (UN-recognized) There is no single answer to how many