The number of countries on Earth is constantly changing. Moreover, it is a controversial issue to say the least. New states are formed when different regions declare independence and old nations disappear when they merge with their more or less aggressive neighbours.
To complicate matters further, the number of countries also depends on whether a country has been recognised by other countries. It is not enough to say that you have formed your own country and what you want to be called. Unless enough other countries recognise the new country, it will not happen.
How many countries are there in the world?
How many countries are there in the world as defined by the UN? This may simplify the answer a little. The United States has 193 members. However, six of them lack full recognition by the international community:
- Armenia
- Cyprus
- Israel
- China
- North Korea
- South Korea
It is enough for another member not to recognise a country as independent for it not to receive full recognition. The Vatican City State is not a member of the United Nations but is fully recognised as a state. To put it somewhat simply, there are 194 countries in the world.
How many African countries are there?
How many countries are there in Europe or Africa? Broken down by continent, the countries of the world look like this:
- Africa: 54
- Asia: 48
- Europe: 45
- North America: 23
- South America: 12
- Oceania: 14
- Antarctica: 0
The observer has noted that there are 196 countries in total, which means that two more countries have been added. The number of countries on this planet is, as I said, disputed.
