How Many Countries Are in the World? UN vs FIFA Counts
Ask a simple question — “how many countries are in the world?” — and you’ll get different answers depending on who’s counting. The United Nations says 195. FIFA counts 211. And if you start including places like Taiwan, Kosovo, or territories that act like countries, the number climbs well past 200.
UN member states: 193 ·
UN observer states: 2 ·
Total UN-recognized countries: 195 ·
FIFA member associations: 211 ·
Smallest country by area: Vatican City (0.44 km²) ·
Oldest existing sovereign state: San Marino (301 AD)
Quick snapshot
- 193 member states (United Nations official records)
- 2 observer states: Vatican City, Palestine (Wikipedia reference entry)
- Total UN-recognized: 195 (United Nations official records)
- FIFA: 211 member associations (FIFA governing body)
- World Cup 2026: 48 participating teams (FIFA governing body)
- Different bodies use different criteria (sovereignty vs. territory-based) (FIFA governing body)
- Oldest sovereign state: San Marino (301 AD) (United Nations membership records)
- Newest country: South Sudan (2011) (United Nations membership records)
- Other young countries: Timor-Leste (2002), Montenegro (2006) (United Nations membership records)
- Smallest by area: Vatican City (0.44 km²) (Britannica encyclopedia entry)
- Largest by area: Russia (17.1 million km²) (Britannica encyclopedia entry)
- Smallest by population: Vatican City (~800) (Britannica encyclopedia entry)
Seven key facts that frame the whole debate:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| UN Member States | 193 |
| UN Observer States | 2 |
| Total UN Recognition | 195 |
| FIFA Members | 211 |
| Smallest Country (Area) | Vatican City (0.44 km²) |
| Oldest Country (Sovereign) | San Marino (301 AD) |
| Newest Country | South Sudan (2011) |
Is there 195 or 197 countries?
The quick answer: the United Nations recognizes 195 countries — 193 member states and 2 observer states (the Holy See, representing Vatican City, and the State of Palestine). Some sources quote 197 by adding Taiwan and Kosovo, two entities widely considered to meet many criteria of statehood but without universal recognition.
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