How Many Countries in the World

today we are going to discuss how many countries are in the world.?

We are living in a heterogeneous world. We can observe people of different cultural values and religions around the world. Have you ever wondered what would happen to the world, if there were no boundaries between countries? People with different cultural and religious values would be fighting.

Just take an example of animal sacrifices that Muslims do on their Eid. This is considered bad in Hinduism because they worshipped those animals. These cultural and religious nuances resulted in the emergence of new countries

How is Country Defined

The country is the geographic area in which people with the majority can perform their cultural and religious customs without any oppression. They can lead a life as they wanted with freedom. An independent state is a country based on four main factors.

★ The state must devise and abide by the law in the country.

★ A country or a state is a group of people called a population.

★ The state is restricted by geographical boundaries which are not disputed.

★ The country and state are enforced by a legitimate government.

According to the UN, a state is considered a country, if it is a member of five security council members including the United Kingdom, United States, China, Russia, and France. Moreover, the country should have two-thirds of the votes from the General Assembly.

Table of Content

How Many Countries are There in the World?
How Many Countries are in Europe
Look at the Sub-Regions in Europe
How Many Countries Are in Africa
There are 5 Regions in Africa
How Many Countries Are in Asia
Let’s have a look at These Sub-Regions

How Many Countries are There in the World?

How many countries are there in the world may seem like a simple question? However, it is very complicated. Counting the number of countries depends upon the source and there is no standard consensus on it. The biggest problem is that different organizations have different criteria to qualify a geographic region as a country.

In practice, the United Nations' point of view is considered important on nationhood. Currently, the UN recognizes 193 countries as member states. It also considers two observer states, the Holy See/Vatican City and Palestine. They are self-ruling states. However, they are not full-fledged countries.

The Controversial Countries

The UN notion about the list of a total number of countries is also prejudiced. This is because the U.N does not recognize the self-governed territory of Taiwan. It was a member of the UN from 1945 to 1971. But it is considered the territory of mainland China.

Just like Taiwan, the UN also does not considers Kosovo a part of Serbia rather than two different nations. Contrary to this, Britannica’s list of countries considers the Vatican, Taiwan, and Kosovo different countries making a total number of 196 countries.

The most confusing country is Greenland. It is a beautiful Iceland between the Arctic oceans and North Atlantic. It is a separate country just like Iceland. Although Greenland is not a part of the UN. But still, it handles many of its domestic affairs itself. It is politically controlled by Denmark.

One another controversial country is the state of Palestine. Although, it is a constitutional state and is owned by West Bank and Gaza Strip. But it is claimed by Israel.

How Many Countries are in Europe

Do you know that there are 44 countries in Europe? They are divided into different regions. According to the UN scheme for Europe, there are 9 countries in Western Europe, 10 countries are present in Western Europe, 10 countries in Eastern Europe, and 15 countries in Southern Europe.

Moreover, 10 countries in Northern Europe. All this data does not include transcontinental countries. Transcontinental countries are those countries that are present both in Asia and Europe. The important thing to note is that the majority of their population resides in Europe.

Look at the Sub-Regions in Europe

★ Western Europe

★ Eastern Europe

★ Northern Europe

★ Southern Europe

Western Europe

There are 9 countries included in Western Europe. Approximately, 268 million people are inhabitants of these countries. You will be amazed to know that Germany is the most populated country in Western Europe with a population of 83 million followed by Liechtenstein with a population of 38,000 people that resides at their borders.

To bring the European countries close to each other both in economical and political matters, the European Union came into existence. The European Commission started working in Belgium, Brussels, the European central bank in Frankfurt, Germany, and the European parliament in Strasbourg. The 9 countries included in Western Europe are as follows:

Let’s have a Look at 9 Countries in Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe comprises 10 countries. These 10 countries accommodate a population of 293 million. The most populated country in Eastern Europe is Russia. It has a population of 144 million people which makes it the most populous country in entire Europe.

The country with very less population in Europe is Moldova. It is also one of the poorest countries in Europe. Eastern Europe once comes up with Warsaw Pact. It is a military action that is against NATO during the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Many countries in these regions also support both the NATO and European Union. One important thing to note is that Russia is one of Europe’s transcontinental countries. This is because the Ural Mountains are a part of Asia.

Let’s have a Look at 10 Countries in Eastern Europe

Northern Europe

Just like Eastern Europe, Northern Europe comprises 10 countries. It has a population of only 34 million people which makes it a less populated area of the world. The most populated country in Northern Europe is Finland with a total population of 5.5 million people.

The least populated country in this region is Iceland with a population of only 360,000 residents. The countries included in Northern Europe are:

Let’s have a Look at 10 Countries in Northern Europe

Southern Europe

Southern Europe consists of 15 countries with a population of 153 million. The most populous country in the region is Italy which is accommodating 60 million people. The less populated country in this region is Vatican City with a population of less than a thousand people.

This number is not less in Southern Europe only but in entire Europe as a whole. Southern Europe is famous for its military conflicts that were raised in 1990 when Yugoslavia was broken up. The countries included in Southern Europe are:

Let’s have a Look at 15 Countries in Southern Europe

How Many Countries Are in Africa

Africa consists of 54 countries and 3 dependencies. Moreover, it also contains one disputed territory. The most populous country in Africa is Nigeria with a population of 206 million people. Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria with around 21 million population.

On the contract, St. Helena, which is the British dependency is the least populated area in Africa. The United Nations has divided Africa into five subregions which are Northern Eastern and Western and Southern Africa. The borders of African countries resulted from former European colonial powers that do not reflect religious, linguistic, or religious nuances.

There are 5 Regions in Africa

★ Northern Africa

★ Eastern African

★ Western Africa

★ Middle Africa

★ Southern Africa

Northern Africa

Northern Africa consists of six different countries with a population of 249 million. One of the populous countries of Northern Africa is Egypt with a total population of 102 million. On the other hand, the least populous country in the subregion is Libya with a population of 6.87 million people.

The important thing to note is that all the countries that are included in Northern Africa include both Muslim and Arab countries. The majority of Northern African countries follow the religion of Islam and speak the Arabic language. Cairo is the Egyptian capital with a population of more than 20 million.

The Countries Included in North Africa are:

Eastern African

Eastern Africa consists of 453 million people which are living in 20 countries. The most populous country in this region is Ethiopia with a population of 115 million. On the contrary, the less populated country in Eastern Africa is an island country called Seychelles.

It is located on the East coast of Eastern Africa and only 98 thousand people live there. The continent of Africa is very diverse with a variety of different ethnic and linguistic groups. People living in Eastern Africa follow Islam and Christianity however few parts of the population also follow traditional African religions.

The largest city in Eastern Africa is Nairobi. It is the capital of Kenya with a population of approximately 6.5 million people.

Let’s have a Look at the Countries of Eastern Africa

Western Africa

Western Africa is home to approximately 409 million people that are spread over 16 different countries. Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in the subregion. Moreover, it is ranked as the seventh most populous country in the world.

Approximately, 206 million people reside in this country. The least populous country in the subregion is Cape Verde. It is an island nation and is situated on the coast of Western Africa. Only 556 people reside in this country. Western Africa is an amalgamation of linguistic and ethnic groups.

Islam is the most prevalent religion on the Northern side, whereas Christianity is the dominant religion in the South. Western Africa depicts the rich culture of Ghana and Mali. At present, they have become the names of two subregions countries.

The most populous city in Western Africa is Lagos which is the capital of Nigeria having a population of 21 million people. Another very populous cities in this region are Abidjan, which is the capital of the Ivory Coast. In addition to its capital of Ghana and Kano is the second largest city in Nigeria.

The Countries Included in Western Africa are:

Middle Africa

Middle Africa is compromises of 9 different countries with a population of more than 183 million people. The most populous country in this region is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Approximately 89 million people reside there. The least populated countries in this region are Principe and Sao Tome.

They are located in Middle Africa’s West coats and it is the inhabitant of 219 thousand people. The biggest city in this region is the capital of DR Congo, Kinshasa. Approximately, 31.3 million people reside there. Moreover, it is considered the third largest populous city in Africa.

The fourth largest city in Middle Africa is Luanda. It is the capital of Angola. Middle Africa is not considered a safe area to live because of certain conflicts. Rwanda is a subregion country where genocide attacks were witnessed when the Hutu majority leader slaughtered around one million people of the Tutsi minority.

In addition to it, conflicts between political and ethnic groups have made this region unstable.

Let’s have a Look at the Top 9 Countries of Middle Africa

Southern Africa

Approximately, 68 million people live in Southern Africa. Thus, it is the least populous area of Africa’s subregion. Most of the Southern African population resides in 5 countries with a population of 59 million people. The least populated country in Southern Africa is Eswatini.

It is also called Swaziland. Around 1.1 million people reside there. On the contrary, the most populous city in South Africa is Johannesburg. Around 4.4 million people reside there. The second largest country in the region is Durban. Southern Africa is historically famous for its struggle for the raciest system.

The raciest system in Southern Africa ended in the 1990s. It resulted in the emergence of multiracial democracy that makes the subregion comparatively stable as compared to other African subregions. However, some parts of the African subregions still face conflicts and economic instability.

The 5 Countries of Southern Africa are:

How Many Countries Are in Asia

Asia is one of the largest and most populated continents of the world. This continent comprises 48 countries with three other territories. This number also includes transcontinental territories that lie mainly in Asia. You will be amazed to know that 75% of its territory is present in Asia.

However, only 22% of its population resides in this part. If Russia is included in the list of Asian countries, then the number becomes 49 from 48. The United Nations have divided Asia into different sub-regions.

Let’s have a look at These Sub-Regions.

★ Eastern Asia

★ South-Eastern Asia

★ Southern Asia

★ Central Asia

★ Western Asia

Eastern Asia

The subregion of Eastern Asia has a population of 1.7 billion. It consists of 5 countries with one of the giant country which is China. The Chinese population is estimated to be around 1.4 billion. The less populated country in the area is Mongolia with a population of 3.29 million.

Two Eastern European countries China and Japan are the second and third largest economies in the world. It is expected that China will be the world’s largest economy by 2028 and it will surpass the United States.

There are also some isolated countries present in Eastern Asia. One such country is North Korea with stagnant growth. The other Eastern Asian countries like Japan and South Korea along with North Korea are looked upon with suspicion because they have nuclear weapons. The most populated city in this region is Tokyo with a population of 38.2 million people followed by Shanghai and Beijing with a population of more than 20 million.

The 5 Countries Included in Eastern Asia are

South-Eastern Asia

There are 11 countries Situated in South-Eastern Asia with a rough population of 673 million. One of the largest and most populous countries in this region is Indonesia. This country comprises many islands having a population of 273.5 million.

Some other countries located in this region are Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The less populated country in South-Eastern Asia is Brunei. You will be amazed to know that its population is not less than 437 thousand people.

The most populated country in this region is Manila, the capital of the Philippines with a population of 13.3 million. The other countries that lie in South-Eastern Asian cities are Thailand, Indonesia, Bangkok, and Jakarta.

Let’s have a look at the Countries of South-Eastern Asia:

Southern Asia

Do you know that there are 9 countries situated in Southern Asia? Around 2 billion people are inhabitants of these countries. More than half of the population of Southern Asia resides in India. Therefore, it is the world’s second most populous country. According to the rough estimate, India will surpass China in 2027.

The second most populated country in this region is Pakistan with a total population of 220 million people. On the contrary, the least populated country in this region is the Maldives. Only, 540 thousand people live in this country.

The most populated city is Mumbai with a population of 21.6 million people. The other populated cities are Dhaka and Karachi in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Let’s have a look at the Countries of Southern Asia:

Central Asia

There are 5 countries included in Central Asia. The combined population of Central Asia is approximately 75.1 million. Thus, it is the least populated subregion of Asia. The 5 countries of Central Asia were the part of Soviet Union until it broke in 1991. Uzbekistan is the most populated country in the region with a population of more than 33 million.

The country with less population is Turkmenistan with a population of 6 million. There is one transcontinental country present in this region called Kazakhstan. To your surprise, it is also the largest country in the region.

A part of this country is present in Asia. Therefore, a large part of its population is inhabitants of Asia. The UN also counts this country in Asia. The most populated city in this region is Tashkent. It has a population of 2 million people.

Let’s have a look at the Countries of Central Asia:

Western Asia

This region is an inhabitant of 282 million people. One of the most populated countries in this region is Turkey. Around 84 million people reside in this country. Turkey is considered a transcontinental country because half of its part is present in Europe and half in Asia.

Few other transcontinental countries present in Western Asia are Azerbaijan and Georgia. However, the majority of their population resides in Asia. Cyprus is the least populated country in Western Asia. Only 1.2 million people reside in this country. Due to some technicities,

Cyrus is considered a part of Europe because of political and cultural nuances. Moreover, it is also a part of the European Union. Iraq's capital Baghdad is the most populous city in Western Asia with a population of 8.7 million. The other main population hubs in the region are the Turkish capital, Ankara, and the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Let’s have a look at the Countries of Western Asia:

Wrapping Up

Which part of the world, do you like the most? In every region of the world, different languages are spoken. Therefore, if you want to explore the different cultures and countries of the world then you should take the assistance of professional translation services.

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