The question, “How many countries are there in the world?“ is simple yet significant. Whether you’re a student, traveler, business analyst, or simply curious, understanding the global map is essential. In 2025, the number of countries officially recognized in the world is 195. This includes 193 member states of the United Nations and 2 observer states — the Vatican City and Palestine.
This comprehensive blog post explores not only the number of countries in 2025 but also their populations, categorized alphabetically for easy navigation. Let’s dive in.
What Defines a Country?
Before we explore the numbers, it’s essential to define what qualifies as a country:
Political Recognition
To be considered a country, a territory generally needs:
- Defined borders
- Permanent population
- A functioning government
- The ability to enter relations with other countries
UN Membership
There are 193 UN member states. Additionally, Vatican City and Palestine are recognized as observer states, making the total 195.
How Many Countries Are in the World in 2025?
- Total Countries: 195
- UN Member States: 193
- Observer States: 2 (Vatican City, Palestine)
This count does not include:
- Taiwan (recognized by some countries but not a UN member)
- Kosovo (recognized by over 100 countries but not universally accepted)
- Dependencies or territories (e.g., Puerto Rico, Greenland, Hong Kong)
World Population Overview (2025)
In 2025, the global population is estimated to reach approximately 8.2 billion people. This growth is driven mainly by countries in Asia and Africa.
Population by Continent (2025 Estimate):
Continent | Population | % of World Total |
---|---|---|
Asia | 4.84 billion | 59% |
Africa | 1.55 billion | 18.9% |
Europe | 744 million | 9.0% |
Latin America | 668 million | 8.1% |
North America | 388 million | 4.7% |
Oceania | 47 million | 0.6% |
Complete List of Countries in the World (2025)
Here is the official list of 195 countries and their estimated population in 2025:
Countries A–E (2025)
Country | Population_2025 |
Afghanistan | 45453787 |
Albania | 2817679 |
Algeria | 47590142 |
Andorra | 81277 |
Angola | 39134280 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 100548 |
Argentina | 47359632 |
Armenia | 2740586 |
Australia | 26921898 |
Austria | 9097301 |
Azerbaijan | 10720135 |
Bahamas | 412732 |
Bahrain | 1546034 |
Bangladesh | 175686899 |
Barbados | 281821 |
Belarus | 9051141 |
Belgium | 11956213 |
Belize | 441730 |
Benin | 14257220 |
Bhutan | 794034 |
Bolivia | 12396985 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3176131 |
Botswana | 2784882 |
Brazil | 212812405 |
Brunei | 468608 |
Bulgaria | 6375182 |
Burkina Faso | 25346383 |
Burundi | 13541954 |
Cabo Verde | 603767 |
Cambodia | 17459800 |
Cameroon | 30581342 |
Canada | 39029848 |
Central African Republic | 6337454 |
Chad | 19846218 |
Chile | 20128945 |
China | 1416096094 |
Colombia | 52631506 |
Comoros | 959742 |
Congo | 6212631 |
Costa Rica | 5312018 |
Croatia | 3847962 |
Cuba | 11113215 |
Cyprus | 1255976 |
Czech Republic | 10503825 |
Denmark | 5947788 |
Djibouti | 1196006 |
Dominica | 74986 |
Dominican Republic | 11744421 |
Ecuador | 18588463 |
Egypt | 118365995 |
El Salvador | 6396346 |
Equatorial Guinea | 1749394 |
Eritrea | 3959028 |
Estonia | 1292276 |
Eswatini | 1240587 |
Ethiopia | 135472051 |
F–J (2025)
Country | Population_2025 |
Fiji | 944298 |
Finland | 5603457 |
France | 66650804 |
Gabon | 2466206 |
Gambia | 2861464 |
Georgia | 3693264 |
Germany | 84075075 |
Ghana | 36147452 |
Greece | 10060368 |
Grenada | 126210 |
Guatemala | 19245776 |
Guinea | 15301646 |
Guinea-Bissau | 2254212 |
Guyana | 829110 |
Haiti | 12173938 |
Honduras | 10730399 |
Hungary | 9443198 |
Iceland | 399388 |
India | 1463865525 |
Indonesia | 285721236 |
Iran | 92417681 |
Iraq | 45662913 |
Ireland | 5312852 |
Israel | 9944468 |
Italy | 58198379 |
Jamaica | 2808008 |
Japan | 123103479 |
Jordan | 11454915 |
K–O (2025)
Country | Population_2025 |
Kazakhstan | 19895486 |
Kenya | 59768229 |
Kiribati | 132578 |
Korea, North | 25724492 |
Korea, South | 50717439 |
Kuwait | 4889931 |
Kyrgyzstan | 7144692 |
Laos | 7934650 |
Latvia | 1812096 |
Lebanon | 5452027 |
Lesotho | 2232261 |
Liberia | 6134237 |
Libya | 7264708 |
Liechtenstein | 40889 |
Lithuania | 2503564 |
Luxembourg | 689223 |
Madagascar | 31959289 |
Malawi | 22134381 |
Malaysia | 35276992 |
Maldives | 591672 |
Mali | 23958954 |
Malta | 531147 |
Marshall Islands | 42790 |
Mauritania | 5128050 |
Mauritius | 1294923 |
Mexico | 131946900 |
Micronesia | 116578 |
Moldova | 2607163 |
Monaco | 39025 |
Mongolia | 3491442 |
Montenegro | 618397 |
Morocco | 38669780 |
Mozambique | 35535369 |
Myanmar | 58029564 |
Namibia | 2701852 |
Nauru | 11150 |
Nepal | 31582992 |
Netherlands | 17719797 |
New Zealand | 5257486 |
Nicaragua | 7090342 |
Niger | 28211310 |
Nigeria | 237527782 |
North Macedonia | 2082404 |
Norway | 5511055 |
Oman | 4911115 |
P–T (2025)
Country | Population_2025 |
Pakistan | 255219554 |
Palau | 18092 |
Palestine | 5849253 |
Panama | 4635620 |
Papua New Guinea | 10125120 |
Paraguay | 7420420 |
Peru | 34876800 |
Philippines | 116786962 |
Poland | 37075347 |
Portugal | 10142327 |
Qatar | 2853935 |
Romania | 18993518 |
Russia | 143997393 |
Rwanda | 14567912 |
Saint Kitts & Nevis | 47555 |
Saint Lucia | 180251 |
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 111747 |
Samoa | 228408 |
San Marino | 33968 |
Sao Tome & Principe | 251309 |
Saudi Arabia | 37453716 |
Senegal | 18378619 |
Serbia | 6888885 |
Seychelles | 108263 |
Sierra Leone | 8738992 |
Singapore | 6036208 |
Slovakia | 5456369 |
Slovenia | 2114841 |
Solomon Islands | 766041 |
Somalia | 20246986 |
South Africa | 61078585 |
South Sudan | 13218831 |
Spain | 47687077 |
Sri Lanka | 21422453 |
Sudan | 48750320 |
Suriname | 635971 |
Sweden | 10678894 |
Switzerland | 9005347 |
Syria | 23309131 |
Tajikistan | 10802713 |
Tanzania | 70545865 |
Thailand | 71619863 |
Timor-Leste | 1447971 |
Togo | 9507511 |
Tonga | 108222 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1396940 |
Tunisia | 12563142 |
Turkey | 87685426 |
Turkmenistan | 6588855 |
Tuvalu | 11490 |
U–Z (2025)
Country | Population_2025 |
Uganda | 51150238 |
Ukraine | 37942012 |
United Arab Emirates | 10045192 |
United Kingdom | 69551332 |
United States | 347275807 |
Uruguay | 3501261 |
Uzbekistan | 35723970 |
Vanuatu | 352430 |
Vatican City | 812 |
Venezuela | 33596863 |
Vietnam | 101598527 |
Yemen | 36288692 |
Zambia | 21215465 |
Zimbabwe | 17627395 |
Final Thoughts
Understanding how many countries are in the world isn’t just a trivia fact — it connects us to global diversity, geopolitics, and demographic shifts. As of 2025, the world’s 195 countries reflect a vast spectrum of cultures, economies, and populations.
Whether you’re planning to travel, studying global trends, or just curious, knowing these country-wise population stats will deepen your global awareness.
FAQs
How many countries are there in the world in 2025?
There are 195 recognized countries: 193 UN members and 2 observer states.
What is the most populous country in 2025?
India, with an estimated 1.46 billion people.
Which continent has the most countries?
Africa, with 54 countries.