If you are a curious traveler, a geography enthusiast, or a trivia buff, you might have wondered how many countries are there in the world.
You might think that this is a simple question with a straightforward answer, but you would be wrong.
The truth is, there is no definitive and universally agreed-upon answer to this question, as different sources may use different criteria and definitions to determine what constitutes a country.
In this article, I will try to explain why this question is so complicated, and give you some possible answers based on different sources and perspectives.
Are there 249 countries in the world?
One way to approach this question is to use the ISO 3166-1 standard, which is an international standard for country codes and names.
However, this list is not free of controversy, as some of the entities included are not recognized as independent or sovereign by some other countries or organizations.
For example, Taiwan is listed as a country by ISO 3166-1, but it is considered by China as a province of its territory.
Similarly, Kosovo is listed as a country by ISO 3166-1, but it is not recognized by Serbia or Russia as an independent state.
Are there 254 countries in the world?
This list adds up to 254 entities that have their own flags and symbols.
However, this list also has some limitations and disputes, as some of the flags may not be officially adopted or recognized by the governments or populations of the entities they represent.
For example, the flag of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey and Northern Cyprus itself, but not by the rest of the world.
Similarly, the flag of Somaliland is only recognized by Somaliland itself, but not by Somalia or any other country.
What is the 197th country in the world?
A third way to approach this question is to use the list of countries recognized by the United Nations (UN), which is the most widely used and authoritative source for international relations and diplomacy.
However, even the UN list is not free of controversy, as some countries may claim independence or sovereignty but are not admitted or recognized by the UN.
For example, Taiwan is not a member or observer of the UN, despite having a population of over 23 million people and a democratic government.
Similarly, Western Sahara is not a member or observer of the UN, despite being a former Spanish colony that declared independence in 1976.
So what is the 197th country in the world? Well, it depends on who you ask and what criteria you use.
Some people may consider Taiwan or Western Sahara as the 197th country in the world, while others may consider Kosovo or Northern Cyprus as such.
Some people may even consider other entities that are not on any of the lists mentioned above, such as Abkhazia or South Ossetia, which are breakaway regions from Georgia that are supported by Russia.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is no simple or definitive answer to the question of how many countries are there in the world.
The answer may vary depending on different sources, definitions, criteria, and perspectives.
However, this does not mean that we should give up on trying to learn more about the world and its diversity.
On the contrary, we should embrace the complexity and ambiguity of this question, and use it as an opportunity to explore and discover more about the history, culture, politics, and geography of different regions and peoples.
After all, that is what makes traveling and learning so fun and fascinating.
