As of January 1, 2025, there are 195 recognized sovereign countries in the world. This total includes 193 member states of the United Nations and 2 non-member observer states: the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine.
It’s important to note that the exact number of countries can vary depending on the criteria used for recognition. Some entities may declare independence or be recognized by certain nations but not by others, leading to variations in counts reported by different sources.
For instance, while the United Nations recognizes 195 sovereign states, other organizations or lists might include additional territories or regions, resulting in higher counts. However, the UN’s recognition is widely accepted as the standard reference for the number of countries globally.
Therefore, as of the beginning of 2025, the widely accepted number of countries worldwide remains at 195.
