How many countries are in the world?
This is a tough question to get a definitive answer for. It depends who you ask and what you define as a country. There are 195 Sovereign States according to the United Nations, 201 States with at least partial recognition acknowledged by at least one UN member, 204-207 De Facto Sovereign states that are self-declared countries, 206 olympic nations, 211 FIFA countries eligible for the World Cup, and 249 country codes in the ISO Standard List. This makes it very difficult to put an actual number on it.
What is a country?
First, we have to think about what makes a country, a country. By definition, a country refers to a territory with its own borders as well as total sovereignty over its territory and people. An independent country is not only a self-governed nation with its own authorities, but its status needs the international diplomatic recognition of sovereignty from at least some other sovereign countries. The United Nations, as the most influential international organization, is often considered the starting point for the correct number for total countries. There are currently 193 members of the UN that are recognized worldwide as independent countries. However, there are 2 permanent observer states, Holy See (Vatican) and Palestine, which are considered countries because of the UN observer status confirming the degree of their international recognition. This brings the UN total to 195, which is more than likely what will come up first on a Google search.
But wait! There’s more! Here’s where it gets a bit more complicated with that figure excluding 2 more widely recognized entities in the list of independent countries. Taiwan is recognized by 22 countries as its own nation, but excluded by most due to the asserted ownership by China in order to prevent harm to relations and trade opportunities. Another exception is Kosovo. Despite being recognized by 111 countries as a nation, its been in political debate since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. With these two exceptions, it brings the United Nation’s list of recognized countries in the world to 197.
Nowadays, there is no consensus on the country quantity issue because there is still no universal agreement on the definition of “country.” When looking at a map of the world, it may seem easy to distinguish what areas ought to be countries based on looks. That’s not the case though! Greenland, for example, is a large island between the north Atlantic and Arctic oceans and certainly looks like it ought to be a country, right? Wrong! While it controls many of its own domestic affairs, Greenland is not recognized as a UN member. It’s actually claimed by Denmark, a European country fractional in size comparison and located 1,800 miles away. People can certainly say they’ve technically been to every country in the world even though there’s still a massive untouched section of map, though some may consider that cheating.
Another example up for a technicality discussion is the United Kingdom, where I currently live. The UK is one country utilizing the same currency and passports, ruled by the same Monarch figure (long live the Queen), and ran by the same government. The FIFA organization, however, recognizes Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales as four separate “countries”. Many people, majority being football fans, follow the separation because of their teams and also because of the differences between the regions. All of this demonstrates the complications behind determining the exact number of countries in the world.
So if you’re wanting to be in the exclusive club of travelers racing to visit every country in the world, you’re probably going to want to know how possible and realistic it is. There are currently 199 people who claim to have accomplished this goal, although only about a fourth of them have been verified. You can visit nomadmania.com to keep up with the world’s top travelers. This website breaks up each country into regions so that travelers can mark what regions they have been to in each country. I like that you can see where you rank amongst other travelers.
How do I get into every single country?
I have heard that some countries are nearly impossible to enter as an American, so I thought I would put together a list of visa requirements and any expected hurdles that you may come across. Hopefully one day the world will be more peaceful and it won’t be so much of a hassle to explore the world. One can dream, right?!?
Still, Americans are very lucky compared to other nationalities. U.S. citizens have visa-free access to 113 countries across the globe. We can even get a visa on arrival in 41 countries, without applying beforehand. 43 countries require Americans to obtain a visa before arriving in the country, either by mail or an electronic application. A United States passport is a powerful document to have, ranking 6th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. The US passport is tied with Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Greece, and Ireland.
Below is a list of the 197 countries in alphabetical order and how to enter each as an American tourist.
Green indicates that no visa is required
Purple indicates that a visa can be obtained on arrival
Blue indicates that an electronic visa can be obtained in advance
Red indicates that a visa must be obtained by mail or at an embassy
 | Afghanistan- Visa required Online application at https://www.afgvisa.com/ Digital copy of your passport Have application signature notarized 5-15 business days to process $195 |
 | Albania- Visa not required |
 | Algeria- Visa required Visit https://www.itseasy.com/visa-expediting/algeria/ to view requirements and complete application Mail in passport to obtain a visa or visit consulate in person Approximately 10 days to process $309 |
 | Andorra- Visa not required |
 | Angola- eVisa Online application at http://www.smevisa.gov.ao/ 2-6 days to process $120 paid in cash at the border |
 | Antigua and Barbuda- Visa not required |
 | Argentina- Visa not required |
 | Armenia- Visa not required |
 | Australia- eVisa/ETA Online application at https://www.eta.homeaffairs.gov.au/ETAS3/etas 15-19 days to process $128-$178 |
 | Austria- Visa not required |
 | Azerbaijan- eVisa/Visa on arrival Online application at http://washington.mfa.gov.az/content/79 Visa on arrival is only valid for direct flights from NY on specific airlines 3 days to process Valid for 30 days $20 |
 | Bahamas- Visa not required |
 | Bahrain- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.evisa.gov.bh/ for eVisa Two-week visa on arrival will cost 25BD ($66 USD) |
 | Bangladesh- Visa on arrival Visit https://www.visa.gov.bd/ for eVisa Valid for 15-30 days $50 (USD only) |
 | Barbados- Visa not required |
 | Belarus- Visa not required |
 | Belgium- Visa not required |
 | Belize- Visa not required |
 | Benin- eVisa Visit https://evisa.gouv.bj/en/ for eVisa Valid for 30 days or 90 days 1-5 days to process $80-$175 |
 | Bhutan- Visa required You must work directly with a licensed tour operator to obtain a visa for Bhutan. 3-10 days to process $40 |
 | Bolivia- Visa on arrival Visa can be used for up to 3 trips per year within a 10-year period, up to a maximum of 90 days per year. $160 |
 | Bosnia and Herzegovina- Visa not required |
 | Botswana- Visa not required |
 | Brazil- Visa not required |
 | Brunei- Visa not required |
 | Bulgaria- Visa not required |
 | Burkina Faso- Visa on arrival Valid for 3 months Single entry = 94,000 CFA $155 Multiple-entry = 122,000CFA $200 |
 | Burundi- Visa required Visit https://burundiembassy-usa.com/index.php/consular-services/visa-services for application Yellow Fever vaccination required Single Entry Visa valid up to 30 days = $70 Multiple Entry Visa valid up to 30 days = $90 Transit Visa valid up to 72 hours = $40 |
 | Cabo Verde- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $25 |
 | Cambodia- eVisa/Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $30 |
 | Cameroon- Visa required Visit https://www.traveldocs.com/expedited-visa-services/cameroon-tourist-visa-washington-dc-visa-instructions40-538-1-3 for application Yellow Fever vaccination required Valid for up to 3 months 5-7 business day processing time = $487 10 business day processing time = 197 |
 | Canada- Visa not required |
 | Central African Republic- Visa not required |
 | Chad- Visa required Visit https://www.chadembassy.us/index.php/visa-information for application Yellow Fever vaccination required 1 week to process 1 month single entry = $150 3 month multiple entry = $200 6 month multiple entry = $250 |
 | Chile- Visa not required |
 | China- Visa required Visit http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/zyxx/ for application Submit application to Chinese Embassy 1-4 days to process Valid for multiple entries for 12 months or more $140 |
 | Colombia- Visa not required |
 | Comoros- Visa on arrival Valid for 45 days $50 |
 | Congo, Republic of- Visa required Visit http://www.ambacongo-us.org/en-us/embassyservices/consular/visa.aspx for application Submit application at least 2 weeks prior to departure Yellow Fever vaccination required 5-7 days to process Valid for 90 day and multiple entries. A visa of 180 days can be granted. $200 |
 | Costa Rica- Visa not required |
 | Côte d’Ivoire- eVisa Visit http://www.ambaciusa.org/fr/?id=31 for application Yellow Fever vaccination required 2-3 business days to get back the passport $209 multiple entry up to 90 days $249 multiple entry up to 1 year |
 | Croatia- Visa not required |
 | Cuba- Visa required Visit http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu/en/usa/consular-services#visa_turismo for application Valid for 30 days $85 |
 | Cyprus- Visa not required |
 | Czech Republic- Visa not required |
 | Democratic Republic of Congo- Visa required Visit https://www.ambardcusa.org/consular-affairs/ for application Yellow Fever vaccination required Average waiting time is a minimum of 90 days $45-$450 |
 | Denmark- Visa not required |
 | Djibouti- eVisa Visit https://www.evisa.gouv.dj/#/ for application Transit visa (1-14 days) = $12 Short stay visa (15 to 90 days) = $23 |
 | Dominica- Visa not required |
 | Dominican Republic- Visa not required |
 | Ecuador- Visa not required |
 | Egypt- eVisa/Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $25 |
 | El Salvador- Visa not required |
 | Equatorial Guinea- Visa not required |
 | Eritrea- Visa required Visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Eritrea.html#ExternalPopup for application Yellow Fever vaccination required About 20 days to process Valid for up to 90 days $50 |
 | Estonia- Visa not required |
 | Eswatini- Visa not required |
 | Ethiopia- eVisa/Visa on arrival Single-entry visa valid for 30 days = $52 Single-entry visa valid for 90 days = $72 |
 | Fiji- Visa not required |
 | Finland- Visa not required |
 | France- Visa not required |
 | Gabon- eVisa/Visa on arrival Single-entry visa = 45,000 CFA or 70 euros cash (USD not accepted) Valid from days up to 6 months |
 | Gambia- Visa required Visit http://www.accessgambia.com/information/gambian-embassy-united-states.html for application Valid for 5 years $100 |
 | Georgia- Visa not required |
 | Germany- Visa not required |
 | Ghana- Visa required Visit https://www.ghanaembassydc.org/ for application Yellow Fever vaccination required $60-$250 |
 | Greece- Visa not required |
 | Grenada- Visa not required |
 | Guatemala- Visa not required |
 | Guinea- Visa required Visit http://guineaembassyusa.org/en/visa-2/ for application Yellow Fever vaccination required Valid for up to 3 years with multiple entries $160 |
 | Guinea-Bissau- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.rgb-visa.com/ for eVisa Valid for 30 days to 1 year 55-100 € |
 | Guyana- Visa not required |
 | Haiti- Visa not required |
 | Honduras- Visa not required |
 | Hungary- Visa not required |
 | Iceland- Visa not required |
 | India- eVisa Visit https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html for application Valid for 30 days to 5 years $60-$150 |
 | Indonesia- Visa not required |
 | Iran- Visa required, except for Kish Island Visit https://evisatraveller.mfa.ir/en/request/ for application Allow 60-90 days to obtain a visa before departure $80-$160 |
 | Iraq- Visa required Visit http://www.iraqiembassy.us/page/visas-to-iraq for application Valid for 3 months to 1 year $50-$150 |
 | Ireland- Visa not required |
 | Israel- Visa not required |
 | Italy- Visa not required |
 | Jamaica- Visa not required |
 | Japan- Visa not required |
 | Jordan- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days 40 JD (approx. $56 USD) |
 | Kazakhstan- Visa not required |
 | Kenya- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html for eVisa Yellow Fever vaccination required Valid for 90 days to 6 months $50 |
 | Kiribati- Visa not required |
 | Korea, North- not permitted Visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/passport-for-travel-to-north-korea.html for information about a Special Validation Passport |
 | Korea, South- Visa not required |
 | Kosovo- Visa not required |
 | Kuwait- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://evisa.moi.gov.kw/evisa/home_e.do for eVisa Valid 30 days and up to 90 days $20-$80 for eVisa 3KD ($3USD) upon arrival |
 | Kyrgyzstan- Visa not required |
 | Laos- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://laoevisa.gov.la/index for eVisa Valid for 30 days within two months of issue $50 eVisa $30 upon arrival |
 | Latvia- Visa not required |
 | Lebanon- Visa on arrival A money order (no cash or checks accepted) payable to the Embassy of Lebanon Valid for 30 days $35 single entry $70 multiple entry |
 | Lesotho- Visa not required |
 | Liberia- Visa required Visit http://www.liberianembassyus.org/index.php?page=consular for application Yellow Fever vaccination required 10 days to process Apply within two weeks of travel date Valid for 3 months to 3 years $70-$350 |
 | Libya- Visa required Visit http://www.embassyoflibyadc.org/about/consulate_services/visa for application Valid for 30 days $25 |
 | Liechtenstein- Visa not required |
 | Lithuania- Visa not required |
 | Luxembourg- Visa not required |
 | Madagascar- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.e-visa-madagascar.com/ for eVisa Valid for 30-60 days $20-$45 |
 | Malawi- Visa on arrival Transit Visa = $50 Single-entry = $75 Six-month multiple entry = $150 One-year multiple entry = $250 |
 | Malaysia- Visa not required |
 | Maldives- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days Free of charge |
 | Mali- Visa required Visit http://www.maliembassy.us/visas for application Yellow Fever vaccination required 5 days to process Valid up to 5 years $131 |
 | Malta- Visa not required |
 | Marshall Islands- Visa not required |
 | Mauritania- Visa on arrival Single entry valid for 30 days 55€ |
 | Mauritius- Visa not required |
 | Mexico- Visa not required |
 | Micronesia- Visa not required |
 | Moldova- Visa not required |
 | Monaco- Visa not required |
 | Mongolia- Visa not required |
 | Montenegro- Visa not required |
 | Morocco- Visa not required |
 | Mozambique- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $50 |
 | Myanmar- eVisa Visit https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/ for application Valid for 28 days $50-$56 |
 | Namibia- Visa not required |
 | Nauru- Visa required Visit http://www.naurugov.nr/about-nauru/visiting-nauru/visa-requirements.aspx for application Apply one to two months prior to trip Valid for 30 days $50 AUD |
 | Nepal- Visa on arrival 15 days = $25 30 days = $40 90 days = $100 |
 | Netherlands- Visa not required |
 | New Zealand- Visa not required |
 | Nicaragua- Visa not required |
 | Niger- Visa required Visit http://www.embassyofniger.org/demande-de-visa/ got application Yellow Fever vaccination required 3 days to process Valid for 3 months $155 |
 | Nigeria- Visa required Visit http://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/index.php?page=visas for application Multiple Entry valid for 2 years $160 |
 | North Macedonia- Visa not required |
 | Norway- Visa not required |
 | Oman- eVisa Visit https://evisa.rop.gov.om/ for application Valid for 30 days within 6 months of issuance 20 OR ($52) |
 | Pakistan- eVisa Visit https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/ for application Valid for 3 months to 5 years 4-10 days to process $60+ |
 | Palau- Visa not required |
 | Palestine- Visa not required |
 | Panama- Visa not required |
 | Papua New Guinea- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://evisa.ica.gov.pg/evisa/account/apply for eVisa Valid for 180 days K100 (Approx. $58 USD) |
 | Paraguay- Visa on arrival Multiple entry visa with validity of up to ten years $160 |
 | Peru- Visa not required |
 | Philippines- Visa not required |
 | Poland- Visa not required |
 | Portugal- Visa not required |
 | Qatar- Visa not required |
 | Romania- Visa not required |
 | Russia- Visa required Visit https://visa.kdmid.ru/ for application Passengers of cruise ships and ferries at St. Petersburg and Vladivostok are permitted to stay in Russia for 72 hours without a visa when accompanied by a tour operator licensed by Russian authorities. 14 days to process Multiple Entry visa valid for 3 years $160 |
 | Rwanda- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.migration.gov.rw/anounce/online-visa/ for eVisa Valid for 30 days Single entry = $50 Multiple entry = $70 |
 | Saint Kitts and Nevis- Visa not required |
 | Saint Lucia- Visa not required |
 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines- Visa not required |
 | Samoa- Visa not required |
 | San Marino- Visa not required |
 | São Tomé and Principe- Visa not required |
 | Saudi Arabia- Visa required Visit https://www.saudiembassy.net/tourist-visa for application Multiple entry valid for up to one full year with a maximum 90-day duration at one time SAR 440 (Approx. $123) |
 | Senegal- Visa not required |
| Serbia- Visa not required |
 | Seychelles- Visa not required |
 | Sierra Leone- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $80 |
 | Singapore- Visa not required |
 | Slovakia- Visa not required |
 | Slovenia- Visa not required |
 | Solomon Islands- Visa on arrival Valid for 3 months Free of charge |
 | Somalia- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days and a maximum of 90 days $50 |
 | South Africa- Visa not required |
 | South Sudan- Visa required Visit http://www.southsudanembassyusa.org/visa/ for application Yellow Fever vaccination required 5 days to process $160 |
 | Spain- Visa not required |
 | Sri Lanka- eVisa/Visa on arrival Must have ETA or a visa Visit http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ for ETA system ETA is available online or at port of entry Entry valid for 30 days $5 Transit visa valid for 2 days = free |
 | Sudan- Visa required Visit https://www.sudanembassy.org/service/entry-visa/ for application Yellow Fever and Cholera vaccination required 7-10 business days to process $154 |
 | Suriname- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://suriname.vfsevisa.com/suriname/online/home/index for eVisa Tourist card on arrival valid for 30 days (extendable to 90 days) = $35 Multiple entry visa valid for 5 years = $100 Transit visa valid for 3 days = $15 |
 | Sweden- Visa not required |
 | Switzerland- Visa not required |
 | Syria- Visa required Visit https://www.traveldocs.com/expedited-visa-services/syria-visa-processing-country216 for information Visas must be obtained prior to arrival. The Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Washington, DC, however, suspended all operations in 2014. |
 | Taiwan- Visa not required |
 | Tajikistan- eVisa Visit https://www.evisa.tj/index.evisa.html for eVisa $52 |
 | Tanzania- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.tanzaniavisas.com/ for eVisa $50 |
 | Thailand- Visa not required |
 | Timor-Leste- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $30 |
 | Togo- Visa on arrival Valid for 7 days $30 |
 | Tonga- Visa on arrival Require a letter of authority Valid for 31 days Free |
 | Trinidad and Tobago- Visa not required |
 | Tunisia- Visa not required |
 | Turkey- eVisa Visit https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ for eVisa Valid for 180 days. Stay cannot exceed 90 days. $50 You do not need a visa if you are a transfer/transit passenger who has a transit stop of less than 24 hours and wish to explore Istanbul for free with Turkish Airlines. Visit https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-gb/flights/fly-different/touristanbul/ for more info. |
 | Turkmenistan- Visa in advance/Visa on arrival Visit https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en/consular-services/visa for application Letter of invitation required Single entry visa valid for 10 days = $70 |
 | Tuvalu- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days $100 AUD |
 | Uganda- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ for eVisa Valid for 90 days $50 |
 | Ukraine- Visa not required |
 | United Arab Emirates- Visa on arrival Valid for 30 days Free |
 | United Kingdom- Visa not required |
 | United States- Citizens |
 | Uruguay- Visa not required |
 | Uzbekistan- eVisa Visit http://evisa.mfa.uz/evisa_en/ for eVisa For single entry visas: up to 7 days = $40 up to 15 days = $50 up to 30 days = $60 up to 3 months = $80 up to 6 months = $120 up to 1 year = $160 For multiple entry visas: up to 6 months = $150 up to 1 year = $250 For transit visas: up to 72 hours = $40 double entry transit visa = $50 |
 | Vanuatu- Visa not required |
 | Vatican- Visa not required |
 | Venezuela- Visa required Must appear in person at the closest Embassy/Consulate to apply One-year, multiple-entry visa good for a 90 day stay = $30 |
 | Vietnam- eVisa Visit https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt for eVisa Valid for 30 days, single entry $25 |
 | Yemen- Visa required Visit https://www.yemenembassy.org/consuloraffairs/visa-services/ for application Visa must be obtained at Yemeni embassies and consulates abroad An invitation letter is required Valid for 30 days Minimum processing time is two weeks $65 |
 | Zambia- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/#/home for eVisa KAZA visa valid for travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe and day trips into Botswana is valid for 30 days = $50 Day tripper visa = $20 Single-entry visa = $50 Double or multiple-entry visa =$80 |
 | Zimbabwe- eVisa/Visa on arrival Visit https://www.evisa.gov.zw/ for eVisa Single-entry visa = $55 Double entry visa = $70 |
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