The number of countries in the world can vary depending on who is defining what constitutes a country. According to the United Nations, there are 195 countries in the world as of 2025, including 193 member states and 2 non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine. However, other organizations and sources may list different numbers, ranging from 193 to 237, due to varying definitions and recognitions of certain territories and states.