How many countries have you visited?

[VPS]

So I have been thinking about how many countries I have visited and there are so many lists of what is the number of countries. Does anyone have their version of the definitive list? What are you criteria for visiting a country eg I've been through Dubai airport about 10 times does that mean I can count that country? Does England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland count as separate countries. What about Jersey?

There is a very old thread here How many countries?

Another question that maybe should have a separate thread? How many people have stood on all 7 continents (apart from me)?

OK everyone - go!!

 

[p--and--t]

Dubai airport

No, not unless you passed through customs into the country

England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland

Yes, in my book they are separate countries. However many lists don't include them and just put UK, which I consider is wrong (and are not included on the list below). Just ask a Scotsman if he is from England LOL

There is also the old argument about "independent" administrations. i.e. places like Hong Kong and Macau, which are on the list below So why not Scotland which has its own parliament.

The seventh continent is on my "gunna" list but no sure if I am going to make it, so expensive, for the same money I can spend significantly more amount of time in a few countries.

This is one list I think I got off wiki, can't remember

A

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba (Netherlands)
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan

B

Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi

C

Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic (CAR)
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic

D

Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

E

Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia

F

Fiji
Finland
France

G

Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

H

Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong (Now China)
Hungary

I

Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy

J

Jamaica
Japan
Jordan

K

Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

L

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

M

Macau (Now China)
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)

N

Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Norway

O

Oman

P

Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal

Q

Qatar

R

Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria

T

Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu

U

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
United Kingdom (UK)
United States of America (USA)
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V

Vanuatu
Vatican City (Holy See)
Venezuela
Vietnam

Y

Yemen

Z

Zambia
Zimbabwe

 

[jastel]

Thanks for the list...I forgot I'd been to Lichtenstein!

Even though I have entered customs and technically "visited" a country, I dont class myself as having "seen" it unless I have at least spent time away from the airport and seen some things.

I am always surprised at people that say they have "done" a large country like USA, Australia, Europe by visiting the 2 most popular places there.

Heck, many Aussies have not seen more than a couple of places in Australia...

 

[OZDUCK]

But what about having visited Yugoslavia, does that mean I can claim to have visited Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo (!) & North Macedonia? If not, then can I claim West Germany and Germany as two different countries visited?

 

[dajop]

What about passing through a country (say on a train) crossing borders, but not actually leaving the train? Does that count?

 

[p--and--t]

Even though I have entered customs and technically "visited" a country, I dont class myself as having "seen" it unless I have at least spent time away from the airport and seen some things.

In my short cut message, that's what I meant. I don't think someone spending a few hours in a place should count. People who go on a cruise and claim every port where they docked for a few hours as a "country visited" always make me shake my head. My usual benchmark is stayed at least one night (not in the airport). Some "countries" are tiny, some are huge (I spent 3 months wandering around US & Canada) but a benchmark has to be set somewhere.

 

[VPS]

I would love a link to the definitive country list. I am also confused because I spent quite a lot of time in Yugoslavia so do I count all those countries?

 

[jastel]

Yep, I agree...I have spent about 6 months altogether in USA on different trips and have still only seen half of the states...but that is still more than most Americans!

We Australians consider a country to be a very large place far away...but for many in the world another country is only a few kms away in any direction...
Had several conversations like this...

Local: Where are you from?

Me: Australia

Local: Oh you must know my Uncle Fred in Sydney!

 

[p--and--t]

I would love a link to the definitive country list. I am also confused because I spent quite a lot of time in Yugoslavia so do I count all those countries?

I have a better "claim to fame", have actually toured 6 of the 7 countries that comprised the old Yugoslavia (actually visited 7 but I don't count Serbia as only spent a few hours there)

 

[Cossie]

This site goes to extremes, but has some useful info, there are some well travelled people out there!

Most Traveled People

mtp.travel

 

[RooFlyer]

So I have been thinking about how many countries I have visited and there are so many lists of what is the number of countries. Does anyone have their version of the definitive list? What are you criteria for visiting a country eg I've been through Dubai airport about 10 times does that mean I can count that country? Does England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland count as separate countries. What about Jersey?

For me, if its represented at the United Nations and I've been on-the-ground there (ie excluding airport or train transits ), then I count it. But clearly autonomous 'breakaway' places - border posts, currency etc - I also count. So Taiwan and Kosovo are in.

If it was one country when you visited, and its now five, you get one (but if you subsequently visit the five, you get six in total ). If it used to be twoi and you visited both but is now one, you get two. UK one country, not the component bits.

 

[Pushka]

Not enough! 44 on that list.

 

[SydneySwan]

I was in Central African Empire when it became Central African Republic. Leaving Bangui a few days later local police at a roadblock insisted I didn't have a valid visa as my visa was for CAE which didn't exist. So 1 country or 2?

In an old passport, I have stamps from Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and Zimbabwe all received over a few short weeks. 1, 2 or 3?

I am somewhere in the 60s or 70s in countries visited - need to work it out.

 

[LadyC]

44 for me also. Looking to visit a few more new countries over the next few years if I can.

 

[TheRealTMA]

One

44 for me also. Looking to visit a few more new countries over the next few years if I can.

one could just be American (Or English or German) and take your country with you.

 

[p--and--t]

One

one could just be American (Or English or German) and take your country with you.

LOL - amuses me on cruises when US citizens boast about the number of countries they have visited etc.

They travel on an American ship paying in USD, taken on short "bubble" bus tours with English speaking guides and drivers with pre-written text approved and mandated by the US cruise line with a stop in the middle for a typical US meal and back on board before they meet an actual local (not in a tourism industry geared for them).

The most exotic thing they are likely to encounter is the poorly paid Asian "help" that clean their cabin and serve their meals onboard or a tour guide with a stronger accent then their own.

 

[dajop]

I don't think someone spending a few hours in a place should count.

Unless the country is Monaco or Vatican City

 

[p--and--t]

Unless the country is Monaco or Vatican City

or the Principality of Hutt River

 

[Cossie]

or the Principality of Hutt River

You mean I can't count that?

 

[Major]

But what about having visited Yugoslavia, does that mean I can claim to have visited Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo (!) & North Macedonia? If not, then can I claim West Germany and Germany as two different countries visited?

What about The Soviet Union ? I would then pick up Belarus and Ukraine