Country/Catalogs

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An informational catalog, or several catalogs, about Country.

The word country is not defined easily. In its simplest form, a country is just an area of land. However, it is also commonly used to refer to the State that controls the land or to refer to the nation that lives on the land. This is often additionally confused since the territory, state (government) and nation frequently share the same name. So we could consider a country to be the entity that is formed by all three parts, State (government), Nation (people) and territory (land).

However, complications can arise. For example the territory of the islands of Ireland are not coterminous with the territory controlled by a single Irish State. There are clear cultural affinities north and south of a border between two sovereign entities, but almost all the inhabitants of the Irish islands still consider themselves Irish and living in the country of Ireland. In other cases, such as the American aboriginals, the nation remains but has been stripped of its territory. Without territory, it cannot be considered a country.

This list tries to use an inclusive definition. For the most part, it contains internationally recognised countries with a fully autonomous and independent state with recognised territory that is home to the population of that State. However, at the bottom of the page we have also listed some states or territories that are disputed. We have also tried to explain in brief the reason for the dispute.

Some territories, commonly referred to as countries, make up part of a larger State through union. For example Scotland, England and Wales are all commonly known as countries. However, they are not independent of each other. While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a level of autonomy through recent devolution of powers, they remain a constituent part of the United Kingdom. Other territories display a high level of autonomy but are considered to belong to or be dependant upon a larger state. We have not listed such territories in column 1 of the table but rather listed them as a division of the parent state.


Widely Recognised Countries

NameCapitalCurrency[1]Population 2005
(Thousands)
Head of State
AfghanistanKabulAfghani

29,863

President Ashraf Ghanie
since 29th September 2014e
AlbaniaTiranaLek

3,130

President Bujar Nishanie
since 24th July 2012e
AlgeriaAlgiersAlgerian dinar

32,854

President Abdelaziz Bouteflikae
since 27th April 1999e
AndorraAndorra la VellaEuro

67

Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília and Emmanuel Macrone
since 12th May 2003 and 14th May 2017e
AngolaLuandaKwanza

15,941

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Antigua and BarbudaSaint John'sEast Caribbean dollar

81

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ArgentinaBuenos AiresArgentine peso

38,747

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ArmeniaYerevanArmenian dram

3,016

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
AustraliaCanberraAustralian dollar

20,155

King Charles IIIe
since ... click here to add the date
AustriaViennaEuro

8,189

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
AzerbaijanBakuAzerbaijani manat

8,411

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BahamasNassauBahamian dollar

323

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BahrainManamaBahraini dinar

727

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BangladeshDhakaTaka

141,822

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BarbadosBridgetownBarbadian dollar

270

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BelarusMinskBelarusian rouble

9,755

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BelgiumBrusselsEuro

10,419

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BelizeBelmopanBelizean Dollar

270

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BeninPorto Novo (Official)
Cotonou (De facto)
CFA franc

8,439

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BhutanThimphuNgultrum

2,163

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BoliviaSucre (Judicial)
La Paz (Administrative)
Boliviano

9,182

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Bosnia and HerzegovinaSarajevoconvertible mark

3,907

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BotswanaGaboroneBotswana pula

1,765

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Brazil Brasilia Brazilian real

186,405

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since ... click here to add the date
BruneiBandar Seri BegawanBruneian dollar

374

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BulgariaSofiaLev

7,726

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Burkina FasoOuagadougouCFA franc

13,228

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
BurundiBujumburaBurundi franc

7,548

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
CambodiaPhnom PenhCambodian riel

14,071

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
CameroonYaoundéCFA franc

16,322

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
CanadaOttawaCanadian dollar

32,623[2]

Queen Elizabeth IIe
since ... click here to add the date
Cape VerdePraiaCape Verdean escudo

507

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Central African RepublicBanguiCFA franc

4,038

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ChadN'DjamenaCFA franc

9,749

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ChileSantiagoChilean peso

16,295

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
People's Republic of China Beijing Renminbi
Hong Kong Dollar
Macao pataca

1,315,844

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ColombiaBogotaColombian peso

45,600

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ComorosMoroniComorian franc

798

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Democratic Republic of the CongoKinshasaCongolese franc

57,549

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Republic of the CongoBrazzavilleCFA franc

3,999

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Costa RicaSan JoséCosta Rican colón

4,327

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Côte d'IvoireYamoussoukroCFA franc

18,154

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
CroatiaZagrebKuna

4,551

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
CubaHavanaCuban peso

11,269

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Cyprus[3]NicosiaEuro

835

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Czech RepublicPragueCzech koruna

10,220

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
DenmarkCopenhagenDanish krone

5,431

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
DjiboutiDjiboutiDjibouti franc

793

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
DominicaRoseauEast Caribbean dollar

79

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Dominican RepublicSanto DomingoDominican peso

8,895

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
EcuadorQuitoUnited States dollar

13,228

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
EgyptCairoEgyptian pound

74,033

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
El SalvadorSan SalvadorEl Salvador colón
United States dollar

6,881

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Equatorial GuineaMalaboCFA franc

504

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
EritreaAsmaraNakfa

4,401

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
EstoniaTallinnEuro

1,330

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
EthiopiaAddis AbabaBirr

77,431

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
FijiSuvaFiji dollar

848

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
FinlandHelsinkiEuro

5,249

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
FranceParisEuro

60,496

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GabonLibrevilleCFA franc

1,384

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
The GambiaBanjulDalasi

1,517

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GeorgiaTbilisiLari

4,474

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GermanyBerlinEuro

82,689

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GhanaAccraCedi

22,113

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GreeceAthensEuro

11,120

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GrenadaSt. George'sEast Caribbean dollar

103

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GuatemalaGuatemala CityQuetzal
United States dollar

12,599

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GuineaConakryGuinea franc

9,402

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Guinea-BissauBissauCFA franc

1,586

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
GuyanaGeorgetownGuyana dollar

751

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
HaitiPort-au-PrinceGourde

8,528

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
HondurasTegucigalpaLempira

7,205

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
HungaryBudapestForint

10,098

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
IcelandReykjavikIcelandic Króna

295

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
IndiaNew DelhiIndian rupee

1,103,371

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
IndonesiaJakartaRupiah

222,781

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
IranTehranIranian rial

69,515

Click here to add the name[4]
since ... click here to add the date
IraqBaghdadIraqi dinar

28,807

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Ireland[5]DublinEuro

4,240[6]

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
IsraelJerusalem[7]New (Israeli) Sheqel (NIS)

6,725

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Italy Rome Euro

58,093

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
JamaicaKingstonJamaican dollar

2,651

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
JapanTokyoYen

128,085

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
JordanAmmanJordanian dinar

5,703

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
KazakhstanAstanaTenge

14,825

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
KenyaNairobiKenyan shilling

34,256

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
KiribatiSouth TarawaAustralian dollar

99

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
KuwaitKuwait CityKuwaiti dinar

2,687

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
KyrgyzstanBishkekKyrgyz som

5,264

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LaosVientianeKip

5,924

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LatviaRigaLats

2,307

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LebanonBeirutLebanese pound

3,577

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LesothoMaseruLoti
South African rand

1,795

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LiberiaMonroviaLiberian dollar

3,283

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LibyaTripoliLibyan dinar

5,853

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LiechtensteinVaduzSwiss franc

35

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LithuaniaVilniusLitas

3,431

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
LuxembourgLuxembourgEuro

465

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Republic of MacedoniaSkopjeMacedonian denar

2,034

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MadagascarAntananarivoMalagasy ariary
Malagasy franc

18,606

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MalawiLilongweMalawian kwacha

12,884

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MalaysiaKuala LumpurRinggit

25,347

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MaldivesMaléRufiyaa

329

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MaliBamakoCFA franc

13,518

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MaltaVallettaEuro

402

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Marshall IslandsMajuroUnited States dollar

62

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MauritaniaNouakchottOuguiya

3,069

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MauritiusPort LouisMauritius rupee

1,245

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MexicoMexico City Mexican peso

107,029

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Federated States of MicronesiaPalikirUnited States dollar

110

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MoldovaChisinauMoldovan leu

4,206

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MonacoMonacoEuro

35

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MongoliaUlaanbaatarTugrik (tögrög)

2,646

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MontenegroPodgoricaEuro

620[1]

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MoroccoRabatMoroccan dirham

31,478

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
MozambiqueMaputoMetecal

19,792

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Myanmar[8]NaypyidawKyat

50,519

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NamibiaWindhoekNamibian dollar

2,031

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NaurunoneAustralian dollar

14

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NepalKathmanduNepalese rupee

27,133

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NetherlandsAmsterdam[9]Euro

16,299

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
New ZealandWellingtonNew Zealand Dollar

4,028

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NicaraguaManaguaCórdoba

5,487

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NigerNiameyCFA franc

13,957

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NigeriaAbujaNaira

131,530

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
North KoreaPyongyangNorth Korean won

22,488

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
NorwayOsloNorwegian Krone

4,620

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
OmanMuscatOmani riyal

2,567

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PakistanIslamabadPakistani rupee

157,935

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PalauMelekeokUnited States dollar

20

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PanamaPanama CityBalboa

3,232

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Papua New GuineaPort MoresbyKina

5,887

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ParaguayAsuncionGuarani

6,158

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PeruLimaPeruvian sol

27,968

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PhilippinesManilaPhilippine peso

83,054

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PolandWarsawPolish złoty

38,530

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
PortugalLisbonEuro

10,495

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
QatarDohaQatari riyal

813

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
RomaniaBucharestRomanian leu

21,711

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
RussiaMoscowRuble

143,202

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
RwandaKigaliRwandan franc

9,038

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Saint Kitts and NevisBasseterreEast Caribbean dollar

43

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Saint LuciaCastriesEast Caribbean dollar

161

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesKingstownEast Caribbean dollar

119

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SamoaApiaTala

185

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
San MarinoSan MarinoEuro

28

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
São Tomé and PríncipeSao TomeDobra

157

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Saudi ArabiaRiyadhSudi Arabian riyal

24,573

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SenegalDakarCFA franc

11,658

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SerbiaBelgradeSerbian dinar
Euro

10,503

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SeychellesVictoriaSeychelles rupee

81

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Sierra LeoneFreetownLeone

5,525

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SingaporeSingaporeSingapore dollar

4,326

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SlovakiaBratislavaEuro

5,401

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SloveniaLjubljanaEuro

1,967

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Solomon IslandsHoniaraSolomon Islands dollar

478

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SomaliaMogadishuSomali shilling

8,228

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
South AfricaPretoria (executive)
Cape Town (legislative)
Bloemfontein (judicial)
Rand

47,432

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
South KoreaSeoulSouth Korean won

47,817

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
South SudanJuba[10]South Sudanese pound

8,200+[11]

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SpainMadridEuro

43,064

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Sri LankaColomboSri Lankan rupee

20,743

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SudanKhartoumSudanese dinar

36,233

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SurinameParamariboSuriname guilder

449

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SwazilandMbabaneEmalangeni
South African rand

1,032

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SwedenStockholmSwedish krona

9,041

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SwitzerlandBernSwiss Franc

7,252

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
SyriaDamascusSyrian pound

19,043

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since ... click here to add the date
TajikistanDushanbeSomoni

6,507

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since ... click here to add the date
TanzaniaDodomaTanzanian shilling

38,329

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ThailandBangkokBahr

64,233

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Timor-LesteDiliCFA franc

947

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
TogoLoméCFA franc

6,145

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
TongaNuku'alofaPa'anga

102

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
Trinidad and TobagoPort of SpainTrinidad and Tobago dollar

1,305

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
TunisiaTunisTunisian dinar

10,102

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since ... click here to add the date
TurkeyAnkaraTurkish Lira

73,193

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since ... click here to add the date
TurkmenistanAshgabatTurkmen manat

4,833

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since ... click here to add the date
TuvaluFunafutiAustralian dollar

10

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since ... click here to add the date
UgandaKampalaUgandan shilling

28,816

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since ... click here to add the date
UkraineKievHryvnia

46,481

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since ... click here to add the date
United Arab EmiratesAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates dirham

4,496

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
United Kingdom[12] London Pound sterling

59,668

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
United States of America Washington United States dollar

298,213

President Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
UruguayMontevideoUruguayan peso

3,463

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
UzbekistanTashkentUzbek som

26,593

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
VanuatuPort VilaVatu

211

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since ... click here to add the date
Vatican City[13]VaticanEuro

0.253

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since ... click here to add the date
VenezuelaCaracasVenezuelan bolivar

26,749

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
VietnamHa NoiVietnamese dong

84,238

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since ... click here to add the date
YemenSanaYemeni rial

20,975

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ZambiaLusakaZambian kwacha

11,668

Click here to add the name
since ... click here to add the date
ZimbabweHarareZimbabwean dollar

13,010

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since ... click here to add the date

Other less well recognised countries

Some territories effectively behave as independent countries but have, for one reason or another, not received wide recognition, or they are disputed or claimed by another country.

NameCapitalCurrencyPopulation
China, Republic of[14]TaipeiTaiwan Dollar

22,858,872[15]

KosovoPrištinaEuro2,126,708 (2007 est.) [16]
Northern CyprusNicosiaTurkish New Lira

264,172 (2006)

PalestineJerusalem (claimed), Ramallah de facto 

3,900,000[17]

TransnistriaTiraspolTransnistrian ruble

555,347

Western Sahara LaâyouneMoroccan dirham

341,000[1]

Notes and References

  • List of recognised counties sourced from UN member states list
  • Population data sourced from [# | Add address here]
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 (2007 Fourth Edition.) The Times Atlas of the World, Compact Edition.. Times Books, London., 160. ISBN ISBN 978-0-00-723374-8. 
  2. Statistics Canada, 2006
  3. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which adminsters part of the island, is recognised only by Turkey.
  4. The President of Iran is the head of government, not the Head of State.
  5. Excludes Northern Ireland, administered by the UK.
  6. Irish Census, 2006
  7. Most countries' embassies are in Tel Aviv because international law does not recognise Jerusalem as the capital. See CIA - The World Factbook - Israel.
  8. Many countries, but not the UN, do not recognise this name as it was the choice of the junta that took power in 1989. 'Burma' is widely used in the English-speaking world.
  9. Another city, The Hague, is actually the seat of government but not a capital.
  10. The capital is to move to Ramciel in the future.
  11. This figure, obtained through a census conducted when South Sudan was still part of Sudan, is disputed; the true figure may be over 1 million higher.
  12. The United Kingdom is composed of four countries joined in union - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  13. The Vatican is a city state so forms its own capital.
  14. The Republic of China is commonly known as Taiwan after the island which comprises the bulk of its territory, to distinguish it from the People's Republic of China.
  15. The World Factbook, Taiwan. C.I.A..
  16. The World Factbook, Kosovo. C.I.A..
  17. This is an estimate by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The last census by the Bureau of Statistics reported a population of 2,890,630 in the year 1998. This included: West bank 1.65 million; Gaza Strip 1.02 million; East Jerusalem 210,000; Overseas 325,000. These numbers do no tally with Israeli census data. A new census is in progress and is expected to report in February 2008.