How Many Countries Are There?

If you wanted to know how many countries there were in the world it should be a pretty easy thing to find out. Go to a map, count all the countries, and voila! However, it isn't even remotely close to being that simple. Defining what is a country is extremely difficult and has been a point of contention in many wars and conflicts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices