The answer to this question depends on who you ask, or which data you lean on. Different authoritative bodies recognizes different sets of countries and regions. Due to land disputes, conflicts and war the number of countries tend to change over time. Either through merger or division of countries and their land area.

According to the United Nations there are currently 193 recognized countries. 195 if you include countries that are non-member, observer states. The State of Palestine, in Israel and the Holy See (Vatican City) in Italy.

The Olympic Committee recognizes 206 countries. While other sources put the number of countries upwards of 300.

Our database contains 250 countries, as it includes various islands. These islands are currently not recognized by the United Nations as individual countries. Depending on dataset used for pages and visualizations this number countries will vary.

How are countries created?

Most countries ever created has been formed by a collective of individuals who share commonalities, fostering a sense of belonging and identification with one another. These shared bonds might stem from factors such as a common race, religion, language, historical experiences, or culture. This unique connection often leads this group to aspire to self-govern as an independent nation. The emergence of nations frequently hinges on this shared identity and the allegiance individuals hold towards their collective.

However, to start a new country in this day and age, there are certain requirement to has to be met. The group needs to have defined territory, that territory needs to house a permanent population, that population need to form a functioning government, and finally, that governing body needs to be recognized by other countries, as a country.

Since all Earth's territory is essentially under the control of a some sort of governing body, such an endevour becomes rather challenging. Most countries formed in recent times has gone through long and bloody civil wars, confilcts, or diplomatic disputes with international intervention. Yet, there are some unique cases where micronations (aspirant states that claim independence but lack legal recognition) are striving for recognition as a country. Such is the case for Sealand that was founded as a sovereign principality on a military fortress, seven miles from the eastern shores of Britain back in 1967.

What is the oldest country in the world?

According to historical records and clues unearthed from geological discoveries suggest that the oldest countries in the world, with known organized government are as follows.

Iran - 3200 BC
Egypt - 3100 BC
Vietnam - 2879 BC
Armenia - 2492 BC
North Korea - 2333 BC
China - 2070 BC
India - 2000 BC
Georgia - 1300 BC
Israel - 1300 BC
Sudan - 1070 BC
Afghanistan - 678 BC

What is the youngest country on earth?

The world’s most recently formed state is South Sudan, which was recognized by the United Nations in 2011 after years of civil war. Followed by East Timor, which was recognized in 2002 after a United Nations–sponsored act of self-determination led to Indonesia relinquishing control of the territory. Before that a slew of new states was created or reinstated due to the collapse of the Soviet Union which resulted in its 15 constituent republics gaining full independence on 26 December 1991.