How Many Countries Are on Each Continent?
Using the most widely cited count (193 UN member states plus Vatican City and Palestine, for 195 total), Africa has the most countries with 54, followed by Asia with 48, Europe with 44, North America with 23, Oceania with 14, and South America with 12. Antarctica has zero, since no country owns any part of it.
Countries by Continent
| Continent | Number of Countries | Most Populous Country |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 54 | Nigeria |
| Asia | 48 | China |
| Europe | 44 | Germany |
| North America | 23 | United States |
| Oceania | 14 | Australia |
| South America | 12 | Brazil |
| Antarctica | 0 | No permanent population or sovereign country |
Why Do Continent Counts Vary Between Sources?
Not every source agrees, mostly because a handful of countries straddle two continents and get filed differently depending on the list. A few sources also treat North and South America as a single continent, "the Americas," which would combine 23 and 12 into 35.
Transcontinental Countries
- Russia (Europe and Asia)
- Turkey (Europe and Asia)
- Kazakhstan (Europe and Asia)
- Azerbaijan (Europe and Asia)
- Georgia (Europe and Asia)
- Egypt (Africa and Asia, via the Sinai Peninsula)
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Download on the App StoreAfrica's 54 Countries: Why So Many?
Africa's high country count traces back largely to the Berlin Conference of 1884 to 1885, where European powers divided the continent into colonial territories with little regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, or geographic boundaries. When those colonies gained independence in the 20th century, many became separate countries rather than merging into larger regional states, leaving Africa with more, and often smaller, nations than other continents of comparable size.
→Landlocked Countries: A Complete GuideThe Continent With Surprisingly Few Countries
Oceania has only 14 countries despite spanning a huge share of the Pacific Ocean, because most of that area is water, and many of its islands remain non-sovereign territories, like French Polynesia and Guam, rather than independent countries.
→How Many Countries Are There in the World?Which continent has the most countries?
Africa, with 54 sovereign countries, more than a quarter of all countries in the world.
Which continent has the fewest countries?
South America has the fewest, with 12 countries.
How many countries are in Europe?
Europe has 44 countries by the most common count, including transcontinental nations like Russia and Turkey.
Does Antarctica have any countries?
No. Antarctica has no permanent population or sovereign nation; it's governed collectively under the Antarctic Treaty System, which suspends territorial claims.
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