We have listed 197 countries in the world. In our list of countries, we have included the UN member states, the countries recognized by the United States, and the independent states of the world.
We’ve also included Kosovo, the Holy See (Vatican City), the Cook Islands, and Niue. The United States recognizes these nations as independent countries.
List of country names from A-Z
Here is the alphabetical list of the country names with their capitals. We have also included the countries’ regions, the international standard for country codes (ISO 3166), and continents.
Country | Country Capital | Country Code | Region | Continent |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Kabul | AF | South-Central Asia | Asia |
Albania | Tirana | AL | Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe | Europe |
Algeria | Algiers | DZ | Northern Africa | Africa |
Andorra | Andorra la Vella | AD | Southwestern Europe | Europe |
Angola | Luanda | AO | Southwest Africa | Africa |
Antigua and Barbuda | St. John's | AG | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Argentina | Buenos Aires | AR | Southern South America | South America |
Armenia | Yerevan | AM | Causcasus Region, Southwestern Asia | Asia |
Australia | Canberra | AU | Oceania | Australia |
Austria | Vienna | AT | Central Europe | Europe |
Azerbaijan | Baku | AZ | Causcasus Region, Southwestern Asia | Asia, Europe |
Bahamas, The | Nassau | BS | North Atlantic Ocean | North America |
Bahrain | Manama | BH | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
Bangladesh | Dhaka | BD | Southern Asia | Asia |
Barbados | Bridgetown | BB | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Belarus | Minsk | BY | Eastern Europe | Europe |
Belgium | Brussels | BE | Western Europe | Europe |
Belize | Belmopan | BZ | Central America | North America |
Benin (Dahomey) | Porto-Novo | BJ | Western Africa | Africa |
Bhutan | Thimphu | BT | Southern Asia | Asia |
Bolivia | La Paz (administrative capital), Sucre (constitutional capital) | BO | Central South America | South America |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sarajevo | BA | Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe | Europe |
Botswana | Gaborone | BW | Southern Africa | Africa |
Brazil | Brasilia | BR | Eastern South America | South America |
Brunei | Bandar Seri Begawan | BN | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Bulgaria | Sofia | BG | Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe | Europe |
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta) | Ouagadougou | BF | Western Africa | Africa |
Burundi | Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital) | BI | Eastern Africa | Africa |
Cabo Verde | Praia | CV | Western Africa | Africa |
Cambodia | Phnom Penh | KH | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Cameroon | Yaoundé | CM | Western Africa | Africa |
Canada | Ottawa | CA | Northern North America | North America |
Central African Republic | Bangui | CF | Central Africa | Africa |
Chad | N'Djamena | TD | Central Africa | Africa |
Chile | Santiago | CL | Southern South America | South America |
China | Beijing | CN | Eastern Asia | Asia |
Colombia | Bogota | CO | Northernwestern South America | South America |
Comoros | Moroni | KM | Eastern African Coast | Africa |
Cook Islands | Avarua | CK | Polynesia, Oceania | Australia |
Costa Rica | San Jose | CR | Central America | North America |
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative capital) | CI | Western Africa | Africa |
Croatia | Zagreb | HR | Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe | Europe |
Cuba | Havana | CU | Greater Antilles, Carbbean | North America |
Cyprus | Nicosia | CY | Middle East | Asia |
Czechia (Czech Republic) | Prague | CZ | Central Europe | Europe |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa | CD | Central Africa | Africa |
Denmark | Copenhagen | DK | Northern Europe | Europe |
Djibouti | Djibouti city | DJ | Eastern Africa | Africa |
Dominica | Roseau | DM | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Dominican Republic | Santo Domingo | DO | Greater Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Ecuador | Quito | EC | Western South America | South America |
Egypt | Cairo | EG | Northeastern Africa, Southwestern Asia | Africa, Asia |
El Salvador | San Salvador | SV | Central America | North America |
Equatorial Guinea | Malabo | GQ | Western Central Africa | Africa |
Eritrea | Asmara | ER | Northeastern Africa | Africa |
Estonia | Tallinn | EE | Eastern Europe | Europe |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | Mbabane (administrative capital), Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) | SZ | Southern Africa | Africa |
Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | ET | Eastern Africa | Africa |
Fiji | Suva | FJ | Melanesia, Oceania | Australia |
Finland | Helsinki | FI | Northern Europe | Europe |
France | Paris | FR | Western Europe | Europe |
Gabon | Libreville | GA | Central Africa | Africa |
Gambia, The | Banjul | GM | Western Africa | Africa |
Georgia | Tbilisi | GE | Causcasus Region, Southwestern Asia | Europe, Asia |
Germany | Berlin | DE | Central Europe | Europe |
Ghana | Accra | GH | Western Africa | Africa |
Greece | Athens | GR | Southern Europe | Europe |
Grenada | Saint George's | GD | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Guatemala | Guatemala City | GT | Central America | North America |
Guinea | Conakry | GN | Western Africa | Africa |
Guinea-Bissau | Bissau | GW | Western Africa | Africa |
Guyana | Georgetown | GY | Northern South America | South America |
Haiti | Port-au-Prince | HT | Greater Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Holy See (Vatican City) | Vatican City | VA | Southern Europe within Italy | Europe |
Honduras | Tegucigalpa | HN | Central America | North America |
Hungary | Budapest | HU | Central Europe | Europe |
Iceland | Reykjavík | IS | Northern Europe | Europe |
India | New Delhi | IN | Southern Asia | Asia |
Indonesia | Jakarta | ID | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Iran | Tehran | IR | Middle East | Asia |
Iraq | Baghdad | IQ | Middle East | Asia |
Ireland | Dublin | IE | Northwestern Europe | Europe |
Israel | Jerusalem | IL | Middle East | Asia |
Italy | Rome | IT | Southern Europe | Europe |
Jamaica | Kingston | JM | Greater Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Japan | Tokyo | JP | Eastern Asia | Asia |
Jordan | Amman | JO | Middle East | Asia |
Kazakhstan | Astana | KZ | Central Asia, Eastern Europe | Asia, Europe |
Kenya | Nairobi | KE | Eastern Africa | Africa |
Kiribati | Tarawa | KI | Micronesia, Oceania | Australia |
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | Pyongyang | KP | Eastern Asia | Asia |
Kosovo | Pristina | KV | Balkan Peninsula, Southeasten Europe | Europe |
Kuwait | Kuwait City | KW | Middle East | Asia |
Kyrgyzstan | Bishkek | KG | Central Asia | Asia |
Laos | Vientiane | LA | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Latvia | Riga | LV | Eastern Europe | Europe |
Lebanon | Beirut | LB | Middle East | Asia |
Lesotho | Maseru | LS | Southern Africa | Africa |
Liberia | Monrovia | LR | Western Africa | Africa |
Libya | Tripoli | LY | Northern Africa | Africa |
Liechtenstein | Vaduz | LI | Central Europe | Europe |
Lithuania | Vilnius | LT | Eastern Europe | Europe |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg | LU | Western Europe | Europe |
Madagascar | Antananarivo | MG | Southeastern Africa Coast | Africa |
Malawi | Lilongwe | MW | Southeastern Africa | Africa |
Malaysia | Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur | MY | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Maldives | Malé | MV | Southern Asia | Asia |
Mali | Bamako | ML | Western Africa | Africa |
Malta | Valletta | MT | Southern Europe | Europe |
Marshall Islands | Majuro | MH | Micronesia, Oceania | Australia |
Mauritania | Nouakchott | MR | Western Africa | Africa |
Mauritius | Port Louis | MU | Southern Africa | Africa |
Mexico | Mexico City | MX | North America | North America |
Micronesia | Palikir | FM | Micronesia, Oceania | Australia |
Moldova | Chișinău | MD | Eastern Europe | Europe |
Monaco | Monaco | MC | Western Europe | Europe |
Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar | MN | Central Asia | Asia |
Montenegro | Podgorica | ME | Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe | Europe |
Morocco | Rabat | MA | Northern Africa | Africa |
Mozambique | Maputo | MZ | Southeastern Africa | Africa |
Myanmar (Burma) | Naypyidaw | MM | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Namibia | Windhoek | NA | Southern Africa | Africa |
Nauru | Yaren (de facto) | NR | Micronesia, Oceania | Australia |
Nepal | Kathmandu | NP | Southern Asia | Asia |
Netherlands, The | Amsterdam | NL | Northwestern Europe | Europe |
New Zealand | Wellington | NZ | Oceania | Australia |
Nicaragua | Managua | NI | Central America | North America |
Niger | Niamey | NE | Western Africa | Africa |
Nigeria | Abuja | NG | Western Africa | Africa |
Niue | Alofi | NU | Polynesia, Oceania | Australia |
North Macedonia | Skopje | MDK | Balkan Peninsula, Southeast Europe | Europe |
Norway | Oslo | NO | Northern Europe | Europe |
Oman | Muscat | OM | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
Pakistan | Islamabad | PK | Southern Asia | Asia |
Palau | Ngerulmud | PW | Micronesia, Oceania | Australia |
Panama | Panama City | PA | Central America | North America |
Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby | PG | Melanesia, Oceania | Australia |
Paraguay | Asunción | PY | Central South America | South America |
Peru | Lima | PE | Western South America | South America |
Philippines | Manila | PH | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Poland | Warsaw | PL | Central Europe | Europe |
Portugal | Lisbon | PT | Southwestern Europe | Europe |
Qatar | Doha | QA | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
Republic of Korea (South Korea) | Seoul | KR | Eastern Asia | Asia |
Republic of the Congo | Brazzaville | CG | Central Africa | Africa |
Romania | Bucharest | RO | Balkan Peninsula, South-East Europe | Europe |
Russia | Moscow | RU | Eastern Europe and Northern Asia | Asia, Europe |
Rwanda | Kigali | RW | Central Africa | Africa |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Basseterre | KN | Lesser Antolles, Caribbean | North America |
Saint Lucia | Castries | LC | Lesser Antolles, Caribbean | North America |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Kingstown | VC | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Samoa | Apia | WS | Polynesia, Oceania | Australia |
San Marino | San Marino | SM | Southern Europe within Italy | Europe |
São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé | ST | Central Africa | Africa |
Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | SA | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
Senegal | Dakar | SN | Western Africa | Africa |
Serbia | Belgrade | RS | Balkan Peninsula, South-East Europe | Europe |
Seychelles | Victoria | SC | Eastern African Coast | Africa |
Sierra Leone | Freetown | SL | Western Africa | Africa |
Singapore | Singapore | SG | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Slovakia | Bratislava | SK | Central Europe | Europe |
Slovenia | Ljubljana | SI | Balkan Peninsula, Central Europe | Europe |
Solomon Islands, The | Honiara | SB | Melanesia, Oceania | Australia |
Somalia | Mogadishu | SO | Eastern Africa | Africa |
South Africa | Pretoria (administrative capital), Bloemfontein (judicial capital), Cape Town (legislative capital) | ZA | Southern Africa | Africa |
South Sudan | Juba | SS | East-Central Africa | Africa |
Spain | Madrid | ES | Southwestern Europe | Europe |
Sri Lanka | Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital), Colombo (judicial capital) | LK | Southern Asia | Asia |
Sudan | Khartoum | SD | Northeastern Africa | Africa |
Suriname | Paramaribo | SR | Northern South America | South America |
Sweden | Stockholm | SE | Northern Europe | Europe |
Switzerland | Bern | CH | Central Europe | Europe |
Syria | Damascus | SY | MIddle East | Asia |
Tajikistan | Dushanbe | TJ | Central Asia | Asia |
Tanzania | Dodoma | TZ | Eastern Africa | Africa |
Thailand | Bangkok | TH | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Timor-Leste | Dili | TL | Maritime South-East Asia | Asia |
Togo | Lomé | TG | Western Africa | Africa |
Tonga | Nukuʻalofa | TO | Polynesia, Oceania | Australia |
Trinidad and Tobago | Port of Spain | TT | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | North America |
Tunisia | Tunis | TN | Northern Africa | Africa |
Türkiye (Turkey) | Ankara | TR | Southeastern Europe, Western Asia | Asia, Europe |
Turkmenistan | Ashgabat | TM | Central Asia | Asia |
Tuvalu | Funafuti | TV | Polynesia, Oceania | Australia |
Uganda | Kampala | UG | East-Central Africa | Africa |
Ukraine | Kyiv | UA | Eastern Europe | Europe |
United Arab Emirates, The | Abu Dhabi | AE | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
United Kingdom, The | London | GB | Northwestern Europe | Europe |
United States, The | Washington D.C. | US | North America | North America |
Uruguay | Montevideo | UY | Southeastern South America | South America |
Uzbekistan | Tashkent | UZ | Central Asia | Asia |
Vanuatu | Port-Vila | VA | Melanesia, Oceania | Australia |
Venezuela | Caracas | VE | Northern South America | South America |
Vietnam | Hanoi | VD | Southeastern Asia | Asia |
Yemen | Sana'a | YE | Arabian Peninsula, Middle East | Asia |
Zambia | Lusaka | ZM | South-Central Africa | Africa |
Zimbabwe | Harare | ZW | Southern Africa | Africa |
Up next: Country flags around the world
Country names by continent
The world has seven continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia (Oceania), North America and South America.
Africa (54): Algeria, Angola, Benin (Dahomey), Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Read more: Countries in Africa
Asia (49): Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea (Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of), Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea (Republic of Korea), Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Türkiye (Turkey), Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.
Read more: Countries in Asia
Australia and Oceania (16): Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Read more: Oceanian Countries
Europe (49): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia (Czech Republic), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye (Turkey), Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Read more: European Countries
North America (23): Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States.
Read more: Countries in North America
South America (12): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Read more: Countries in South America
Please note that some countries are part of more than one continent. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Türkiye (Turkey) are part of two continents: Europe and Asia. Egypt sits in both Africa and Asia.
Some points to note about the countries we included:
The Cook Islands and Niue: While they are self-governing and operating as independent countries, the United Nations does not recognize them as full member states. New Zealand retains responsibility for their defense and foreign affairs.
The US officially recognized and established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign, independent states in September 2023.
Taiwan: A few countries recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, but due to political pressure from China, it is not universally recognized, nor is it a UN member. The US recognizes Taiwan as part of China.
Kosovo: It is recognized by over 100 countries but is not a UN member due to the non-recognition by some countries, including Serbia.
Holy See (Vatican City): It is widely recognized as a sovereign entity, but it is not a full member of the UN.
While we listed 197 countries in the world, this number is up for debate. For further clarification, please read: How many countries are there in the world?