The following is a list providing an overview of sovereign states around the world, with information on their status and recognition of their sovereignty.
The 197 listed states can be divided into three categories based on membership within the League of Nations system: 190 member states, two observer states and 5 other states.
Compiling a list such as this can be a difficult and controversial process, as there is no definition that is binding on all the members of the community of nations concerning the criteria for statehood. For more information on the criteria used to determine the contents of this list, please see the criteria for inclusion section below. The list is intended to include entities that have been recognised as having de facto status as sovereign states, and inclusion should not be seen as an endorsement of any specific claim to statehood in legal terms.
