How Many Countries Are There in the World?

Because of conflicting interpretations among the most widely used sources, the question of how many countries there are in the world does not have an easy answer. This paper, however, seeks to produce a justifiable, definitive answer (at least for as long as changing political tides allow). By moving from continent to continent, listing generally recognized countries, addressing those land areas whose statuses are controversial, and explaining whether or not inclusion is warranted, the determination is made that as of October 1989 there were 170 countries in the world. Maps and tables used for this study are available. (DB)